Persona 3: Fairly English Story
by SamJaz
Summary: Persona 3: FES, only Minato is English, hence the title. Then Minato cheats the game. So the game cheats back. So Minato cheats the world.
1. Chapter 1

A blue butterfly appeared in my mind. I knew it didn't speak, but I still heard the words in my mind…

_Time never waits._

_It delivers all equally to the same end._

_You, who wish to safeguard the future,_

_However limited it may be..._

_You will be given one year;_

_Go forth, never falter,_

_With your heart as your guide..._

I opened my eyes, waking from the weird dream. I heard the announcers voice; _"The next station is Iwatodai. Please take all your belongings with you, we apologize for the delay."_

Sighing, I stood up and grabbed my bag, and walked to the door of the train, as it began to slow down.

Might as well introduce myself. My Name's Minato Arisoto. I'm seventeen and from West Yorkshire. Yeah, I know, Minato is a weird name for a Yorkshireman, and Arisoto isn't even an English name, but that's because my dad was Japanese. Me and mom lived with him until I was seven. They died, and I was brought up by my aunt and uncle back in England.

As the train ground to a halt, I remembered once again just how screwed up I was. Nothing ever scared me, I even watched the exorcist when I was ten and didn't even flinch. I rarely showed any emotion unconsciously other than tiredness; even when I was wide awake. As I stepped off the train, I saw the clock and was thankful I had jetlag. If my body didn't think it was four in the afternoon I would probably be knackered right now-

That was when the lights died and everyone turned to coffins. As usual, the walls started bleeding and my MP3 player was silent. I checked the clock again and compared it to my watch. It was midnight here, but this normally happened around four or five back home. This would certainly make things more convenient.

Before, I had enough time to get home and lock myself in a room before coffin time began, which gave me an hour to do what I wanted to do, so long as I got back to my room in time. Normally I studied, or read books, usually adventure or romance novels. I'm fairly intelligent, and I've been called charming by girls and fearless by guys, but I reckon I'm just polite, and as for the fearless part, well, that's not the case.

I am afraid.

I started walking to the dorms that would be my new home for the next couple of years. I've completed my GCSE's, but my uncle wanted me to spend some time in the country my mother fell in love with, and in.

So, here's me. Complete nutjob, walking through coffins and blood in the middle of the night, barely able to speak Japanese, in Japan, to go to school for the next two years, even though I've already got my national qualifications.

Oh, I can understand Japanese fine, and read it great, it was my first language after all. It's just that I was brought up in Yorkshire; it's not an easy accent to lose.

So, in exchange of having time for a good social life, I lack the ability to have one - speech.

I stopped walking then. When I thought about it, I never really spoke much when I was home either. It wasn't that I didn't have much to say, I just didn't like interrupting. Come to think of it, I actually did more listening. Maybe that's why people liked talking to me, not because I was sensitive, but because I knew what to say.

I had difficulty understanding how other people didn't get this before know, but now that I thought about it, I actually put others before myself on a regular basis. Was that really so rare? I shook my head and carried on following the map that had been sent me.

I eventually got to the place. I climbed the steps and tried the door. I guess they were expecting me, because it was unlocked. I stepped through the door and realised that the lights were on. This was weird, normally anything electric died around this time. I put my bag down on the floor and, remembering my manners, took my shoes off.

"You're late. I've been waiting a long time for you."

I almost wet myself at the sound of another voice. I turned to see a young boy, probably aged ten, learning on the counter beside me. The boy clicked his fingers. "Now if you want to proceed", suddenly in front of me, "Please sign your name there." I looked where he gestured, noticing a thin red book.

"It's a contract." He said, as the book opened up on its own. "Don't worry, all it says it that you'll take full responsibility for your actions." By this point, I was actually sweating, as the boy continued; "You know, The Usual Stuff…"

Deciding to ignore the how tripping this whole thing was, I looked at the contract.

'_I, Minato Arisoto, give my word that I will take full responsibility for the consequences of my decisions.'_

It seemed suspiciously simple. Ah, what the hell, I signed it. I passed it to the boy, who held it to his chest, like a long lost teddy bear.

"No one can escape time," The boy said, looking totally creepy. "It delivers us all to the same end…" He held the contract to his face and continued, "You can't plug your ears and cover your eyes." He turned the book sideways and it vanished, but I'd already given myself up to insanity by now.

Shadows started growing around the room and the lights started dimming. The boy lifted up a hand as he began to disappear into the darkness.

"And so it begins…", and he was gone.

Now it was back to normal crazy time, and I heard another voice. "Darewo gasokoni dearuka?" I turned and saw a girl there speaking Japanese. I was worried why I didn't understand her but then I realised I was talking to that boy in English, so I wasn't expecting it. She was looking at me with intense determination, but I could tell she was scared by the way her hand was shaking. My eyes followed her hand and holy crap she has a gun strapped to her thigh.

And what a thigh!

Told you I never get fazed.

The girl began breathing heavily, and I knew it wasn't because she was tired. She suddenly grabbed her gun and I was just about to move when I head another voice, filled with a different breed of panic, saying "Takeba! Teishi!"

I wasn't expecting there to be a third person, but I knew she was telling the first girl to wait. We all froze there for a moment, and then the lights came on and my music started playing. The first girl, a pretty cute brunette in a pink jumper, breathed a sigh of relief and smiled at the second girl, who was obviously the more in charge.

She was beautiful. Her long, red hair was straitened down her face, and curled down her back. She wore a ruffled blouse and a long skirt, which only heightened her attractiveness. I figured that now it was time to get my brain in gear as she approached me.

"I didn't think you'd arrive so late." I couldn't tell if she was speaking English or Japanese, but she continued, "My name is Mitsuru Kirijo. I'm one of the students living in this dorm."

The brunette turned to Mitsuru and asked; "Who's he?"

I felt pretty awesome as Mitsuru explained I was a transfer student who was moving into their dorm. I could understand Japanese just as well as I could English! Ya -Bloody - Ta. I caught that she said that I'd eventually be moved to a room in the boys' dorm.

The brunette, however, still looked worried. "Is it okay for him to be here?"

It sounded like she thought I might do something, but something was off. The redhead, Mitsuru, smiled. "I guess we'll see…" She then turned to me and, gesturing to her friend, said "This is Yukari Takeba. She'll be a junior this spring, just like you."

I could have mentioned that I had little idea of how the Japanese school system worked, other than the fact I had to turn up on Saturday (Sucks, right?), but I decided not to. Yukari bowed her head slightly and said, almost reluctantly, "…Hey."

I could have asked her if this was really the girls' dorm or, more importantly, why she had a gun, but I figured that I'd find out soon enough, so I settled for a good old fashioned "Nice to meet you."

She seemed almost taken back by this, "Uh, y-yeah…" she bowed again. "Nice to meet you too." this time with a smile on her face.

"It's getting late, so you should get some rest." Mitsuru had a way of getting our attention easily. "Your room is on the second floor, at the end of the hallway; your things should already be there."

She then turned to Yukari, who seemed to take the hint and say "Oh, I'll show you the way, follow me."

As she led me to my room, I considered my chances with the two girls. Yukari seemed just slightly out of my league, and I got the feeling that Mitsuru wasn't interested in any guy who couldn't keep up to her intellectually. Before I knew it, we were there. "This is it," Yukari told me. "Pretty easy to remember huh? Since it's right at the end of the hall." Yukari laughed slightly at her little joke, but it seemed almost fake. "Oh yeah, make sure you don't lose your key, or you'll _never_ hear the end of it." Yep, there it was again. While I didn't have her down as one of those… _Objects_ from my old school, I could still recognise fake smiles and attitudes of someone who didn't like themselves, but refused to admit it. "So, any questions?"

Not wanting to bring up what I'd been thinking about, I decided to go for a less intrusive question, "What's with the contract?"

"Huh?" Yukari was clearly surprised, "What contract?"

I almost slapped myself on the head. It was a freaky contract that disappeared in the hands of that freaky kid, like one of David Blaine's cards. The kid himself pulled a Houdini, which should have been a clear sign that it was just another figment of my insanity.

Yukari seemed to be a bit worried about me now. "Hey… Can I ask you something? On your way here from the station, was everything okay?" Not wanting to sound any more of a psycho that I already was, I was about to tell her it was fine, but then I remembered that she'd almost shot me during coffin time, so I decided to try to work on her. "What do you mean?" I asked, taking my hands out of my pockets.

"You know what I- Never mind…" The girl smiled. "It seems like you're alright."

She seemed genuinely happy for me, as if I'd avoided some grim fate. "Well, I'd better get going…"

With that, she began to walk away, but stopped outside the next door. She turned back, "Um… I'm sure you have other questions, but let's save them for later, okay?" She flashed me a quick smile "Good night."

She walked away and up the stairs. I didn't even bother to tell her that I wasn't even remotely tired yet, so I spent the next few hours unpacking my things, and tried to get some sleep. Bear in mind, four in the morning in Japan is Eight PM back home.

I didn't sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Now, I wasn't tired last night, but at seven I got knock on my door. I was fairly tired; my body still thinking it was eleven at night.

"Chotto, sorehadearu Yukari!" I shook my head back onto Tokyo track. "Are you awake?"

I was already dressed for school for the past few hours. I couldn't sleep, so I gave up trying around four and practiced my Japanese. I reckoned I was alright as long as I didn't speak more than I had to.

"Hello? Please answer the door, or I'll get in trouble!"

I realised that I'd been ignoring her, and I rushed to open the door. Yukari stepped into my room (Score, if I was actually Japanese). "Good morning! Did you sleep okay?"

I decided that I'd be honest. "Didn't. Jet lag."

She winced, "Ouch. Well, Mitsuru-Senpai asked me to take you to school; we'll get some coffee along the way."

Now, I don't actually drink coffee (Never really saw the point, I looked tired no matter what I did), but as she looked me up and down, I got the impression she was checking me out, so I figured why the hell not? "Sure, okay." I grabbed my satchel and we headed out.

So now, here I am, walking to school with a girl who I suspected was interested in me. While she got the coffee, I opted for the orange juice, knowing it'd do me better in the long run of the day. We talked too, mostly about how our schools were different. After a few minutes, she started leading the conversation, which let me do what I did best.

Listen.

Our conversation continued while on the train. We seemed to be getting along, and then she said "So, that's it. See? There it is!"

I looked out of the train window. There was just ocean. "Huh?" but then the train bent around the corner, and I had to admit, the school looked pretty damn awesome. _It was on an artificial island for crying out loud!_

We carried on talking the rest of the way, this time Yukari was filling me in about all the teachers and clubs they have. Along the path I saw a girl pass us on a bike. "Good morning!" she cried out to Yukari.

"Good morning." She replied. Damn, I so have got to get myself a new bike.

As we approached the gates, Yukari turned to me. "Well, this is it. We're here. Welcome to Gekkoukan High School. Hope you like it!" she said with a smile. Too bloody cute, she is.

We walked into the building together, stopping at some lockers right by the entrance. I remembered Yukari mentioning something about shoe lockers, so these were probably it. She turned to me and spoke; "You're okay from here, right? You should go see your homeroom teacher first. The Faculty Office is right there to the left. ...And that concludes the tour! Do you have any questions before I go?"

Actually, most of my questions were answered on the way here without having to ask. But I was starting to think I had a chance with this girl so I decided to play it smooth. "What class are you in?"

"Me?" Yukari seemed a bit confused. "I dunno… I haven't seen the classroom assignments yet." Yukari suddenly looked worried. "Hey… About last night... Don't tell anyone what you saw, okay? ...See ya later."

With that she left. I noticed a bulletin board with some people in front of it, but my name probably wasn't on it. So, I decided to follow Yukari's advice and check out the faculty office.

Saw some interesting people on the way there. There was a guy in trackies talking to a girl, having a semi-argument. There was a nervous guy with glasses talking to another guy, clearly dominant, almost aggressive, but they seemed to be getting along. There was a fat guy already talking to the lady behind the tuck shop. There was some blonde guy with a fan talking to a… um… Teacher I suppose? Someone in a Samurai helmet anyways. I had a really weird mental image of the two of them with black bowl cuts and matching green jumpsuits, and I shook my head clear. I was NOT going to catch the Otaku.

"Um… S-Senpai..?"

I turned round; glad I could recognise those words even though I wasn't expecting them. There was a younger lass with long hair and glasses. She was probably pretty good looking, but she was hunched over her books, an absolute cliché. She seemed absolutely terrified.

"Um… Um… N-Nevermind!" and with that she turned and ran. I sighed and walked into the teachers lounge.

A few seconds after coming in, a teacher in a suit noticed me. "Oh, are you the new student?" she asked me. I nodded, and she checked her chart.

"Minato Arisoto, 11th grade, correct?" I nod again, and she looks back at her notes. "Let's see… wow, all the way from England huh? And… in 1999" I prepared my self for the usual. "That was, what, 10 years ago? Your parents…" she gasped, and I already knew what the board said. Now for the apologies and condolences. "I'm sorry, I've just been so busy, and I didn't have time to read this before hand…" That's not all your sorry for, but what the hey. "I'm Ms. Toriumi. I teach composition. Welcome to our school." I nodded and offered my hand. She shook it, seeing I preferred the English greeting over the Japanese bow. "Have you seen the classroom assignments yet?" I shook my head, putting my hands in my pocket. "You're in 2-F, that's my class, but first you need to get to the auditorium, the opening ceremony will be starting soon. You go on ahead, I need to catch up on all this paperwork…" she sighed and sat back down.

As I left I saw the blonde lad from before, still talking with the Samurai.

"Lee!"

"Gai-Sensei!"

"Lee!!"

"Gai-Sensei!!"

The sound was coming from to other lads, one my height with brown hair, and a taller one with a cap. Walking past them, I decided to say to them "The flames of your youth need more kindling!!"

The guys laughed and held up their hands. Surprised, I double fived them. That would normally be calling them a Narutard back home, but apparently Naruto was cool in Japan. Who knew?

I sighed to myself. I really need to learn how to speak Japanese well enough to use sarcasm.

I ended up talking to the two on the way to the auditorium. Brown hair was called Kenji something, and hat was Junpei Iori. Both seemed like the kind of guy who the teachers said would be good students if they'd just apply themselves. In other words, lazy, but generally good mates, so we got along.

I concentrated through the announcements, but there was nothing really worth noting, other than I wouldn't be able to join any sports clubs for a couple of weeks. Fine with me, I doubted that they'd have any fishing or hiking clubs anyways. I switched off through the head's speech; something told me it would be dull as a Monday afternoon. Well, it'd probably be fairly sunny over here, but I reckoned that wouldn't make the head's speech any different from any of the others I've heard. 'Do your best', 'uphold the school', 'reach for your dreams', and, my personal favourite, 'don't say you can't, say you'll try.'

I smirked inwardly. Do or Do Not, there is No Try. Whether you succeed or fail is out of the question, either you put enough effort in, or you didn't. I believed in hard work over natural talent, but I also believed in having enough badassery to say what you want. I smiled inwardly again. Good old Yoda.

It was a sarcastic smile, but I'd never been good at facial expressions. For all the skill I had with reading emotions, no-one could read mine. I could be an awesome interrogator, or even a conman. Ever seen that show, Lie to Me? I doubt even that guy could read me. Counsellors said that trauma from the car accident my parents died in retarded my emotional growth, but I knew that was a load of tripe. I was as 'Emotionally Intelligent' as the next three guys put together. Actually, make that the next three girls. Other lads don't seem to grasp the concept. The second reason it was bull was more obvious.

My parents didn't die in a car crash. We'll, maybe they did, but that wasn't why they died. Now _that_ was traumatising.

I was pulled out of my thoughts by the guy behind me tapping my shoulder. I turned my head so he was in my peripheral vision, and so he knew he had my attention.

"You came to school with Yukari-San this morning, right?" I saw you two walking together." I nodded. "Hey, I have a question. Do you know if she has a boyfriend?"

I realised what this guy was getting at. He was a cowardly chap who couldn't gather the scrotum needed to ask a girl out. Then I remembered I was in Japan, that's supposed to be normal. Deciding to do the guy a favour, I shrugged.

"I see. I thought you might know, but... I guess not. ...So, how well do you know her?"

I was about to tell the guy that I only got into the country yesterday, but a teacher told us to be quiet. I shut up, but I could still hear people talking.

Holy crap that sounds totally emo and 'I hate everyone'. I got enough of that back home because of my hair. Naturally blue, I grew it over one side of my face because I thought it looked cool. Actually, I reckon I really did it so it was harder to see my face. People stopped being concerned, going from thinking I have depression to just thinking I was a whiny emo brat. I was fine with that, so long as I didn't actually become a whiny emo brat.

After the assembly, we went to our classrooms. I picked a seat right in the middle, it's the one place teachers ignore. The studious kids sat at the front, the trouble makers at the back, the daydreamers by the windows and the kids who didn't want to be there were on the right hand side of the classroom, near the exit. Junpei sat next to me, on the right (surprise surprise), though Kenji opted for a seat closer to the back. Surprisingly, Yukari sat in front of me, behind the person front and centre. I guessed from our conversation earlier that she liked school, but I thought she just had a haggle of friends, but she actually seemed serious about getting some qualifications. I could tell that Yukari was paying attention as Ms. Toriumi spoke, while Junpei's mind seemed elsewhere.

I was pretty tired around 10, body thinking it was two in the morning, so I decided to catch some sleep. I was in the home room all day, and since I always looked half asleep, I figured I'd be fine as long as I didn't snore. I leaned forward on the desk and looked towards the windows on my left. Now I remembered why I grew my hair down my face. Teachers couldn't tell if I was sleeping or distracted. So I closed my eyes, deciding to get some sleep before lunch.

"Yo, yatsu ha mezame tekudasai."

Huh, what? Not now. Sleeping. Wake me and die.

"Yatsu, gakkou over, everyone's leaving."

My brain shifted into gear and comprehended what was just said, and I was awake. Another skill I learnt in school, I could go from groggy to wide awake instantly without any noticeable change.

"Dude, you were out like a light all day. Man, what were you doing last night?"

I turned to face the fool who dared disturb my slumber. Junpei. "I got into the country yesterday," I told him, "Body clock still out of wack."

"Oh, right. What's the time difference over there?" Junpei didn't actually seem that interested in me, it felt like he was just being polite so he could talk with someone.

I leaned back in my seat and rotated my shoulders. "Japan's about seven hours ahead, so I should be getting up around now anyways…"

Junpei flinched. "Damn, no wonder you look wrecked."

Yukari twisted back in her seat to face him. "At it again, huh? I swear, you'll talk to anyone who'll listen."

Junpei turned to her with a smile. "Hey, it's Yuka-tan! Didn't think we'd be in the same class again this year."

Yukari sighed. "Don't you think you might be bothering someone? For the record, apparently he always looks like that."

Junpei turned to me with surprise. "Seriously? Man, I was just being friendly."

Yukari sighed. "If you say so." She turned to me, "Anyways, looks like we're in the same homeroom..."

"Aye," I was still fairly tired and was slipping into English, so I corrected myself. "That's good."

Yukari smiled. "Yeah, tough being the new kid without anyone you know."

Junpei looked mildly offended. "Um, Hello? Are you forgetting that I'm in this class too?" His expression changed to a smirk as he slid between us, leaning on my desk. "By the way…" He began, looking fairly malevolent, "I heard you two came to school together this morning. What's up with that? Come on, gimme the dirt!"

Yukari looked shocked and leant back. "W-What're you talking about? We live in the same dorm!" It seemed natural logic to me that two people with the same origin and destination would travel together, but Asians have weird logic. "There's nothing going on, okay?" Yep, good old perverse Japan. "Why are people even talking about it?" Only the Japanese would automatically assume a relationship from that, unless we were holding hands or actually flirting, which we weren't. I'm subtle.

Yukari sighed, "Now you have me worried…" She turned back to me, rant apparently over. "Hey… You didn't say anything to anyone about…" She hesitated, remembering Junpei was part of the conversation, "You know what, did you?"

While that sounded slightly suspicious out of context, it sounded more like a secret than something sexual, even for Junpei, so I shook my head. "Nope."

"Okay, Good." Yukari leaned on my desk, coming closer to me and lowering her voice. "Seriously… Don't say anything about last night, alright?"

Okay, I take that back. There is no way that anyone on the planet would interpret that as anything other than me sleeping with her. Junpei actually jumped to his feet in shock. Yukari looked at him, "Wh-What?"

Junpei stammered. "L-last night..?"

Yukari jumped to her feet, blushing. "W-Wait a minute! Don't get the wrong idea!" I considered helping her, but I reckoned anyone stupid enough to say that in front of a school boy, much less a Japanese one who thinks you're in a relationship with the person you said it to, deserved what they got. Junpei turned to me, holding out his hand for a five, "Dude, You Brits got skills!", but Yukari slapped his wrist away

"Listen! I just met him yesterday, and there's absolutely nothing between us!" I then realised what had happened, and made a mental note to strangle Junpei in his sleep. "Geez..." Yukari calmed down. "I've gotta go. I've got something to take care of for the archery team. But, you better not start any rumours! With that, she stormed off. Once she was gone, Junpei turned back to me, holding his palms in the air in a shrug. "Ah, who cares, no-one takes rumours seriously anyways." He let his hands fall down to his sides. "Sheesh, she's so paranoid… Say…" He said, leaning on my desk with one hand. _"Is there anything going on between you two?"_

Not anymore now that Junpei had got Yukari to deny any possibility of it, but I decided to let him off easy and shake his head.

"Ah, well. But hey! It's your first day here, and people are already talking about you. Believe it or not, she's actually pretty popular. Even if you just walked to school with her, you da man!"

______________________________________________________________

Junpei ended up walking home with me until we could see the dorm. "See ya!" he said, and set off in the opposite direction. I could tell his house was no where near here, and judging from his pace, he was in no rush to get home. That ruled out being clingy and brought forward a second, more serious theory. I sighed, and ended up following him, asking him to come with me to get some stuff as an excuse to spend more time with him. He seemed delighted, but hid it badly under a groan. "Go on then, If you really need my help."

I was pretty tired, and really wanted some actual sleep, that nap I got at school only made me even more tired, but I kept myself going. We ended up going to Paulownia mall to buy some stuff I didn't think to pack, mostly Tupperware containers and a label maker. Apparently, if I want to keep food in a dorm, I need to label everything. I didn't have the heart to tell him my room had a mini fridge, but I went along with it. We ended up going to some music, so I could get some 'actual' music. Apparently my music collection was lacking, but I couldn't get Junpei to appreciate the classics. You know, Zeppelin, AC/DC, Marley, Nirvana, Meatloaf, Chilli's, Blink 182 and Clapton weren't good enough. I already had a few J-Rock bands as well; Nightmare, Asian Kung-Fu Generation, Black Mages, but Junpei made me endure listening to J-Pop for almost half an hour. Actually, Lotus Juice weren't that bad, so I got that.

We eventually grabbed a pastry from the Coffee shop and went our separate ways. Having done my good deed for the day, I headed back to the dorm that would be my home for the next couple of years, chewing on my Danish and humming along to the song I just bought. _"Buurnnnn Myyyyy Dreeaad…"_

When I got back to the dorm, it was already dark. I noticed Mitsuru sitting on the couch, reading. I didn't catch the title, but I saw it was in French. Noticing me, she said "Welcome back." Noticing how I looked, she said "You must be tired, go get some sleep, you've got school tomorrow." With that, she turned back to her book.

Nodding, I took her advice. I passed a confident looking guy, probably a year older than me despite his grey hair. He nodded at me, saying hey. He walked up to the coat hangers and slung a jacket over his shoulder. He didn't put it on; he just held it by the collar and swung it over his shoulder. "I'm going out for a bit." He said, presumably to Mitsuru.

"Hm?" Mitsuru barely looked up from her book.

The older lad walked towards the door. "Didn't you see the newspaper? There's a lot going on."

I smiled as I went upstairs. Gray hair was most likely going out for a scrap. I'd follow him next time; I could do with some action.

No, right now I need sleep. So I walked into my room and got changed. I had just enough energy left to pack away the stuff I bought, putting the CD on the desk so I'd remember to copy it in the morning, and went to bed. I was out when my head it the pillow.


	3. Chapter 3

I felt much better the next day having actually got some decent sleep. Actually, I felt great. It was probably the fact that coffin time happens at midnight, giving me an extra hour to sleep, but that didn't change the fact that I got up a half an hour before my alarm. So, I decided to take my time, and decided to make myself an omelette after my shower. Humming to myself, I saw the grey haired boy from last night, and he looked knackered. Not tired, like I normally do, but positively drained. Must have been some fight. As the half-asleep albino staggered into the shower, I looked at the ingredients I had left, and, pulling out a second frying pan, decided to do my good deed of the day early.

The boy came out of the shower after a few minutes, towelling his hair but looking awake. He saw me cooking and sniffed. "Smells good."

I turned around and passed him the first omelette. "You look like hell," I said, sliding the second omelette onto my plate before he got chance to refuse. Passing him a fork, he smiled and accepted. "Thanks." As we ate, we got talking, me doing the listening as usual. His name as Akihiko Senada, and was in the room opposite mine. He was a boxer, and had lived in the dorm since middle school, around the same time Mitsuru moved there. From the way he didn't talk about his family, and the fact that he moved to this dorm from another dorm, I deduced that he didn't have one. I turned out to be right, as he told me as he opened up more and more. He flat out denied that he'd been in a fight the previous night, and I understood why. If the captain of the boxing team in _any_ school got caught street fighting, he'd get kicked out before he could claim self-defence.

Yukari came down the stairs, and I mentally kicked myself for not making another two omelettes. Thankfully, we'd already eaten the evidence when she said "Senpai? Don't you normally have your morning jog right about now?"

I realised why he woke up so early as he frantically checked his watch. "Huh? Dammit!" He rushed out the door, grabbing his jacket. "Thanks for breakfast, bye!"

I cleared up the plates and washed the dishes, as Yukari asked "Breakfast?"

I shrugged. "I got up early so I decided to make myself an omelette. Akihiko looked like hell so I made him one two."

"So you two are that close already?" Mitsuru walked down the stairs, looking beautiful as ever. I was confused by what she said, and I realised that I forgot the honorific. "Ah, sorry, I keep forgetting that." I explained that honorific's were next to obsolete back home so I wasn't used to them yet. Mitsuru chuckled, saying I'd get used to it. Which of course meant that I'd better start remembering.

"A-anyway," Yukari started- Yukari _San_ started, "Mitsuru Senpai and I both have practice to go to, so I'll see you at school."

"Okay, sure." Practice?

"I'm captain of the fencing team and student council, and Takeba's in the archery club."

I nodded, noting their use of honorifics, confirming my theory on their relationship. "And Akihiko Senpai is captain of the Boxing team."

Yukari nodded. "That's right." She noticed the clock. "Oh, shoot, we're gonna be late."

Mitsuru nodded, picking up a second bag. "I'll take Akihiko's schoolbag to him, I'll see you later Arisoto." The two walked to the door as Mitsuru continued. "Remember to lock the door when you leave."

I nod, putting the dried plates and pans back in the cupboard. I went upstairs to grab my laptop so I could copy my music while I made my lunch. Not confident with my Japanese cooking, I opted for a good old BLT. Feeling generous once again, I made a few extra, just in case. Everyone loved a good BLT.

I checked my Email's as I washed up AGAIN, and I replied to my Aunt and Uncle, telling them that I was settling in fine and making friends. I considered asking them to send my guitar, but I didn't want it damaged.

…

Ah, to hell with it, I loved my axe, but not enough to let it gather dust for a couple of years just to keep it in mint condition. Stressing the need for lots of bubble wrap in my mail, clicked send and closed down my machine. Checking everything was in place, I set off for school, remembering to lock the door behind me.

______________________________________________________________

As I approached the school gates, I heard some girls talking. "Anataha kiki mashitaka the rumour?"

I only heard the last part by chance, recognising it only because we said the word 'Rumour' so much yesterday. I decided to listen, just in case it was about me and Yukari. San, SAN DAMMIT!

"Oh, um… Something about a… Bathroom?"

I was just about to breathe a sigh of relief when the first girl spoke again, "No, not that one! I mean the one about the first-year student! Not only did she stop coming to school, she does nothing but sit and stare at the walls all day. If her mother tries to talk to her, she only mutters to herself, "It's coming... It's coming...!"

"Huh," replied the second girl. "How about that?"

"You don't believe me?" The first girl seemed offended, but I could tell she didn't believe a word of it herself. Sighing, I made my way inside the school.

Not much happened through the rest of the school day. Junpei Kun forgot his lunch, so I passed him one of my sarnies. He looked at me like I'd just offered him a kidney. Yukari san took one of my spares, saying I owed her for not making breakfast. We had a good laugh with that, especially when we saw Junpei Kun's face.

Throughout the afternoon, the only eventful thing that happened was Ms. Toriumi asked Junpei Kun who her favourite author was. Most likely because she didn't think he was listening, because she told us a few seconds ago. I wrote down the answer on my page, and thankfully Junpei Kun saw it and gave the right answer. Ms. Toriumi was impressed, and carried on thinking Junpei Kun was listening. "Thanks man, you saved my bacon again."

Subtle pun there, but I ignored it. "Pay attention next time."

I considered hanging out with Junpei after school again, but he'd already left. I wondered Yukari san had Archery club again, so here I was alone. I considered going out and socialising, but I really wasn't in the mood, so I reckoned I'd walk back to the dorms, learn the lay of the land.

I had to admit, it was a nice city. No-one tried to mug me or anything. I sighed; these guys didn't know how good they had it, a city that's actually nice. I walked past some guys harassing some other kid and smiled inside. They didn't even have any knives. Deciding I could use the exercise, I walked down the alley and dropped my bag against the wall.

______________________________________________________________

Later I was coming out of the bathroom, having just washed the blood from my knuckles. Oh, don't worry, I didn't go overboard. Hell, I didn't even mean to break the poor blighter's nose. Actually, I kneed that one guy in the face, so that was expected, but the other three went down after only a couple of punches. Okay, so one of them got elbowed. Twice. Once in the neck.

Fine then, I went overboard, but come on, how can you expect to extort money from someone if you can't actually brawl?

I took my seat with the guys I saved. They were buying me a meal from a take out called "Wild Duck Burger". I noticed that they'd ordered Fat American size. The fries were served in a small bucket, and the milkshake was a couple of litres at least. As for the burger, well, let's just say that it'd be a challenge, even for me.

Once again, I didn't talk much for the conversation (the meal was freakin massive!). I eventually made my way through the burger, and noticed that I still had my bucket of fries and drink. Then one of my new mates (I hadn't bothered to learn their names) asked me the important question.

"So, um… Where did you learn martial arts?"

The other two were silent and turned to face me. Obviously they wanted to kick the crap out of people, and I knew enough that they were the last kind of people you want to teach martial arts to, at least not until _after _you teach them self discipline, so I told the truth.

"Didn't."

The guys were shocked, as if I'd announced I was a wizard. "But, you fought those guys-"

I put down my drink and looked him in the eye. "Fighting is not Martial arts. Martial arts are about form, discipline, theory and art. When I fight, it's not because I trained to become the strongest, or because I know techniques. I learnt to fight like that because people are less likely to kick your head in if they think you're a bloody ninja." I actually used the literal translation of bloody by accident there, but it seemed to make my point more effective. "I'm not strong, so I'm fast, brutal and devastating. That impresses people, makes them leave me alone." I decided that I'd talked enough for now, and went back to my fries. They'd be great if they weren't so greasy.

"But- But you came to help us…"

I shrugged. "Hardly, those guys were posers." The three of them just stared at me, so I elaborated. "If you grew up where I did, you'd recognise it strait away. They've never been in a real fight. They've never threatened someone at knifepoint and meant it, or thrown a half brick at a copper. Never been gouged by a broken bottle, broke a chair on someone's back, thrown a petrol bomb at someone's car, or got drunk and started a riot." I realise I was talking far more that I normally did, but I really wanted to get this point across. "That's what the bad kids are like where I'm from. Most schoolyard punch ups end with a knife wound, guys get shot for being the wrong colour, Hell, I've seen a ten year old kid threaten a policeman with a meat cleaver once." I looked up, and took satisfaction from their scared faces. Now, to be fair, I was talking about the chav's down in London, while I was from Yorkshire. While Leeds and Manchester was no Utah, it made the capital city look like hell in comparison. Actually, it's a pretty accurate description; London is a pretty scary place.

I stood up, folding my fries into a smaller box. "Look, you want to be able to win in fights?" They nodded. "Push-ups, Sit ups, learn to take a beating. Lose your fear, both of getting hurt and hurting the other guy. Don't hold back, and fight with each other. Do it right and you'll learn to read people and their movements. Punch _through_ your target, practice using your elbows and knees, and most of all, don't think about getting out of there alive." I could see their eyes sparkling already. I threw my satchel over my shoulder. "Bare yourself to your enemy, let him graze your skin so you can pound his flesh. Let him pound your flesh while you break his bones. Let him break your bones while you kick his ass." Oh yeah, Bruce Lee was badass. "There are no rules to a fight; just because you surrender doesn't mean he'll stop. Likewise, anything goes, but avoid the eyes and balls. You don't want someone's blindness on your conscience, and just because it hurts doesn't mean it does damage." I picked up my drink and began walking for the door. "Thanks for the meal."

______________________________________________________________

The fries and drink lasted me all the way to the dorm, even though it was evening by the time I got back. When I got in, Yukari san was sitting on the couch, talking to some older chap in a mullet. "Oh," she said, noticing me as I came through the door, "He's back."

"So, this is our new guest…"

As they both stood up, he automatically struck me as creepy, but I had learnt to ignore first impressions. As Yukari had proved, they were usually wrong. "Good evening. My name is Shuji Ikutsuki. I'm the Chairman of the Board for your school. 'Ikutsuki'... Hard to say, isn't it? That's why I don't like introducing myself. Even I get tongue-tied sometimes... Please, have a seat."

There you go, he's merely friendly boss creepy, not sexual deviant creepy. Similar enough at first glance, but it is vital not to confuse them, or else we'd be out of school guidance councillors. As we all sat down, bossman brushed himself down and started talking again. "I apologize about the confusion regarding your accommodations. However, it may take a while longer before you receive a proper room assignment. Is there anything you'd like to ask?"

Plenty, but I doubt I can ask the right questions in Japanese. I was actually suspicious of his presence here, so I took a stab in the dark.

"The other night, I saw…"

The two of them jumped and I knew I hit the mark. You've probably guessed by know, but I've spent a lot of time dealing with stabs in the dark. Yukari clearly looked uncomfortable, but I had no intention of finishing my sentence. I just wanted to see how this guy would react.

"You saw something strange?" He said, "…Like what?"

"Nothing…" I yawned. "I was probably just tired…" Like I said, I was a good liar as well as an observant and manipulative blighter.

Ikutsuki laughed. "Well, you should probably get to bed then, you're still adjusting to the time difference you know. I hope you have a successful school year. Now, if you'll excuse me…"

Ikutsuki stood up and began to walk towards the stairs. Stopping just behind me, he added; "You know what they say! The early bird gets the bookworm!" Ikutsuki chuckled, and I re-scored him from 'Suspicious', to 'Spawn of Satan'. "…Please forgive the bad pun." He said, as he continued towards the stairs.

Never, anything with a bad sense of humour that bad couldn't possibly possess their own soul.

Yukari san turned to me, a mix of a sigh, embarrassment, and contempt on her face. "Ugh… You get used to his lame jokes."

I hope not.

______________________________________________________________

I checked my Email again as I walked up the stairs to bed. Uncle agreed to send me my guitar as well as some other stuff, which was handy. I closed it down and got changed. I felt like I was being watched somehow, but I knew I was just being paranoid. Once again, I was asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

"Welcome to the Velvet Room, my dear young man…"


	4. Chapter 4

I found myself in a large blue room, with a chain fence for a back wall. Judging from the lights moving downwards, and the spinning dial, I decided I was in some kind of lift. For some reason, I was now sitting in a chair at a table, and on the other side is a man sitting on the pimpingest seat I have ever seen. There was a young blond in a blue uniform standing to his left, but the man didn't seem exactly human. His nose was long, his grin wide, and his eyes looked like he'd been sniffing adrenalin. His white, balding hair revealed pointed ears, but the thing that struck me most was his voice. It was creepy, yet inviting, and dripping in awesome.

"My name is Igor… I am delighted to make your acquaintance…" He gestured to the girl "This is Elizabeth. She's a resident here, like myself."

The girl nodded. "Pleased to meet you."

Igor looked straight at me, smiling. "This place exists between dream and reality, mind and matter… It's been _years_ since we've had a guest. Now…"

Igor waved his hand, and the red book from the other night appeared on the table, opening itself. I checked the contract again. _'I, Minato Arisoto, give my word that I will take full responsibility for the consequences of my decisions.'_

Igor continued to speak; "Only those who have signed the contract can enter this place… Henceforth, you shall be welcome here in the Velvet Room." I nodded, wondering where that music was coming from. Wherever it was from, it was damned appropriate. "You are destined to hone your unique ability, and you will require my assistance to do so. I only ask one thing in return..." I look at Igor, all attention on him. "That you abide by the contract, and assume responsibility for the choices you make."

Now, this was something I'd been brought up to do, and accepting consequences for my actions was second nature to me. Since he was actually going as far as to bind me to a contract, it suggested that I was gonna have to accept some big responsibility for some big choices in the near future.

Either that or this Igor dealt with some shady characters. Either way, I nodded. "I intended on doing that anyway. My turn." I noticed we are speaking in English, so I felt more comfortable speaking. Looking intently at Igor, I asked him, "You said that this place is between dream and reality, but aren't I asleep? That makes this a dream doesn't it?"

Igor laughed, not unkindly. "Precisely," He replied, his smile spreading, "You are fast asleep in the real world as we speak. This visit of yours is merely a dream. However, you will come here of your own accord sooner or later."

I leaned back in my chair. "And how do I do that?"

"Ah, I see you like to be in control, my young guest." Igor smiled, and pulled something out of his pocket. "Hold on to this…" and his hand began to glow.

Then my hand glowed, and a dark blue key appeared in my hand. I looked up to speak, but Igor merely waved.

"'Till we meet again…"

My eyes opened wide, and I was back in bed. It was morning already, so I got up, rubbing my eyes. Then I noticed I was still holding the key from my dream. Yep, things can only get awesome from here. Realising that once again I'd woken up before my alarm. I decided to do some sit ups before breakfast, opting for cereal today. Akihiko senpai, Mitsuru senpai and Yukari san all left before I did, so once again I was left alone to make my lunches. I eventually left the dorm, and I met up with Junpei on the train.

"What's up Minato kun?" Junpei kun was ecstatic about something, "Man, today is a _perfect_ day! The sky is blue, the sun is shining, the birds are singing, and we're young, what more can we ask for?"

"Sleep."

"Dude, I'm not sick. Forget the old Junpei, This is the _real_ me! You should cheer up too man. After all, you've got ME as a friend!"

"Not what I meant. There'd be less war if people slept more mate."

"Oh yeah?"

We discussed my 'theory' on sleep deprivation and aggression on the way to school. Junpei kun had an equally inane theory about the relationship between this Apathy Syndrome and homework. Both theories were equally ridiculous, but I won the straight face contest.

I slept through Mr. Ekoda's lesson today. I wasn't actually that tired, but the book he had us reading was utter crap. He said it was the origin of Japanese Literature, but it made less sense than Tolkien. Actually, Lord of the Rings was good, but made no sense first time round. I made a note to slip a Japanese copy of Towers into class next Thursday. It'd probably be easier and safer to slip in something else like Pride and Prejudice, or Mice and Men, but I like to follow through on my ideas. Also, Gimli is badass. I made note to quote him next time someone asks for my name.

______________________________________________________________

Hoping I might get chance to check out that Velvet Room again, I went to bed fairly early. I couldn't sleep, so I tried to wear myself out with some push ups and sit ups, but I still couldn't sleep. Getting bored, I pulled a shortsword from under my bed and practiced my swings. You may be wondering, 'Hey, why the hell does he have a sword?' and I won't blame you. I actually did my Work Experience with a blacksmiths a few years ago, and he helped me make it. It wasn't that good, light, strong or sharp, but it was good for the muscle training. I've seen someone use a lead pipe in a fight once, so I made a point in learning how to use various weapons in case I needed to adapt an impromptu weapon, though I couldn't learn how to use firearms due to health and safety laws (Boring), and knives, well, they were too easy to carry around, I didn't want to just depend on them in fights. Yeah, I carry a Leatherman Multitool around, but I don't want blood on my hands, so I'm strict on my self-imposed 'No Knives' rule. It's about the only rule I have in fights.

I ended up getting to sleep around 10, but a loud noise woke me up during coffin time. I pulled my trousers on and buttoned up my shirt, and was just about to put my school jacket on (leaving my tie, if you call it that, in my pocket), and head the door, when someone tried to smash it down. "WAKE UP!!" Yukari was clearly terrified about something; "Sorry, I'm coming in!"

With that, she opened the door. Good thing I got dressed already, huh? She looked in such a panic that I didn't even consider how she'd opened my locked door. "I don't have time to explain," She said in a rush, walking towards me, "But we have to get out of here, Now!

"Fair enough," I said, but I'm not sure she heard me as the building shook again.

There was an increase in the urgency of her voice this time; "Hurry! Downstairs! We'll leave through the back door!"

She turned to leave, but almost as an after thought, "Wait," she turned back to me and offered me a short sword. "Take this."

While not the best quality weapon, it as a decent blade. I knew that Yukari was scared of it; clearly she wasn't comfortable with the weapon.

However, I could also tell that she was even more terrified of the situation. "Keep it" I said, reaching for my blunt, heavy, useless iron bar shaped like a sword, "I'll use this."

Anyone who knew their swords could tell that I was making sure that she had the better weapon, and she seemed to recognise this. "T-thanks." However, I only took the blunt weapon so she couldn't guilt me into taking her sword; I had no intention of fighting with it.

If it came to that.

The building shook again, and we remembered what we were doing. "Q-Quick! Downstairs!" Yukari lead the way down the hallway.

We ran down the stairs and reached the back door. Yukari stopped to catch her breath, but it appeared I was in better shape that I thought.

"Alright, we should be safe now-"Yukari stopped, and acted as if she was talking to someone.

"Y-yes! I hear you!" Ear piece and walkie talkie most likely. I tried to figure out what the person on the other end was telling her, but judging from her expression and her "WHAT!?" it couldn't have been good. It probably had something to do with the fact that someone what trying to knock the door down.

Yukari desperately tried to regain control of the situation, "L-lets pull back!"

We both ran up the stairs to the second floor, and the building continued to shake. Yukari was clearly in a panic. "What're we going to do..? They're downstairs! W-We gotta go further up!"

As we continued up the stairs, I could see that this wasn't the brightest of all escapes. For one thing, we were going to end up cornered at the top floor, unless there was a heli pad on the roof.

"I-it's getting closer! HURRY!!"

We eventually reached the top floor, which consisted of a steel door. "O-oh yeah," Yukari said, panting for breath. "We should be safe through there…"

We went through the iron door to the open roof, and Yukari locked it behind us. She leaned back against it and sighed in relief. "Alright, we should be safe now-"

As if to spite her, the building shook again, and I realised just how safe we were not.

A blue mask poked over the edge of the building, held by a black hand. It looked around, and then ascended as a monster _made_ out of black arms crawled onto the roof. After the initial shock, I began to come up with a plan of attack.

The bloody asshole pulled out half a dozen swords, each bigger than me.

"Oh Bloody Hell No."

It suddenly noticed us, and I added;

"…terrific…"

As it approached Yukari began to explain, "Those monsters, we call them shadows…" She pulled out her gun (I hadn't even noticed it this time), and put it to her head.

"Hey, Wait!" I tried to stop her.

She pulled the trigger, and several pillars of energy shot up.

"Eh?"

The monster, the shadow didn't seem to care though, it just shot out and knocked her aside with a bare hand.

"YUKARI!" I stepped out to help her as the shadow turned to face me. "oh bugger."

Obviously, I was terrified. I stepped back away from this thing. I didn't want to show fear, I knew I needed to do something or we were _both_ going to die, but I was doing all I could just to stop myself wearing brown trousers.

Then I noticed Yukari's gun on the floor, by my feet.

It looked like a small calibre handgun, but looking at it, there was no magazine slot; it couldn't be loaded.

I had a vision of that creepy kid from the other night. "Go on…" he said, his hand pointing its finger at the side of his head.

I didn't need to be told twice. Bending down, I picked up the gun, holding it in my hands. The shining metal was cold to touch, despite the wooden stock. I remembered Yukari putting the gun to her head. I flinched and my heart raced faster as I remembered her pulling the trigger. I calmed myself down, and with the composure of a chess player moving a queen into checkmate, I slowly lifted the gun to my temple. My blood was coursing through my body, my breathing was so fast that I was scared I might hyper ventilate. As a cold drop of sweat slid down my face, I resigned myself to my fate.

'_I, Minato Arisoto, give my word that I will take full responsibility for the consequences of my decisions.'_

…

As the words formed in my head I smiled. Igor was an asshole.

"Per…So…Na…"

Without flinching, I pulled the trigger.


	5. Chapter 5

I felt an ice-cold bullet fly through my skull, but instead of blood, blue glass flew from the other side.

I didn't know why my right hand was holding the gun into the air, not why there was a whirlwind of blue glass flying around me, or even why I was enjoying this so much, but I grinned as I spoke the most badass words of my entire life, even though I wasn't the only one speaking it.

"**Thou art I**

**And I am thou**

**From the sea of thy soul, I cometh.**

**I am Orpheus, Master of strings…"**

The being behind me screamed, no, Roared in rage as I grinned evilly. This was my crowning moment of awesome, even more awesome that that time I-

"Uwagh..!!" I clutched my head and fell to my knees, my skull HURT DAMMIT! Orpheus screamed in pain, and I span around to see him spazzing out as a pair of white arms worked their way out of its mouth. Suddenly, the arms stretched apart as Orpheus was ripped to pieces from the inside.

Floating there instead was a larger being, dressed in black with a dinosaur helmet. I couldn't see its face, but I could see the chain of coffins floating around its neck. It roared with rage, hate, and… _hunger_ as it drew a sword and flew into the air and lunged for the shadow. I rolled over to see the shadow get into some screwed-up stance, but this bad boy just came down like a hurricane, slicing the shadows mask in two. I got up as Thanatos – don't ask me why I knew its name, but I did, ripped the shadows body limb from limb. I could hear Yukari gasp as a writhing arm landed in front of her, but I paid her no notice, as I stared at Thanatos, transfixed. I remembered what Igor had said, about honing my power, but I had no idea that-

I stood there, blinking, and I laughed like a maniac as Thanatos roared. Persona. Shadow. Thanatos. Hell, Even Igor was a clever pun. As Thanatos turned back into Orpheus, everything began to fall into place, thanks to my basic GCSE Psychology. As Orpheus vanished, I turned to check on Yukari, smiling. Freud would have loved this.

"Are you alright?" My heart was still racing. Heck, Yukari san must think I'm a psycho now.

"Yeah, I think so." She still looked worried. "Is it over..?"

As I heard the slithering behind me, I answered "Nope." Realising I'd already dropped Yukari's Placebo, I switched the gun from my right hand to my left, and put my foot underneath the real blade, kicking it into the air.

Catching the handle, I span round to meet my enemies. They looked like smaller versions of the shadow I- No, Thanatos just killed. They didn't have weapons, but there were a lot more of them. Charging in, I pieced together what I knew and sliced the first one in the mask.

The sword got stuck half way. Quickly, I kicked it in the face, pushing it down but losing my sword in the process.

I swung around and punched the second shadow in the face. Grabbing the back of its head, I rammed my knee into its face, cracking the mask. I reversed the guns grip into a Tonfa, but a third shadow jumped me, pushing me against the wall.

"MINATO KUN!"

I span around in its grip, headbutting the shadow in the mask. As it reeled back, I kneed it where the jaw should've been, then smashed my elbow right into the mask. Seeing a gorgeous crack right between the eyes, I smashed the gun right into it, grinning as the crack grew. Pulling my Leatherman out of my pocket, I flicked out the knife and rammed it between the cracks, prising it apart. With the mask broken, the shadow melted, and I ran a quick morality test as I put my knife back. Yep, doesn't count.

I blinked the blood out of my eyes as the first two mooks charged. Smiling, I span the gun to my head, bracing myself as I glared at the closest shadow. "rrrRRARGH!" I cried out,pulling the trigger, as Orpheus appearing above me.

I gotta admit, the way it crushed that shadow with its instrument was pretty damn awesome, but I was already rushing towards the other shadow, the one with the sword in its face. Grabbing the sword, delivered a roundhouse with my left leg, sending the shadows head through my weapon. E-piic!

I turned around, seeing that all the shadows were dead and that Orpheus had disappeared, and saw Yukari standing there, staring at me in sheer shock. I smiled at her as the world turned black and face decided to make friends with the ground. While I was happy that I hadn't fallen on my sword, I was worried about what state my skull was gonna be in when I woke up…

My eyes opened and I was in a world of blue. I almost panicked, but relaxed when I heard a familiar voice.

"It's so nice to see you again."

I turned to face the sound, and saw Igor sitting there, grinning as usual.

"You became unconscious after awakening to your 'Power'. It's nothing to worry about though, so just, _relax…_"

I shifted into a more comfortable position in my chair as Igor continued. "By the way… I see that it was Orpheus that heeded your calling. That power is called 'Persona'… it is a manifestation of your psyche."

I clutched my head. I said everything fell into place, but it was really a load of guesswork. "Persona? Psyche?" I asked him, playing the confused child perfectly "I don't understand…"

Igor laughed, "It may take some time to fully comprehend, but there's no need to act for us." I sat stock still as Igor continued. "Unlike the people in the real world, our purpose is to help _you._" He smiled at rumbling my little game. "A Persona is a facet of your personality that surfaces as you react to external stimuli. You can think of it as a mask that protects you as you brave many hardships."

"Carl Jung, right?"

Igor seemed to smile wider, if that was possible. "That is correct. However, that being said, your power is still weak."

"You mean Thanatos isn't my power yet?" I thought so, seeing as I couldn't summon him the second time.

Igor just laughed again. It seemed impossible to surprise him. Then again, if he was the manifestation of _my_ ego…

"I see you already have a goal set up. When you use your Persona ability, you must channel your inner strength. Thanatos probably came about from act of killing yourself, so to speak.

"Your ability, however, evolves as you as you develop your Social Links--your emotional ties with others. The stronger your Social Links, the more powerful your Persona ability. Please remember that. Now, then..." Igor paused, smiling. "Time marches on in your world, I really shouldn't keep you here any longer than I already have."

"Wait, there's more I need to ask you!" I didn't care about loosing my cool here, after all the work I did to come back I was _not_ going out that easy without answers.

Igor chuckled again. "The next time we meet, you will come here of your own accord, and will leave through the same." Igor flashed me a smile as the Velvet Room was engulfed in a bright light. "Until then… Farewell…"

I opened my eyes and saw white. I then looked left and I got a very nice view.

"Oh, you're awake." Yukari stood up from her seat, which was probably a good thing, since she hadn't noticed me looking up her skirt. "Um… How do you feel?"

As I sat up, realising I was in a hospital, and I honestly felt like I'd been buggered in the ear by a drunken cow, but I decided to use polite language.

"Like hell… What're you doing here?"

Yukari sighed. "Thank goodness you came to… How much sleep do you need!? You've been out for an entire week! I was so worried about you…"

I kind of gathered that from the fact that you were sitting by my bedside for about a week, but I decided not to say that, since Yukari continued "You saved my life, you know… I just couldn't leave you here."

Yukari then sat down on my bed, looking downwards, "The doctor couldn't find anything wrong with you apart from some light wounds. He just said that you were exhausted." She looked up at the ceiling. "You just kept on sleeping, and sleeping, do you have any idea how worried I was?" She turned to me mid sentence, but then looked down again. "Um… I'm sorry I couldn't do anything… Even though _I_ was supposed to be the one protecting _you_…" Yukari sighed, and looked into my eyes again, "But, your power… It was amazing! A-and the way you fought, you just wouldn't stop until it was all over!"

"So, what were those things, Shadows?"

Yukari nodded. "They're what we're fighting against. And the power you used, we call it-"

"Persona" I interrupted her.

"Oh, Yeah, you said that just before you summoned didn't you? How'd you know that?"

"Honestly? I haven't the foggiest."

Yukari seemed a bit confused, I guess the phrase didn't translate well into Japanese. She seemed to get the idea though, as she said "Well, We'll explain it all to you later. I'm sorry I didn't tell you before. I…"

Yukari seemed to be trying to get something off her chest. "I wanted to tell you that I'm sorta like you…"

I kinda guessed that she could also summon a Persona, but I didn't think that she was talking about that. "What do you mean?"

Yukari stood up, facing the window. "My dad died in an accident when I was little... And my mom and I aren't exactly on good terms... You're all alone too, right?" Yukari's head fell down, looking guilty. "To be honest, I already know about your past... But, it didn't seem fair, so I wanted you to know about mine..."

She seemed to be bringing up a painful memory, as she turned back towards me, still looking at the floor. "It was back in '99... There was a big explosion in the area. My dad supposedly died in the blast, but nobody really knows what happened... He was working in a lab run by the Kirijo Group."

Yukari's head rose slightly as she unloaded herself. "So I'm hoping that if I stick around long enough, I'll find out something. That's why I'm going to Gekkoukan High, and why I was there when this happened to you." Yukari laughed bitterly "...Of course, I panicked and wasn't much help... It was my first time fighting them, too." Yukari really looked dejected, almost to the point of tears. "I'm sorry... You wouldn't have to go through all this if I wasn't such a coward..."

"It's not your fault. Hell, I was scared too."

Yukari looked directly at me. "Really? But still…"

I shook my head. "I grew up in England, remember? I was in fights all the time." I thought back to the first time someone pulled a knife on me. "It's not the first time I've fought for my life either. The only real difference was that I wasn't fighting humans. And as for the big one, well, I just pulled the trigger; I wasn't in control of that thing."

Yukari stared for a moment, and laughed. "Hah, and here I am telling you all this the moment you wake up…" She smiled. "You know, while you were sleeping, I was thinking to myself, 'I've been hiding so many things from him, when he wakes up, I'm gonna tell him the truth.' So, thanks for listening, I've wanted to share that story with someone for a long time."

"Anytime."

Yukari stepped towards the door. "Alright, I'd better get going. I'll let the others know you woke up. Oh, that reminds me!" She reached down beside my bed. "While you were asleep, we called your Uncle. He said that he'd sent some more of your stuff over, but to get this box over to you quickly." She hefted up a large wooded box, wrapped in plastic, with the labels: 'Fragile', 'Keep Dry' 'Keep Cool', and 'Gibson Les Paul'.

Grinning, I took the box from her, laying it on my lap. I reached into my jacket pocket, which was hung up on a stand by my bed, and pulled out my Leatherman. Flicking out the blade, I got to work demolishing the packaging.

"Hey, if you had a knife, why'd you fight the shadow barehanded once you lost your sword?"

I glanced up at Yukari, then got back to work removing the guitar case from the postage packaging. "Loads of kids carried knives back home. One of my friends died from a stab wound after school one day."

I saw Yukari gasp and cover her mouth in shock, "I-I'm sorr-"

"Don't be, it was his stupid fault." Yukari's jaw dropped at my apparent cruelty towards the deceased friend. "You know what they say, those who live by the sword die by the sword."

Yukari seemed to think this over, then finally said "Wait, your friend was carrying a knife when he got stabbed?"

I nodded, pushing the packaging onto the floor, and got to work opening my guitar case. "He pulled it out first. The other guy started the fight, but my friend was the idiot who turned it into a knife fight."

Yukari was stunned. "So, why do-"

"This is not a knife." I answered simply, passing it to her. "See the engraving?"  
"Minato Arisoto, Leatherman Wave Multitool Custom…" She read.

"That's what it is," I continued. "A tool for making life easier. Not a weapon to be used in a fight." Yeah, I used it to crack open that shadows mask, but I broke it with my bare hands, the blade just finished the job before it could kill me. I'd pulled my Guitar out of the case and began playing. 'Wish You Were Here' seemed appropriate.

"Oh, okay…" Yukari seemed awkward as she passed the tool back to me. "Well, I'll see you later, I'll tell the doctor you're up."

"Thanks Yukari."

She blushed, then walked out the door.

It wasn't until I reached the first chorus when

"DAMMIT! I did it again!"

I though I had the honorific thing under control too.

…

Meh, I've been in a coma, I can get away with it, and I continued my song.


	6. Chapter 6

Yukari caught me on the way to school the next day. I hadn't got back to the dorm yet, so I was still carrying my Guitar. "Morning," Yukari started, reaching into her schoolbag. "You seem to be doin' pretty well."

"Like you said, I was just exhausted. Takoyaki?" I replied, offering her my breakfast. Hospital food sucked, no matter where you were.

"Go on then," She replied, taking one as she offered me some books. "Thought you might be coming in today, so I went into your room and got today's books for you."

"Thanks," I said, putting the books in my bag. Yukari and I were in the same classes for everything, which was a small blessing in this whole mess. Oh, that reminds me. "Hey, um, I'm sorry for forgetting the –San yesterday-"

"Hey, don't sweat it," She replied with a smile, "You weren't brought up Japanese, so I'm fine with you just dropping it all together."

That was a relief. "Same goes for you then, Yukari."

She smiled. "Sure, Minato."

"NOOOOO!!! IT'S NOT POSSIBLE!!!" A rather distraught chap ran past us, crying his eyes out. Apparently he'd just overhead that last bit.

"Odd fellow."

"Complete weirdo more like. Oh, Mitsuru senpai wants to talk to you today, so come to the fourth floor of the dorm after school, okay?"

"Sure." A thought then came to mind, probably not the most tactful question, but it would save me a lot of bother later. "Hey, how are Akihiko and Mitsuru Senpai on the whole honorific thing?"

"Probably like that actually. Akihiko senpai thinks the world of you, and Mitsuru's… well…"

"Mitsuru?" I used her name as an adjective, rather than a noun.

Yukari giggled. "Yeah, that's a good description."

So, yeah. Me and Yukari had a decent conversation on the school, both of us avoiding what we really wanted to talk about (probably monsters, but I'm no mind reader), until we got to class. Mr. Ono, the samurai guy from before, was teaching about the stone man. Apparently his 'fires of youth' only burned for Japanese history, and it was boring as hell.

______________________________________________________________

"Psst. Minato kun..."

Buh, what?

"Watashi ha, anatawo taikutsu saseru desuka Arisoto Kun?"

Wide awake now, and I slowly lifted my head,

"I asked if I was boring you Arisoto Kun."

"Erm… No Mr Ono."

"Don't lie, I'm boring everyone. This Stone Age is nothing to the Sengoku era, but I get paid to teach you this, so the least you can do is pay attention."

"I'm sorry sir."

Yukari raised her hand. "Sir, he just got out of hospital this morning."

The teacher shook his head. "Fine then Arisoto Kun, I'll let you off if you can tell me the difference between the Palaeolithic era and the Neolithic era, since Junpei Kun couldn't tell us."

I turned to look at Junpei, who sat there looking embarrassed. While I could go down with him, I could also save my own neck, showing him up in the process. It was a tough decision, but I made it quickly.

"How the tools were made, sir. One used chipped stone, but the other used ground stone. Don't know which is which though."

Everyone in the class was staring at me in silence. I only just realised how much of a swot I just sounded. Damn.

"Correct, I see you've been studying at home. Well, either way, they both used stone tools… ugh; I can't wait until we get to the age of Katana…"

Dammit. I dreaded the inevitable whispers that were to follow.

"Woah, answering the question after sleeping through the lesson?"

"I know, Minato Kun's really smart…"

Damnation.

"That's pretty awesome, getting one over a teacher like that."

"I know! That was so cool."

Dammit all to hell - wait, what?

"I wish I was that smart…"

"Better start studying more…"

Holy crap, I'm in a school full of geeks. Wait, that's impossible, Junpei's an idiot.

Okay that was harsh. From what I've seen, he's not a moron like we had back home. I shuddered from the memory of that girl from my Philosophy class last year. She argued for ten minutes that Whales laid eggs, and you could get them in restaurants, a dozen of them for twenty quid. The teacher explained that she was getting mixed up with Quail's eggs. _"Same Difference"_, she said.

For the record, Whales are large, sea based mammals that give birth to live young. Quails, on the other hand, are tiny ground-bound birds that live in the desert, and lay eggs the size of marbles. In my book, that's a big difference.

Oh, right, geeks. Maybe Japan just liked smart kids or something? If England is full of idiots, where the biggest idiots are cool, then maybe Japan is full of brains, where the biggest brains are cool. Yeah, that made sense.

______________________________________________________________

Junpei talked to me at lunch. He said that he'd missed my lunches, as he passed me a bread bun from the school shop. I thanked him, and he filled me in on what had happened while I was gone. Turned out, not much really.

Anyway, around half way through the break Kenji came up to me and asked if I played guitar. It was fairly obvious what he wanted, so I shrugged and pulled my guitar out of its case.

"Ooh, a Gibson? Not bad." Junpei remarked. "You know, I play a little myself."

"Really?"

"Yeah, got myself a Yamaha. It's alright, does the job. So, how well do you-"

I started playing unconsciously. It always happens whenever I get my hands on an instrument. I've been called musically talented, but I just know what goes where and have rhythm.

Kanji thought for a moment. "That's… clash on the big bridge, right? Final Fantasy Five?"

I nodded, and started concentrating on what I was playing.

I stopped after a few minutes, "Something wrong?"

Kenji just stood in shock, and Junpei whistled. "Damn, that's skill. Heh, guess smart kids are good at music then."

I noticed the slight angst in Junpei's voice; it was hard to miss it. "Hey, we should practice together sometime." I said.

"Cool, hows about tonight?"

"Erm… Not tonight… something's going down at my dorm…"

"I know." Junpei smiled. "I'm moving in."

"Oh, Really?"

"Damn man, aren't you surprised?"

"Well, yeah. I just don't show it."

Junpei sighed. "Well, just don't tell Yuka-tan. I can't wait to see the look of her face when she finds out, it'll be priceless!"

"Finds out what?"

Yukari was there. Junpei had the look of someone who's just been caught slipping a whoopee cushion under someone's seat (Note to self: do that at some point), so I bailed him out.

"Junpei plays guitar." It was true, but it wasn't the answer to her question, so yeah, I lied.

"Really? Because it looks like this." Yukari simply looked bored.

"Holy crap!" Kenji shouted, "Two Minato Kun's!" That got us laughing.

______________________________________________________________

I got to the dorm after Yukari, who was waiting in the lounge.

"Thought we were meeting upstairs?"

"We are." She replied. "Just waiting for Akihiko Senpai."

"I'm here." He came through the front door, his right arm in a sling. "Minato kun, Yukari san, there's someone I want to introduce." He turned to face outside and barked "Hey! Hurry up!"

"Hold your horses," Replied a familiar voice. "This is freakin' heavy…"

Junpei came in through the door dragging some travel cases and had a sports bag across his back.

"JUNPEI!? What's he doing here!?"

Junpei was right; the look on her face _was_ priceless.

"Heheh, wazzup?"

Yukari's reaction only continued to escalate. "HE'S staying HERE!? You've gotta be KIDDING ME!!"

Junpei found this hilarious, but Akihiko kept a strait face. "I bumped into him last night. He has the potential, but he just awakened to it recently…" Actually, it was more like he didn't get what was so funny. "I told him about us, and he agreed to help."

Yukari was beginning to calm down, but was still fairly hysterical. "YOU have the potential!? For real!?"

Fairly obvious, as Junpei went into a complaining mode. "He found me cryin' like a baby at the convenience store, surrounded by a bunch of coffins. I don't remember much but… Man, that's embarrassing!" I had to admit, it wasn't normally the kind of thing one would boast about, but Junpei continued; "He said that was, you know, normal in the beginning." I must have looked confused because the other two nodded as Junpei elaborated "You know, being confused, and not remembering anything, did you guys know that?"

"Don't remember."

Junpei laughed, "Good one man."

I shook my head. "No, I'm serious; I can't remember what I was like when I 'awakened', as you call it."

Yukari looked concerned "Erm… When did you awaken, exactly?"

"When I was seven, why?"

You could have heard a pin drop. Yukari and Junpei merely looked surprised, but Akihiko looked white as a sheet, though I was the only one that noticed.

Yukari broke the silence "That explains a lot…"

"Damn man, you grew up with this? Well, I suppose we go to bed pretty early when we're kids, so maybe it wasn't so –"

I shook my head. "Time difference."

Silence again, so I elaborated; "Because of the Time difference, it happens at around four or five in the afternoon back home."

…

Okay, now you could have heard a pin fall.

"That's an interesting piece of information."

I turned behind me and everyone's attention turned to the man who spoke. Akihiko spoke first, calling him "Mr. Chairman."

Ikutsuki smiled. "So the Dark Hour occurs worldwide at Japan's Midnight and not in each time zone's respective midnights… very interesting…"

Really? Because that would have been one of the first things I would have checked out.

"Mitsuru san is waiting upstairs, so let's start the meeting."


	7. Chapter 7

"Okay, let me start off by asking you both this;" Ikutsuki was talking to Junpei and me, but he had the attention of everybody in the room. "Would you believe me if I said that the day consisted of more that 24 hours?"

"No." Dammit, Japanese sarcasm is hard!

"Excuse Me?"

Mitsuru Senpai chuckled; either she caught my sarcasm or Junpei's surprise. "I'm not surprised by your reaction. However, you've already experienced the truth first hand." She stood up, facing me and Junpei. "Do you remember the night you came here? Or the night Akihiko found you?" She paused, giving us time to think. "You had to have noticed the signs... The streetlights went out... Nothing was working... There were coffins everywhere... Didn't it feel like you were in a different time...?" She paused again, not long enough to let us answer though. "That's the Dark Hour--a time period hidden between one day and the next."

"Hidden?" Junpei didn't seem to be taking this in. "Between?"

Ikutsuki answered him; "I guess it's more like something people aren't aware of. But, the dark hour exists, it occurs each night, at midnight as the clock strikes twelve. It will happen tonight, and every night to come. Of course," He paused, smiling at me, "That is taking into account time zones."

Mitsuru Senpai, who'd, sat back down at some point, turned to the chairman questioningly.

"Minato kun's been aware of the dark hour for over ten years now." Akihiko said. Yep, that shocked Mitsuru Senpai and Ikutsuki. Did they only awaken fairly recently like Junpei? Akihiko continued; "He says that the dark hour occurred at four in the afternoon back in England."

Mitsuru Senpai processed this and nodded. "That would explain why he's adapted so well…"

Akihiko turned to me and Junpei. "You've probably figured this out by now, but the reason no-one figures out about the dark hour is because they're all sleeping inside their coffins… But that's not what makes the dark hour so interesting…" Akihiko focused on me now. "You saw those creatures; we call them 'Shadows'. They appear only during the dark hour, and attack anyone who's not in a coffin. Pretty cool huh?"

Junpei clearly thought so, but Mitsuru Senpai didn't seem to share the sentiment, as she stood up and had a right go at him. "Akihiko! Why are you always like that? You just got hurt the other day!"

"Now now," Ikutsuki intervened, "He does his work well."

He then turned to me and Junpei as Mitsuru Senpai and Akihiko both sat down. "Long story short, we're the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad--SEES for short. On paper, we're classified as a school club. But in reality, this group is dedicated to defeating the Shadows." He paused for breath. "Mitsuru is the leader. I'm the club advisor."

Mitsuru Senpai then took the lead. "A Shadow feeds on the mind of its prey; the victim becomes a living corpse. They're responsible for most of the incidents on the news, if not all of them."

Junpei was hooked. "Well, what about the police?"

"They'll just be in their coffins like everyone else." I answered, stating the obvious. Akihiko and Mitsuru Senpai nodded at me while Yukari looked at the floor.

"Well, how do you fight them?" Like I said, Hooked like a fish.

I answered that with a backhand strike to his face. Hey, I stopped before it hit.

"What the hell man!?"

"That's how you fight them."

I seemed to have gotten everyone's attention with that, so Ikutsuki cleared his throat, drawing that renewed focus to himself. Although rare, there are those who can function during the Dark Hour. Some may even awaken to a power that enables them to fight the Shadows. That's 'Persona'-"He said, focusing on me, "-the power you used the other night." He turned to face Junpei. "The Shadows can only be defeated by Persona-users. Which means," He gestured to the whole room, "it's all up to you guys."

"I see."

Ikutsuki smiled at me. "I see you're quick to under-"

"So?"

Ikutsuki stopped dead. Yep, feigned apathy for the win.

Mitsuru Senpai got up and put a metal briefcase on the table (Note to self, get a metal briefcase). Opening it up, it had two copies of Yukari's 'gun' in shaped foam padding, as well as two red armbands. "What we're trying to say is that we want you to join us. We've prepared Evoker's for you, in the hope that you'll lend us your strength."

"HELL YEAH!" Junpei pulled a victory pose.

"Thank you." Mitsuru Senpai replied with a smile. Back to her normal face, she turned to me. "Arisoto?"

I, on the other hand, was considering this carefully. _'I, Minato Arisoto, give my word that I will take full responsibility for the consequences of my decisions.'_

Well, in that case I was gonna make some damn careful decisions. "I'm thinking about it."

"What's there to think about?" Junpei seemed disgusted at me. "You scared or something?"

"JUNPEI!" Yukari stood up. She didn't seem to be dropping the honorific out of friendship, that's for sure.

"It's been established that Minato Kun is not a coward." Ikutsuki explained. "His performance last week more that proved that."

"Eh? What performance?"

Yukari glared at Junpei. "He fought them on his own. That's why he was hospitalised for a week."

"EH!?" Junpei was shocked. "You've fought them? But- But in school we were told it was exhaustion…"

"It was." I replied. "But either way, one of them did that to Akihiko."

Junpei turned to his Senpai, not believing his ears. Akihiko just shrugged. "It was huge, but Minato's Persona was bigger."

That was surprising. "You saw it?"

Mitsuru Senpai nodded. "On the security videos."

I laughed bitterly. "And none of you thought to help?"

Every one was stunned by what I said, which only got worse as I continued. "Hey, I understand. After all, the video consoles are in here right? So the fight must be, oh I don't know, a whole five seconds away at least. It's okay, I was only outnumbered three to one for the last minute, Big momma was only trying to kill us for a couple of minutes before that, so considering you saw me summon Orpheus, then see him explode as Thanatos rushed out to fight, you would only have been able to help for, oh, I don't know, _the entire fight?_"

Yeah, I knew I was pushing my luck here, but I needed to make this point clear. "What if I hadn't been able to kill it? What if Thanatos didn't show up? Because Orpheus wasn't strong enough to take that thing down. Hell, what if Thanatos turned on me? Or, more likely..." I glared at Ikutsuki and Mitsuru Senpai. "What if I had collapsed _before_ fighting the underlings? Both Yukari and I would be DEAD, because YOU assumed… Hell, I don't even know what you were thinking!"

"I apologise." Ikutsuki was the first to respond. "Both Akihiko and Mitsuru immediately rushed to help you, but I asked them to stop once you picked up Yukari's evoker. It was the best opportunity to see your potential. But while we're at it, why don't you tell me how you know what to do?"

"Because Yukari that's what Yukari tried to do."

"Really?" Ikutsuki smiled. "And how did you know that she wasn't trying to commit suicide, rather than face defeat."

"Cause some kid told me."

Everyone glared at me like I'd just said that the Queen was Muslim, so I recovered. "Stupid question gets a stupid answer."

Ikutsuki just leaned back in his chair, clutching his face. Everyone else was silent.

Yukari simply looked at me, looking ashamed. "I-I'm sorry… I can understand if you don't want to join us now, but-"

"I never said I wouldn't."

That got everyone's attention.

"I take full responsibility for the consequences of my decisions. So if I decide not to join and people die because I'm not fighting, then that's my fault."

I paused for a moment. What can I get from this? I considered giving a price, but then I remembered something my Uncle taught me.

"_You must never place a price on your honesty lad."_

Damn… I'd already decided to join and made that fairly clear, so to barter now would just be… No, I couldn't. I wasn't that kind of person, so I settled for what I knew I was getting anyway.

"I get to keep my room here at no board, with full access to the armoury."

Ikutsuki smiled, relieved, and Mitsuru Senpai sighed. "All members of S.E.E.S. have to live here because of the nature of our activities, and we don't charge board." Then she looked at me. "But how did you know about the armoury?"

"The sword Yukari offered me was a bit of a give away, considering the condition it was in."

"Condition?"

"Used."

Ikutsuki nodded. "Very well, I'll have a key made for you. Welcome aboard, both of you."

I felt a bullet pass through my skull as time froze. I couldn't move, but I heard a voice and saw a card in my head.

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Fool Arcana…_

The card, showing someone about to step off a cliff and numbered '0', vanished, and time started again.

"Yukari, why don't you show them the way?" Ikutsuki pulled a key ring out of his pocket, offering one of them to her. "Here's my key; I assume you know the way?"

"Oh," She said, taking the key. "Sure…"

"I need to discuss something with Mitsuru and Akihiko. Don't worry, it's all clerical. You boys pick out something that interests you. And Minato Kun?" I turned to him as I rose from my chair, "I apologise, I shouldn't have acted that way when lives were in danger, I am sincerely sorry."

I nodded and walked out the room, followed by Yukari and Junpei.

______________________________________________________________

"Damn man, that was intense. I had no idea you could get so pissed! Erm… Were you? I really couldn't tell…"

Junpei was the first to talk was we descended the stairs. "Of course he was!" Yukari responded, "Anyone would!"

"I know, I know." Junpei replied, shrugging. "I just didn't see any change on his face."

"What're you talking about?"

"I was watching right next to him, and I swear, his did not budge an inch!" Junpei replied back to her as we reached the bottom of the stairs. I told you before, my emotions just don't show up on my face unless I fake it, but I wasn't telling anyone that. "Yeah, I was bloody annoyed."

Yukari unlocked a door in the staircase. "It's here."

"Ooh… A Real Live Armoury! Can't wait!" Junpei must've felt like a kid in a candy store. I had to admit, so was I. Men will always be boys, we're never too old for toys.

Okay, so the room inside didn't have rows of guns stretching for eternity, but it had a decent selection: Bows, Arrows, Shortswords, Longswords, Maces, Boxing Gloves, Lances, Knuckle spikes (I almost picked one of those instinctively. Wolverine!), Claymore, Axes, Katana, Halberds, Knives (My mortal nemesis), Rapiers, even Warscythes!

Junpei dancing around like an idiot, and Yukari was just disappointed in him, so I slipped a pair of armour plated gloves into my pocked. They were basically a pair of cycling gloves with metal plating on the back of the hand and the knuckles. They were easy to carry around, not suspicious, useful as a backup but not really a weapon of choice. However, I remembered punching that mask, unconsciously nursing my hand. I was actually surprised I managed to break something that hard, though it was probably Orpheus powering me up.

"Hey, you okay?"

I turned to Yukari, "Yeah, I'm fine, just a bit spoiled for choice." I hoped like hell they didn't take an inventory.

Yukari smiled. "Well, don't worry, you'll probably get used to whatever you pick. "

"You use a bow, right."

Yukari smiled. "Yeah, Archery club."

"So Boxing Team and Fencing Squad means gloves and rapiers."

"Yeah, though Akihiko Senpai prefers the big armoured gauntlets…"

I followed her gaze. There was a pair of gloves that looked like they'd been taken from a knight, but then I picked up on something else.

"Hey, how come there's only two or three of everything?"

"I don't know;" Yukari thought. "Maybe Ikutsuki ordered them to let you guys experiment with different weapons…"

"No need for me to experiment! Samurai Surrender Junpei is _always_ there with a katana by his side!"

Yep, he was right there, posing with his katana.

"Junpei put that away and get serious."

"I am serious Yuka-Tan!" Junpei replied, sheathing his sword with some difficulty. "A Samurai's Katana is his soul!"

Actually, that was a Samurai's Wakizashi, but the less people using knives, the better. "What're you gonna pick Minato Kun?" he asked me.

I shrugged. "I'm actually comfortable with any of them really, it's not like I don't know how." That got stares, so I elaborated; "Well, wooden or makeshift versions of course."  
"Oh yeah?" Junpei was sceptical. "How do you get a makeshift warhammer?"

"Chair"

"Alright, then what about the battleaxe?"

"Broken Chair."

"I- Alright, you got me." Junpei sighed. "Wait!" He suddenly had an idea. "How would you practice with a makeshift bow?"

"Camping."

"…Dude."

"Erm, hello? Bows are more complex than that!"

"I know." I replied. "I'll probably go for the one hander for now" I replied, reaching for the weapon I used last night. "Actually, I could do with some thing with more power for now…" picking an axe. And dropping an axe. "Alright, bit heavy for now…" I mumbled, hefting the weapon back to its stand. "Lance'll do for now." And with that, I picked up a sweet Warscythe. It was basically a short sword, but with a lances handle. No, it looked nothing like a scythe, but you probably used it for similar sweeping motions. A couple of swings and I was happy.

"Oh, I almost forgot. Ikutsuki says we're allowed to carry our weapons around at school."

Wait what? I looked at Yukari. Come to think about it, she could easily hide a short bow underneath that sweater of hers, and keep a quiver in her school bag. I glanced at Junpei, who was easily tall enough to hide the Katana under his jacket. Then I looked at my Warscythe. Nice as it was, it was also as tall as me; I could never hide it. "I guess I'll take the Shortsword then." Reluctantly returning the polearm. It made sense. I mean, if dark hour ended during a fight, how would we explain our weapons? We had to be able to hide them.

Holding my new weapon, I made note of my surroundings. All of the weapons had sheaths for safe transport, which was useful, even if we couldn't hide them.

We left the armoury, Yukari locking the door behind us. As she ran upstairs to return the key, I saw something that actually showed on my face.

Junpei was standing in the lounge, in a stance that held the sword vertically up, the handle at head height.

"DAH-Dum da duh duh Dum da duh duh Dum da dum dum." He swung the sword, slowly and theatrically. "DadadaDA-DADA!! DUM!!!"

I actually winced as Junpei struck a pose, shouting "It's outta the park!", and I realised something horrifying.

Junpei had no idea how to use his lethal weapon.HereHe


	8. Chapter 8

Next day, I got up early. Stupidly early in fact. However, I'd also gone to bed early too, so I was good.

Junpei, on the other hand, was barely coherent. "Buh… Whugh..? Mi-mina-*yawn*-o=gune, whussuhp?"

"Up. Dressed. Five minutes. Now. Go back to sleep and I go all medieval on your arse."

"Right…sleep…that sounds…" Junpei began snoring. Sighing, I walked over to the corner where he kept the sword from last night. Picking it up by the sheath, I rammed the handle right where I warned I would.

"GAAHH! WHAT THE HELL!?"

I dropped the sword, having achieved what I wanted to do. "Dressed, downstairs, Four Minutes. NOW." I didn't shout, but it was clear that he got the point.

That pun was awful, sorry about that.

Junpei met me in the lounge in three minutes. "What the hell man, it's *yawn* five in the freakin' morning!"

"I know. Come on, we're going out."

"The hell? Dude, I 'ain't even *yawn* showered yet."

"that's fine, you can do it when we get back."

"Riight, and when will that be exactly?"

"Around 7."

"Damn man, what do you need me for that needs to be done so early?"

An hour later we got off the train, near some fields. Watching the train leave, Junpei said "Dude, we'd better be fast if we're gonna be *yawn* home in an hour."

"We're not." I told him, grabbing some stuff in the gift shop.

"EH?" Junpei turned to face me. "But you *yawn* said we'd be back by seven!"

"In the evening." I paid for the goods

Junpei stared at me in disbelief. "Dude, you're insane." Junpei yawned again. "I'm taking the next train *yawn* home!"

"It's in twelve hours." I told him, coming out of the shop.

"…Eh?"

I pushed Junpei through the turnstiles. Following him, I showed him the tickets I bought back at Iwatodai Station. They had reserved seats on the 6:00AM out bound and the 6:00PM inbound.

"Damn… No wonder the seats were so *yawn* cushy. But hey, I have my-"

"Your student pass doesn't work outside the city. Also, I moved the money from your wallet to your sock drawer, and there isn't a single cash machine for miles." I started to walk away from him, into the fields. "You're stuck here for the next twelve hours."

Junpei was shocked at this. "…Why..?"

I turned to him. "It's for family outings and suchlike. Come on!"

Junpei sighed, and started to catch up. "Dammit Man, you're such an *yawn* asshole."

I smirked intentionally. "English. We all them Arseholes."

After a few minutes walk I told Junpei what we were doing here. It was clear that Junpei had no combat experience, nor sword training, so I was going to provide him with both.

"Alright, then why so *Yawn* early?"

"Because you aren't used to either the dark hour OR sleep deprivation. I woke you up early and didn't let you sleep on the train to deprive you of sleep, and fighting for twelve hours strait will tire you out as you get more conscious." I passed him a Bokuto I got from the gift shop. Grabbing one of the spares, I got into a stance.

"Okay man, you are now officially batshi- GAH!"

I withdrew as Junpei clutched his side. "THE HELL MAN! I WASN'T READY!?"

"You think a shadow will wait for you to get ready?"

"…Huh?"

"I don't want you to die. Akihiko and Mitsuru Senpai have been doing this for years, and Yukari fights from a distance." I reversed the grip on the wooden weapon. "I've been in street fights for ages, so that puts you at the most risk. Especially since…" I got ready to strike again. "…The Ikutsuki wants us to fight tomorrow."

"Eh? Us two?"

"No, Yukari and Mitsuru Senpai are coming to fight the shadows too."

"Oh, I thought you meant with each other… wait, what?"

"You heard. This is our last chance to get you ready for battle before tomorrow. I'm going to attack now."

"Woah, Hold on, I'm not-UGH!"

Six hours later, Junpei was starting to improve. Fighting for six hours strait without food, water, or rest had significantly improved his endurance already. He was already keeping up to my blows, but still hadn't managed to land a successful hit. I'm worried that I might be turning him bitter, but as long as I'm keeping him among the living.

He certainly cheered up when I showed him lunch. Leftover Steak Pasta Bake. If that doesn't sound much, then you haven't eaten leftover pasta bake, and certainly wasn't as hungry as Junpei.

Thing with Pasta Bakes is that if you leave it in the fridge overnight, it sets into a compressed form, so it fills you up twice as fast, and gives double the flavour. The slow-release energy from the pasta mixed with the muscle building chemicals from the steak made for a perfect combination for what we were doing.

"Alright man, let's go."

I was surprised, "Thought you wanted a break."

"We had one. Come on, I'll kick your ass!"

I smiled, "Fine then," I responded, putting down my bowl. "Your Arse is Mine."

Seven hours later, we were both back at the dorm, covered in bruises. After the last Bokuto broke, we went at it with our fists. Junpei had learnt to use his long reach to his advantage, and the quicker pace of fist fighting forced his reactions to go overdrive. I had to admit, he wasn't bad for a beginner.

Yukari was shocked at the state we were in when we came through the door. "What kind of fishing were you doing?"

Yeah, I could tell she didn't believe the 'Gone Fishin' note I left, but I humoured her. "A big one."

"Yeah," Junpei nodded, grinning. "It was THIS BIG!" He added, stretching his arms as wide as he could. "But it got away…"

"My fish was bigger"

"Mine was stronger."

We both laughed and went to get washed up. We had eaten some more of lunch on the train, so after the shower I went strait to bed.

"Hi, How are you?"

Okay, Up. Surroundings? Green. Not velvet room then. Eyes focus. My room, dark hour. Someone sitting on my bed. Creepy kid from before. He chuckled as I sat up.

"Oh. Hey. 'Sup?"

"It's good to see you. Soon, the end will come. I remembered, so I thought that I should tell you."

"The end?"

"Of everything." Wow. That sucks. "But to be honest, I really don't know what it is…"

"I see… that complicates things…"

The boy nodded, then smiled. "Oh, looks like you've awakened to your power, and what an unusual power it is…"

"The power of Persona, I know."

The boy shook his head. "Yours is different. A power that takes many forms, but is bound by none… It may prove to be your salvation, depending on where you end up."

I took a stab in the dark. "Did you summon Thanatos?"

The boy laughed. "Very good, I'm impressed."

"So that means you're in my head."

The boy smiled. "I'm always with you."

"Really." I doubted him. "If that was the case, how come I've never spoken to you outside of the dark hour? Or the fact that this is only the second time we met."

The boy stood. Looking at him, he couldn't be older than ten. "I awoke once you returned here, but I've since thought it to be rude to intrude on your waking life. You do remember when we first met, right?"

I nodded. "I intend to honour that agreement."

That impressed him. "Good. I'll always be watching you," he began, walking for the door, "Even if you forget about me…"

That was odd. How the hell did he expect me to forget about him?

"Feel free to stop by any time."

This seemed to surprise the boy, "You don't mind?"

I shook my head. "You're the only person who hasn't tried to hide anything from me since I got here, so you're ranked fairly high in my book."

The boy laughed at this. "Well, thank you. I'll be seeing you again…", as he opened the door. "Good night…" he said stepping through the door.

"Good night yourself."

I could swear I saw a genuine smile as the door closed behind him; not the childish smiles he normally has, but that familiar smile of loneliness I've come to see all over this country.


	9. Chapter 9

Next day, Junpei was talking to me during lunch about how sore he was from yesterday. I felt fine, but Yukari called us both idiots.

"What if you'd gotten hurt?"

"It was fine," I explained. "I know first aid."

"Well, what if you had gotten hurt?"

"Impossible," I replied. "Junpei Kun hits like a girl."

"Hey!" Junpei protested, but Yukari punched me.

"Ow! Alright, sorry Yukari…"

She seemed satisfied, so I turned to Junpei. "Yukari punches harder than you."

"Minato! Ugh…" Yukari was clutching her head. "Men…"

"Hey, since when we you two so close? Since you're calling each other like that already... Guess the rumours were true after all."

Yukari stood bolt upright. "What rumours..?"

"You know… the ones that say you two are going out!"

"WHAT!?" hey, no need to be so offended. "Look, there's nothing going on between us, we just decided to not bother, okay?"

I couldn't believe Yukari was getting so worked up over this. I mean, I saw this coming from day one. Actually, that was the day I heard about the rumours in the first place. But hey, I was feeling particularly evil, so I decided to push my luck and see how far Yukari could go.

"So, how far have I gotten with her?"

"Eh? Minato!?"

"In the rumours of course. I'm actually interested in what people think of me." Oh, I could pull of a righteously evil smile when I wanted to. "Go on Junpei, spill."

"Well…" Junpei leaned forward to whisper in my ear.

"I don't believe this…" Yukari was shocked.

"Seriously? I've only been here a couple of weeks and already nurse sex?"

"WHAT!?"  
"Well, she was visiting you in the hospital every day while you were out."

"WHAT!?"

I shook my head. "Actually, he's right; you kind of brought this down on yourself." I smiled warmly. "It's alright; I know you aren't the kind of person to do such things."

"THE RUMOURS ARE ABOUT YOU!! YOU KNOW THEY'RE FALSE!!"

I shook my head. "Apparently I was unconscious. Gotta admit, these rumours are surprisingly accurate."

"…What…"

"They knew I was unconscious. Something only S.E.E.S. members and the doctors knew."

Yukari looked puzzled. "So what? Now you're supporting them? I don't believe this…"

"I never said that." I replied, calm and neutral. "I'm saying that the rumours contained information that only five students in the school knew about." I leant back in my chair, counting off fingers. "I was unconscious, you were visiting me and are upset by these rumours… That leaves Akihiko, Mitsuru Senpai, And-"

Junpei was already running for the door. He'd already opened it but his exit was blocked. "Oh, thank you Iori, May I have a minute with everyone?"

Oh, now that was just unfortunate.

Mitsuru walked over to the desk, an uncomfortable Junpei followed. "Come to the lounge when you get back to the dorm." She explained, "I have something I wish to discuss with everyone."

Junpei suddenly perked up. "Oh, are we having that talk?"

"I'll save the details for later. See you there."

"Wait, Mitsuru Senpai?"

She turned back. "Yes, Arisoto Kun?"

"Have you by any chance been spreading any rumours about Yukari San coma raping me while I was unconscious in the hospital, particularly any involving nurse's uniforms?"

Oh, I just loved that silence. It's like the calm before the storm, and everyone's watching, just to see who's gonna get rained on. "N-No, I haven't, why would you accuse me of such a thing?"

"Just trying to discover the truth…" I noted her blush. Embarrassed, but certainly not guilty… not that I ever suspected her of course. "What about Akihiko?"

"Of course not, he has no interest in such things as it is! What are you getting at?"

I nodded, and swung onto my chair, standing on the seat crouched over my desk. Bending over to pick a strawberry off the cake slice I bought earlier (Pretty conveniently too,) I answered in my most monotonous voice; "Then there is a ninety five percent chance that Junpei Kun is Kira…"

"What the hell man? That makes no-!" He was interrupted by Yukari slapping him.

"Erm… what's going -?"

"Someone was spreading inappropriate rumours about me and Yukari," I replied to Mitsuru Senpai, as Yukari unleashed her fury. "The rumours contained specific pieces of information that only a member of S.E.E.S. would know, so I used you to collect evidence against Junpei" Oh, I loved playing detective. "Since Yukari was the most offended party in the situation, I believed it was only appropriate that she meted out justice." Which she was still doing, mind you, "So I impersonated the mannerisms of a famous fictional detective to both throw Junpei Kun off guard, and to tell Yukari in code." I turned to the Redhead and, completing the impression, I passed her my cake topping. "I'll give you this strawberry if you don't tell anyone."

"Ah, I believe that that is L?"

I reverted back to my regular position. "He's right though. It _is_ easier to think sitting like that."

"Thanks Minato," Yukari returned, washing blood from her hands. "That felt good."

Metaphorical blood, of course, as Junpei returned, relatively uninjured except for his pride.

______________________________________________________________

So, that night, we all made our way to the fourth floor. Ikutsuki greeted us.

"Okay, everybody's here." He began. "I'd like your undivided attention. For a long time, Mitsuru and Akihiko were the only Persona-users we had. But, that number recently jumped to five. Therefore… Starting tonight at 12:00AM, I'd like to commence the exploration of Tartarus.

"Tartarus? What's that?" Junpei asked the question, noting that it "Sounds like toothpaste."

"We believe we can find the reason behind the dark hour there." Akihiko explained, "Since it only appears in the dark hour. "

"…Seriously?" Junpei was stunned

Akihiko nodded. "Just like the shadows. In fact, it's full of them, making it a perfect place to train. Think of it as their nest. "

"Woah…" Junpei was easily impressed.

"But, Senpai," Yukari began, "Your injury?"

"Since Akihiko will take at least another month to heal, he'll only be coming as far as the entrance." Mitsuru Senpai seemed adamant about this.

Akihiko sighed in defeat. "Yeah, I know…"

"Well, I'm sure he won't complain, as long as you don't go too far in." Ikutsuki interjected, taking back everyone's attention, "Since we're dealing with shadows, Tartarus isn't something we can avoid."

Junpei stood up, smiling. "Relax, I got your backs."

Yukari, on the other hand, wasn't so confident. "I don't know about this…"

I turned to Ikutsuki. "What about you?"

"Oh, I'll stay here thanks." Ikutsuki looked embarrassed. "After all, I can't summon a Persona…"

So, apparently not everyone in the dark hour has the 'potential'.

______________________________________________________________

"This is the place? Here!?"

I was fairly surprised myself. Why the hell were we at school? Of course, I knew why. We were going to Tartarus, we'd brought our weapons and evokers, plus a few supplies,

"Just wait sec," Akihiko replied, looking at his phone. "It's almost midnight…"

Three…

Two…

One…

Zero, and the world turned green.

Then the school rose. It started to twist as it ascended, with pillars shooting up from the ground. Within moments it was distorted beyond recognition and taller than I could see. The building was as majestic as it was grotesque.

"This," Mitsuru began, "Is Tartarus…"

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

Hey there, first nine chapters done, and this is the first commentary! Wow.

Okay, first off, I've re-uploaded the first six chapters. There were a load of spelling mistakes, grammatical issues, and I just felt that some bits could have been done better.

So, this is the part where I could really use your input. Am I taking this gimmick too far, or am I not taking it far enough? Should I cut back on the pop culture references, or was Minato's 'L' impression hilarious? Do I spend too much time describing? Do I need to focus more on Minato's thoughts? Are my fight scenes boring? Is anyone acting out of character? Tell me and I'll improve.

So, first of, I'd like to talk about some things.

First off, Yes, Minato's personality is meant to be inconsistent. I realise as I write it, that my own personal mood affects Minato's mood, though patterns, and speaking style. I thought about changing it, but then I remembered that He's _supposed_ to be like that. So that's why he'll be antisocial aggressive one scene and cool, calculating the next. Thou art I and all that.

Leathermen are a brand of penknife. The Wave model has four main knives on the outside, but the handle can be opened to reveal a pair of pliers and several other smaller tools, which Minato will make use of.

Secondly, I want to point out that yes, Minato fancies Yukari and Mitsuru, the fact of the matter is that they are very attractive. That's why they're the two hardest girls in the game to date. As it happens, Yukari and Minato are just friends. At this point. Mitsuru is more distant from him. At this point.

Micro expressions are flashes of true emotion that appear on someone's face for less that a fifth of a second when they tell a lie or hide something. Minato has none. That should be impossible, except for the fact that he's freaking Minato.

Like I said, this story tries to stick to Persona 3: FES, which is why they share the same name. Some might say that this is a spoiler, but I reckon that it's pretty obvious that Minato will complete every social link in one play through. The other similarities to the game that aren't covered in the manga or other media is that Minato will:

Fuse Personas

Complete Elizabeth Requests

Use different kinds of weapon

Level up his social stats. (He's currently level 5 for everything)

Grow as a person

Anyways, starting from now, I'll do one of these commentaries every ten chapters. I'll finish it by summarising revelations into Minato's character that have been revealed in the past ten chapters, and a current list of his Persona.

In chapters 1-9, Minato has shown himself to be an experienced street fighter. He's dealt with the loss of a friend to violence already. He has shown that he can play Guitar, Cook, and do impersonations. He keeps his cool in battle, despite his brutality and ruthlessness. He can also eat a fair amount, and is a patient but direct teacher, as poor Junpei learned. This also applies to the moral lesson he taught Junpei: Don't Mess with Minato Arisoto. Minato also explained his proficiency with various weapons except for guns, and also for his refusal to use knives. He's well versed, quoting Bruce Lee and Tolkein. He's also good at figuring things out based on the tiniest piece of information, as shown when he answered Mr Ono's question after waking up. Minato has also shown to be very thoughtful, both to himself and others and, despite the fact that he barefaced lied to almost every single character in the game, and will do so in the story, I've shown him as otherwise extremely honest, especially to himself. Actually, it may be more accurate to suggest that he's simply as honest to you as you are to him.

Minato – Level 2

Persona:

Orpheus: Bash – Agi – none – none – none – none – none – none


	10. Chapter 10

"What the hell?"

"Tartarus. It's the Labyrinth that appears during the dark hour."

Junpei turned to her. "I know that, but what the Jif happened to our school?"

Bit of an odd expletive, but I'd heard people say 'Oh, Lemons', so why not?

"Once the dark hour passes" Mitsuru responded "everything turns back to normal"

Wait, they don't sell Jif over here, so how does Junpei know about that brand of lemon juice?

Junpei turned to Akihiko. "This is the nest you were talking about? But Why!? WHY did Our School turn into a FREAKIN' TOWER!?"

More importantly, what was I going to put on my pancakes next February?

Junpei turned to Mitsuru. "You don't know either?"

Then it hit me.

"…No…" She replied.

I slept through the entire Easter weekend this year.

"Does it matter?" Yes Yukari, it does. "It's not like it wouldn't change our minds about fighting."

"Come to think about it, it is their fault…"  
"Eh? What's whose fault?"

"Oh, Erm…" Crap, you can only follow two conversations at once if you keep them separate! "The Shadows? The… dark hour is their fault… probably?"

Everyone looked at me like I'd just made an arse of myself. Which I just did.

"Who Knows?" Akihiko said. "Maybe now we'll find out. Mitsuru and I have only gone in to take a peek, so this will be our first time exploring it. Exiting isn't it?"

"Akihiko." Mitsuru glared at him. "I respect your enthusiasm, but you won't be coming with us today."

Akihiko sighed. "Yeah, I know…" he replied, glancing at his broken arm.

"We going in then?" Yep, composure regained.

"Lead the way, Arisoto."

"Woah, it's just as cool on the inside…" Junpei looked amazed.

Yukari, on the other hand, looked nervous. "But it sure is creepy…"

Me? Oh, I was concerned about why The Walls Were Floating Around Above A Bottomless Pit Of Death And Despair. Say what you want, that's more important than the staircase leading to the oversized clock, or the freaky DDR pad.

This was clearly old news to Mitsuru, who simply informed us that "This is only the entrance. The Labyrinth is through the doorway at the top of the stairs." I looked up and found that the clock was missing a large chunk at 6:00. Ah, so that's what the stairs are for… another mystery solved.

"First, we'll have you three get a feel for the place. Why don't you go have a look around?"

"What!?" Yukari wasn't expecting this. "By ourselves?"

"We're not asking you to go very far." Mitsuru clearly thought that this was all reasonable. "Don't worry, I'll be feeding you information from here."

Yep, Knew they didn't intend to come in from the start.

"We'll also appoint a leader to make any necessary decisions, since I'm injured and Mitsuru's providing support."

That got our attention. Junpei was jumping up and down with his hand in the air, like the kid who gets picked to play football just to shut him up. Wait, they call it soccer over here, don't they? Silly Americans, football means the ball only touches your foot, now you've got the Japanese confused too.

"You're in charge."

That better be me or so help me…

"W-wait a sec, Why Him?" Junpei was complaining like the kid who didn't get picked. "He doesn't look like a leader!"

"He has fought them before."

Yep, me.

"Yeah, I know, but still-"

"There's another reason. You two…" Akihiko pulled his evoker out and held it to his head. "Can you summon your persona without any problems like he can?" Good Question. "Can you put the gun to you head and pull the trigger without hesitation or fear? Because if you're in a panic, your persona 'ain't doin' nothin'."

That shocked both Yukari and Junpei, and explained a lot.

"Y-Yeah, of course I-"

"I-I think so-"

"BANG!"

Everyone shut up.

"These are shadows we're talking about here." Stated Akihiko, lowering his gun arm, his injury a testament to what he was telling us. "Without your persona, you're screwed."

Oh, he's good. That brought them down to earth faster than a whale and a pot of petunias. "I'm in. "

What choice did I have? I felt like lifting my sword into the air and riding into battle against Mordor. Ah, Aragorn, how we love thee.

I stepped forward, and I saw something glow behind Akihiko. Walking past him, I walked towards the blue door. The key in my pocket felt warm.

"Minato?"

"Hold on a sec…" and I stepped through the door.

"I've been waiting for you."

"Evening Igor. Hello Elizabeth."

"Good day." She replied to me, nodding.

"The time has come for you to wield your power. The tower that you are about to venture into... How did it come to be? For what purpose does it exist? Regrettably, you are not yet capable of answering these questions. That is why you must be made aware of the nature of your power."

That could wait. "About that door, I'm the only one able to see, touch, or pass through it, right?"

"Of course. Now-"

"And time?"

Igor smiled at my interruption. He probably wasn't used to having such a cocky 'guest'. "No time passes in the real world when you visit us. Any other questions, or may I continue?"

"I'm good."

"Marvellous. Your power is unique. It's like the number zero... It's empty, but at the same time holds infinite possibilities." I nodded. "You, my boy, are able to possess multiple Personas, and summon them as needed."

"Eh? Really?" I didn't know what was more shocking; the possibility of multiple personae or that it was rare among persona users.

Igor smirked. "Surely you have noticed this within yourself. One moment you think one way, but you have a completely different personality the next." Igor smiled, clearly amused about something. "This change is completely internal; it does not change who you are, or how you appear to the outside world. What changes, however, are your attitudes and thought patterns. THAT my boy is the power of the Fool that you grasp. Each attitude is another Persona, waiting to answer your call. As you learn to control your ability, you will learn to completely control these changes within you. When you have defeated your enemies, you will see the faces of possibility before you. There may be times when they are difficult to grasp... But, do not fear." Igor waved his hand. "Seize what you have earned. Your power will grow accordingly... Be sure to keep that in mind."

This was a lot to take in, but I knew Igor was true in everything he said. In fact, looking back, I've gone through the Jock, the creepy detective, the bored asshole, the hyper kid, and that was just today! What am I now… The Fool? Wait a sec…

"You said the Fool, and the number 0. I remember the number 13 when I summoned Thanatos." I frowned. "And that monster, the Magician?" Don't ask how I knew its name, I just did. "It had a number 1 on its mask. Does this have anything to do with Tarot?"

Margret's jaw almost dropped as Igor laughed heartily. "You are indeed an interesting guest!" he said. "You are the first to make that connection so quickly…" Igor looked directly into my eyes. "Even today, you have passed through the Chariot, the Justice, the Hierophant, The Hermit, The Star, and currently you are the Fool, which is the closest to your true self. If I were to give a reading based on those cards…" Igor waved his hand over the table, and those cards appeared there. "Then an Impulsive Decision will lead you to fight against injustice. You will find hope within yourself, and lead others on their journey to find themselves. Very interesting…" Igor looked up from the table. "Now tell me… what impulsive decision will lead you onto this path?"

I smiled, rising from my chair. "It was nice talking with you Igor, but I must be going now." As I did this, a seventh card appeared on the table. Following my gaze, Igor looked at it and laughed. "hm… The Magician… Your overconfidence is your weakness…"

"Your faith in your friends is yours." He was asking for it.

That tickled him. "Well, my spare time will soon become scarce. But, please come again of your own accord. I'll tell you then of my true role… the manner in which I can best assist you."

"I can come back any time I want, right?"

Igor's smile changed slightly. "Correct. Until then, farewell."

"Hey, are you alright?"

Okay, back in Tartarus.

"What's up man?" Junpei's face moved in front of mine. "Dude, you look like a zombie."

"Brains." Classic. I turned around and headed for the door. "Come on, let's go."

"Here's an earpiece and some supplies." Mitsuru passed me a headphone and one of those bagpacks that go over one shoulder like ' / ' and have a thin bag that fits under your jacket. Looking back, Junpei and Yukari already had theirs.

Sighing, I put it on and plugged in the headphone. "No mic?"

Akihiko smiled. "Don't worry, you won't need one."

Us three headed up the stairs while Mitsuru explained the basics of Persona battle. Apparently, there were nine types of attack that both persona and shadows could use: three physicals, Slash, Strike, and Pierce, four elementals, Wind, Fire, Ice and Thunder, called Garu, Agi, Bufu and Zio for some reason. There was also Light and Dark attacks, which were instant knockouts, so we had to dodge them at all costs. Apparently Yukari's Persona could also heal with a skill called Dia. Then there were Buffs and Debuffs; Kaja skills made you stronger, and Kunda skills made your opponents weaker. There were also support skills, but they happened automatically. Me and Junpei got it instantly, but Yukari had some trouble getting her head around it. It's not a guy thing, but I wasn't telling anyone that this was simple stuff compared to the standard Pokémon battle, where you had to consider which attacks worked on which elements, _then_ consider the targets second element, and then there was abilities and accuracy and…

Yes, I played Pokémon. And I got right into it. Get over it.

Anyways, Orpheus could use Agi and Bash, covering two out of nine weaknesses. Me and Junpei had swords, and Yukari had her bow, so that covered the three physicals, so I reckoned we'd be fine for now.

Look, at least it wasn't Yu-Gi-Oh or D+D, alright?

Anyway, what surprised me most was that Mitsuru could answer our questions. When I asked her about it, all she said was that **"It's my persona's ability. I can receive visual and audio information from here, so I can relay instructions via your earpieces."**

"I thought I was the leader."

"**You are, but you'll still do as I command."**

I sighed. "Fine, fine, so how come the headphones work?"

"**They're special."** Sounds more like a plot device to me, but then again, the Evokers worked during the dark hour, and so did the camera system… and basic lighting back at the dorm…

Alright, they knew how to make technology work during the dark hour. Oh, great, Mitsuru was just said something important and I just missed it. Something about structure changing? "What's that mean?"

"**It means that the layout of each floor changes each time you enter tartarus. I believe that certain floors remain the same, but this is why outside support is imperative."**

Right, that's what they were talking about.

"**Now, judging by your location,"** Mitsuru continued, **"You can expect to encounter enemies at any minute. They shouldn't be too tough, but proceed with caution. Practice makes Perfect."**

"Gotcha!"

I nodded.

"Alright." Yukari said. However, under her breath, she muttered "Why is she always like that…"

Mitsuru either ignored that or didn't notice. **"Let's begin. Keep in mind, these are real battles you'll be engaging in. Now, see if you can eliminate all the Shadows wandering around on this floor." **I led the way, and saw something move in the darkness. **"Watch out!"** Mitsuru warned us "**I detect a shadow in front of you." **

"Really?" I replied in English. "I never would have guessed." It was vital that she got the sarcasm.

"**Was that Sarcasm Arisoto, or were you just slipping into your native tongue to make battle easier for yourself?"**

I shrugged, rushing forward. "Probably both" I answered stabbing the shadow in the back. It exploded.


	11. Chapter 11

"Woah!" Jumping back, the shadow had suddenly grown a blue mask. I've killed three of these before, so I reckoned that I could kill it before the others caught up.

Mitsuru started talking. "Do you want me to go over the basics of-"

"ORPHEUS!" Bang. Orpheus strummed his Lyre and the Maya caught fire. "Not dead yet?" Stab. Now it exploded for real.

"**What a stunning victory!" **Mitsuru said, just as Junpei and Yukari caught up.

"Damn man…" Junpei replied. "You really do know how to fight them…"

"Next one's all yours." I replied. "Come on."

We moved together this time, and found a staircase. **"Do you see it?" **Mitsuru asked us. **"A staircase is the only way to proceed to the next floor. I can't allow you to go any higher today, but please remember about it next time."**

Fair enough. Let's go this way.

"**There's another Shadow ahead of you!"** Mitsuru again. **"You'll be at a disadvantage if the enemy gets the first hit in, so try to surprise your opponents and strike first."**

I could see it easily. Right now it was looking away, but it'd turn round and attack if I went for it. "Yukari, you shoot it, me and Junpei will go for it, then you come help when you can. Junpei, I want you to get the first hit in, since you have the bigger sword."

"Got it."

"Oh, Yeah!"

Idiot. Now it's heard us. Sure enough, it turned around and charged.

"Yukari..!"

"HUH!" An arrow flew past out heads and it hit the shadow right between the eyes. Junpei ran for the exploding shadow.

"Nice shot." I remarked, chasing after Junpei. There were two Mayas this time, and Junpei had already done some serious damage to one of them.

"**With my power, I can analyse an enemy to determine its weaknesses and strengths." **

"Really Mitsuru?" I stabbed. "Why don't you then-ARGH!!" Damn, that attack got me good. I kicked it off me, clutching where it hit me. "Or would that be too helpful?" It felt warm.

"**They're called Cowardly Mayas."** Mitsuru sounded mad. **"Magician shadows like them are usually weak against fire."**

"HERMES!" and both shadows were burned to ashes. I looked at Junpei, who was grinning.

His persona's Fire was stronger than mine.

While Junpei gloated to Yukari, I remembered something.

Orpheus once travelled down to Tartarus to retrieve his love from Hades. After impressing the lord of the underworld with his music, Orpheus was allowed to return to the surface with his wife, as long as he didn't look at her until they left the underworld.

Once he saw sunlight, he forgot the rules and looked back to tell her that they were nearly there. Hermes, the messenger of the gods, flew up and stole her away, trapping her in the underworld forever.

Hermes and Orpheus didn't get on well after that trip into Tartarus, since Orpheus went insane and Hermes got played as the villain. Better keep an eye on him.

Mitsuru pulled me out of my thoughts. **"There seems to be another shadow just around the corner. Approach carefully to avoid being spotted."**

"Right." I replied, getting up. "Guh…" damn, that shadow managed to get a decent hit in.

"Aw, our fearless leader hurt?" Junpei was definitely acting cocky. Glancing at him, I could now see his Persona hovering behind him, barely visible. Hermes, level 4. Skills are Agi and Cleave. Weak against wind, strong against fire. Magician Arcana.

Wait, Magician Arcana?

"_hm… The Magician… Your overconfidence is your weakness…"_

Ah. That's what he meant. I looked at Yukari, who was looking at my wound with horror. I couldn't see her persona, so I looked down.

Beggary, that's actually pretty bad. I am so thankful for my pain tolerance.

"Hey, what's taking so long?" Junpei approached. "Just patch him up an HOLY CRAP THAT'S NOT GOOD!"

Yukari looked close to tears. "Th-this is my fault…"

Eh? "No it's not!"

"Yes it is…" Yukari clutched at her evoker. "All because I didn't help you two fight… IO!!"

A cows head appeared when she pulled the trigger. Well, a cows head with a woman chained to it. I'm pretty descriptive for someone bleeding to death.

Actually, not anymore, the wound's closing up.

I looked at Yukari, and now I see her Persona. Io. Level 5. skills are Dia, Patra and, now, Garu.

And here's me at level 3. I got up. "Thanks. Let's go."

Poking my head around the corner, I saw the shadow. It was bigger than the other two. Considering the sizes of the first two, I reckoned that this one would have three shadows it. "Junpei? Yukari?"

The other two turned to me as I explained my plan. "It'll never work man."

"Trust me Junpei. It will." With that I charged forward, throwing my sword into the shadow. As it exploded, I ran right into the middle of the explosion, and I was surrounded by three Cowardly Maya. Just as planned.

My sword lay on the ground, and the three shadows looked around for their attacker. Grinning, I put the evoker to my head, pulling the trigger three times. Orpheus came forth, playing a fairly aggressive tune as the three shadows caught fire, one after the other. They didn't stand a chance. "NOW!" I ordered, grabbing my sword and shoving it into the shadows back. Yukari and Junpei rushed forward, finishing off the remaining two. It was almost murder.

I looked within myself. Level 4. Yukari's still stronger than me. I sighed, and then some cards appeared in front of me. Five of them, one with a sword, one with a cup, one with a coin, a plant on the fourth, and the last one had a picture of a blue woman. The four cards flipped over and shuffled. Pretty easy, so I picked the woman, sensing it was different from the others.

_I am Apsaras. I look forward to working with you._

Apsaras. Level 3 priestess. Only skill was Bufu, an Ice attack. I also felt Orpheus level up. I grinned. "Come on guys."

I'd only just stepped into the hallway when a huge shadow jumped us, exploding as it touched me. However, this time, the four shadows got the first hits in. Yukari and Junpei had one each, but I was fending off two at once. Grunting, I grabbed my evoker, when I heard a voice.

_By summoning Orpheus and Apsaras together, you can use the fusion skill Cadenza._

Hey, anything was good so, imagining them both, I pulled the trigger, and suddenly felt calm. I felt a huge surge of energy, and threw it into the air. No personas appeared, but we all heard a beautiful, invigorating melody. Suddenly, our wounds were mostly healed, but that wasn't all.

All of the shadows had slowed down.

No, that wasn't it.

We were faster.

I easily dodged the shadows attack. It looked like it was underwater. Using its momentum to power my sword was too easy. In fact, the four shadows that were such a threat all went down easily to our increased speed. I saw the cards again, this time collecting a persona called 'Pixie', and time went back to normal.

"Wh-What was that?" Yukari and Junpei both seemed shocked.

"**Arisoto Kun somehow managed to cast Masukukaja and used a healing skill on you all, but I'm curious."** Mitsuru seemed really interested. **"Orpheus has neither of those skills. So how did you do it?"**

I shrugged. Putting the evoker to my head, I felt my mind shift and heard the sound of breaking glass. This is what Igor meant. "Apsaras."

I imagined everyone's face as the Hindu goddess appeared and strummed a short melody, covering part of the wall I was facing with Ice.

"What the hell man?" Junpei was the first to speak. "I thought your Persona was Orpheus!"

I felt my mind change and heard glass break again as I changed persona. "Orpheus!", and the ice melted at his riff.

"**This… This isn't possible…" **Mitsuru seemed amazed. **"No-one can have multiple persona, it makes no sense!"**

I shrugged. "Technically, I can only use one at a time, but I can switch between the ones I've got."

"Any others apart from those two?"

"So far, only this." Breaking glass as I switch to pixie, and suddenly felt like I understood Yukari better. Maybe it was because I was suddenly of the same Arcana. "Pixie!" and I pulled the trigger. My remaining injuries disappeared, and Junpei fell down, laughing.

"Du-dude.. Th-that's hilarious!"

Smash. I pulled the trigger again as an icicle appeared above Junpei, missing him by an inch. I suddenly felt tired. Not physically, but mentally drained.

"**You should stop wasting your Spirit Points. As you use your persona's skills, your mental strength, or SP, weakens, though some skills weaken you physically." **Mitsuru explained this, but I still thought that I could have used this information beforehand. **"But this is incredible… A persona user who can wield multiple persona… I'll inform the chairman upon our return, but for now, continue exploration"**

A few moments after setting off again, Mitsuru spoke again. **"That's odd. Usually, there are more Shadows on the prowl. ...Well, at least you gained some experience in battle." **Level Five all around. **"Let's go back to the dorm for today. There should be an Access Point somewhere on that floor. You can use it to return to the entrance." **

"So, there's no more shadows on this floor?"

"**Correct."**

"Cool. Alright gang," I turned to Yukari and Junpei, "Let's split up and look for clues."

We split up and looked for clues. I found a steel briefcase (Win) full of money (Also win), and Yukari found a couple of medicines.

"Check it out guys!" Junpei shouted over the radio. "I think I found it!"

"Nice one shaggy." I really needed to know whether they got the Scooby Doo reference or if it was wasted on them. "Let's go."

______________________________________________________________

They didn't get the Scooby Doo reference. What we did get was a smaller version of the DDR machine downstairs. However, when Junpei stood on it, he disappeared. **"It's alright."** Mitsuru stated. **"Iori just arrived down here."**

Shrugging, I let Yukari step on it first and then I followed.

Teleporting feels weird.

I appeared on the larger DDR machine on the ground floor. It wasn't glowing like the one I just stepped on, but it had enough room for four passengers (Or players), plus some sort of screen, which wasn't working.

"Welcome back." Mitsuru sounded weird now that I'd gotten used to hearing her over the radio. "So, how was it?"

"Apart from the times where I almost died, no problems."

Mitsuru frowned. "Don't get discouraged. You completed your task, and that's something to be proud of."

"Oh, I wasn't whining," I replied. "I actually quite enjoyed it." I vaulted over the dance/teleport machine's bar. "Let's go again."

Mitsuru smiled. "Well, if you gained confidence, that's the best thing you could have achieved."

Junpei looked psyched. "Man… I never knew I had that kind of power… but damn…" Junpei sat on the stairs. "I'm beat…"

"Now do you see why I 'tortured' you on Sunday?"

"Yeah yeah…" Junpei waved his hand. "Thanks and all that…"

Yukari sighed. "That's cuz you were bouncin' around like a little kid."

Junpei looked up. "You look pretty tired yourself Yuka-Tan."

Yukari looked thoughtful. "I'm still trying to catch my breath actually…"

Mitsuru folded her arms. "That's an affect of the dark hour; you'll become fatigued more easily."

I shrugged. "Don't worry, you'll adapt. I barely notice it nowadays."

Mitsuru nodded. "But I'm surprised… You all did much better than I expected… You all displayed an alarming use of tactics and maturity, although Akihiko and I may have been forced to help you if it wasn't for your ability Arisoto."

I nodded. "It won't happen again."

"Otherwise, I have no complaints." Mitsuru turned to our injured member. "At this rate, they'll catch up to you in no time Akihiko."

He smiled. "Heh, I doubt that."

I heard glass break and time stopped. The Fool card appeared again.

_Thou art I... And I am thou... Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to make a Persona of the Fool Arcana_

Trippy.

Time started again, but it I was the only one that noticed it stopped in the first place.

I really needed to talk to Igor again.


	12. Chapter 12

Next day I was still pretty tired, so I was fairly late leaving the dorm that morning. Junpei had already left sometime between the others leaving for their club activities, and me leaving. Guess Junpei was used to rushing out of the door.  
Actually, it's not fair to blame them for me being late, or to blame me being tired. At breakfast, I noticed that I was the only one wearing actual school uniform. Turns out we're allowed to play around with our uniform. Akihiko had that red tank-top, Junpei has his hat and blue shirt, Yukari has a pink cardigan, And Mitsuru… well, it worked as _a_ school uniform, just not ours. So why should I be left out?  
So, yeah. The reason I was late was because I was picking out one of my various business ties to replace the ribbon we normally wore. I eventually settled for my old school tie; one with grey and red stripes. Actually wearing it outside of my old school uniform, it actually looked fairly badass.

"Hey, Minato Kun! Nice tie!"

Oh, What's his name from the other day, Junpei's friend.

"Remember me? Kenji Tomochika? We met on the first day."

Oh, yeah, him. "Yeah, I remember. 'Sup?"

"Man, I knew it. I heard from Junpei that you're pretty close with Yukari San… what's up with that?" I didn't get to answer him, because he interrupted me as I drew breath. "Well, I guess it doesn't matter. I'm looking for someone with a bit more experience anyways." Dude, wouldn't stand a cat's chance in a small child's microwave with Yukari.

To be fair, I knew that Yukari wasn't someone with 'Experience'. In my book, there are two kinds of women with Experience; Older women, and Sluts. And by Older, I don't mean like Mitsuru. I watched where he was looking.

"Like her man."

Dude, she must be twice our age… oh, that's what you meant. My friend Kenji was a MILF Hunter.

"Anyways, come on, we have the morning assembly."

Ah, Crap. "Hey, Kenji, can you do me a favour?"

"Huh? Sure, what is it?"

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I zoned out during the assembly. No way was I listening to all that in translator mode. I perked up when Mitsuru came onto the stage, saying "Arigatou." Yukari leaned forward, putting her head between mine and Junpei's. Translator on.

"So, she did get elected… Hardly surprising really, I mean she IS the most popular girl in the school."

Junpei nodded. "You can say that again." He smiled wistfully. "There's like some kind of aura around her!"

"What colour?"

"Red." Ah, Junpei was catching on. "Besides, her family owns the school, right?"

"Yeah," Yukari confirmed. "I try not to think about it."

I didn't even bother listening to Mitsuru's speech, but judging from the applause, I missed something good.

"Dang…" Junpei said afterwards, "That was freaking amazing. So," he turned to me, "You have any idea what she just said?"

"I wasn't listening."

"Dude!" both Junpei and Yukari were taken aback. "You're such a rebel…"

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I actually tracked down Mitsuru during lunch and asked her for a translation of her speech, saying I had difficulty translating what she said. Seemed a decent excuse, judging from Junpei and Yukari. Mitsuru showed mixed emotions- part disappointment in my difficulty (Laziness) with Japanese, and part pleased at me coming to ask her for a translation.

I was actually disappointed. Maybe it was lost in translation, but basically what she was telling us was to take a look at our selves, change our lives to fit the needs of the school, and make the most of our selves. She mentioned achieving our own goals as if it was an afterthought. I gave the paraphrased version to Junpei later on, and he was just as unimpressed as I was. Just goes to show, the way you word something can really change what people hear.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Kenji grabbed me after class. He noted down what was covered in assembly for me, and in return, I was treating him to ramen. Apparently some of the sports clubs were accepting new members soon. I was torn between Running, Swimming, and KENDOKENDOKEN!! Kendo.

Hey, if you right down lots of KENDO's one after the other without spaces, it looks like KENDOKEN! I liked street fighter.

We were walking down the yard when we saw Akihiko surrounded by a Horde of Fangirls. I thought that only happened on the internet.

"Man, I thought you only saw girls flock like that on TV…"

I turned around. Junpei. Oh, he is NOT getting a free meal.

Thankfully, he didn't notice Kenji. "Have you noticed how popular Akihiko-san is with the ladies?" Hard to miss it actually. "Man, take a look at that...I didn't use to talk to him much, but now I've got a good excuse. I know he's the captain of the boxing team, but... Who woulda thought he'd be such a chick magnet!?"

Normally, I'd agree, except for a captain of a boxing team, Akihiko was fairly skinny. His muscles were compact, but strong. Plus the unusual hair and the aloof attitude, and bam! Instant Final Fantasy Lead, AKA Fangirl Bait.

Akihiko saw us and waved. "Hey, Junpei Kun! Minato Kun! You free this afternoon?"

Kenji noticed he wasn't invited. "You owe me a bowl of Ramen tomorrow." He said. "Later!"

He left before the fangirls arrived. Akihiko waded through them. "I want the two of you to meet me at the police station at Paulownia mall." He said. "You know where it is right? I'll see you there."

Junpei almost fainted. "Wait, we're not hanging out with your friends?"

"Who, these girls?" Akihiko shook his head, sticking his thumb over his shoulder. "I don't even know their names." Yep, just like member of the band. "They talk so much they give me a headache…" Standard Shoujo love interest.

"Aww… Akihiko Senpai!"

"Why can't you be more friendly?"

Akihiko walked off. "Whatever…"

Wow, I'm surprised he hasn't been ripped limb from limb and built into shrines yet. He's approximately one horse, one cape, and one castle away from being a giddy schoolgirls dreamboat. I do hope I don't end up like that.

"Man… How can he not know their names?" Junpei didn't seem to understand the rule: your desire for women is inversely proportional to your ability to get them. "Dude… is Akihiko Senpai blind? Or just plain dumb? Those chicks were all over him!" Or not interested, ever consider that? "Man… I'm so jealous…" And that's why you'll never get a girlfriend in high school. Sucks to be you.

"Whelp," Junpei added, perking up, "He said Paulownia Mall right? Let's go."

Junpei practically ran to the mall, but he kept stopping. No way was I running when I was listening to music.

"Dude, take the headphones out and come on!"

_I never felt like… so miserable_

"Hurry up man! He's waiting!"

_I never felt like thinking this would last forever_

"Minato Kun" Junpei told me, pulling out a headphone. "AKIHIKO SENPAI IS WAITING!"

"And? He'll still be waiting when we get there." _Baby stay with me_

Junpei looked at me like I was insane. _You gotta tell me your love came all over me_

I'm loving this album.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

We got to the police station fairly quickly, although it seemed slower because of Junpei's whining. I hit the pause button on my MP3 as we entered _(Just like every cowboy, sings a sad, sad-) _and Akihiko turned to us.

"Perfect timing." See Junpei? We got here at the perfect time. "This is Officer Kurosawa. He helps keep our squad equipped." Hey, nice to meet you. "And this-" He handed a wad of cash each to me and Junpei. 5,000 yen, sweet! That's like, what, 30 quid?

Wait, £30? That's barely $50 American dollars. Actually, that's a lot when you consider Junpei got the same as me. Plus, free cash is free cash, so I pocketed it without complaining.

"You can't fight empty handed." Akihiko told us. "Officer Kurosawa here has connections… But these things still cost money."

"Of course the do." The policeman told us. "Nothing in this world comes without a price."

"I realise that." Akihiko replied. "Well, I'll see you guys later."

"Wait, Akihiko!"

"Yeah Minato Kun?"

So, he's cool with me not calling him Senpai. "Just thought, shouldn't we all have each others phone numbers? In case we need something?"

There was that awkward silence you get when someone points out the blind stinking obvious. Me, Akihiko and Junpei exchanged numbers, and Akihiko gave us Mitsuru's number. I made a note to get Yukari's number later. Then Akihiko left.

"I've been informed about you two." Officer Kurosawa told us as Akihiko left." My job is to maintain peace in this city, regardless of the circumstances." I began texting with the phone in my pocket; an amazingly useful skill, I recommend learning it. "I'm just an ordinary police officer, but it doesn't take a genius to know something strange is going on here. I'm only doing what I think is right"

_What's up with this guy's weapons?_ I hit send, as Junpei began looking at his swords. I hung back until I got a reply:

_strngr + hv abltsy tht nly prsna usr cn c / use. armr 2. _I sighed at Akihiko's response. Was it so hard to spell right when texting? I did it without even looking! But hey, mad skillz. Maybe he has a fire sword or something.

No such luck, but he did have a decent shortsword called the Gladius. Looking at it, apparently it had an advantage over empress types. I wonder what would happen if I were to challenge Mitsuru with this…

"Dude, check it out!" Junpei was swinging a new sword around. "The Kishido Blade! If I cut someone with it, they get angry!"

…

Okay, so the sword does have a chance of making an enemy go Berserk (The capital B is because apparently they actually turn red and steam), but the way you just worded it… sigh.

I turned back to Kurosawa. "You accept part exchange?" he nodded, so I whipped my shortsword out from beneath my jacket.

"That'll be 3000 Yen, including the sword."

"What, for this sword? It's worth more than 400 Yen!" Personally, I reckon it's worth 1000 to him. "1500."

"3000"

"1750"

"2500"

"2000"

"Done."

… Wow, I that went better than I thought. I swapped the swords, and bought a Camo Shirt while I was at it.

Well, that spent all the money Akihiko gave me. Junpei, however, sold his fake katana and pocketed the rest of the money. On the way out, he was complaining how he wasn't given enough money, when something caught my eye.

"Hey, Junpei, I'll see you later."

"Huh? You doing something?"

"Yeah…" there was a blue light coming from the alleyway. "British things."

"What, drink cups of tea, stuff like that?"

"Sure, why not. Cheerio." It was vital he bought my excuse as I headed down the alleyway.

There, like I thought, was a blue door just like the one from before. Grabbing the velvet key, I stepped inside.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Ah, there you are."

I took my seat opposite him. "Afternoon Igor. Elizabeth."

"Hello again. Welcome back to the Velvet Room." Elizabeth had a slight smile as she said this.

"Well…" Igor began, "I suppose it's time for me to explain what I really do here."

About bloody time.

Igor's smile grew. "Don't worry. This shall be worth the wait. It is my job to create new Personas."

"…Sweet…"

"Indeed," Igor replied, "But in order to do so, I must fuse your Persona cards together. In other words..."

"You will take multiple of my Persona and fuse them into one new one."

Igor grinned. "Precisely."

I frowned. "Now why the hell would I do that?"

Igor smirked. "When a new Persona is created, it tends to be a higher level than the ones that were fused."

That shut me up. Igor continued, saying; "However, the However, Personas that are fused are lost forever." He waved a hand nonchalantly. "Since the process requires multiple Personas, you will be left with fewer than you had before..."

Igor smiled as I thought about this. "Which powers will you forsake in order to obtain new ones? It is up to you to decide…"

Igor continued; "Furthermore, depending on the Arcana, you may be able to create a stronger Persona if you have established a corresponding Social Link."

"_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to make a Persona of the Fool Arcana…_"

"Precisely." He answered. "If you were to fuse a Persona of the Fool Arcana, it would grow in strength because of your bond with your teammates."

I sat up and listened to Igor's explanation. "Persona is the power of your soul, which thrives on the bonds you have with others. Thus, it is only natural that Social Links affect the strength of your Personas." I nodded, and he continued. "If you have established a Social Link of the same Arcana as the Persona you wish to create..." Igor's smile turned wicked."...then that Persona will receive power from the Social Link and level up." I liked that kind of wicked. "The amount of power it will receive depends on the level of the Social Link. In some cases…" not sure about that kind of wicked, "your Persona may even surpass your own level." Igor chuckled. "Do you understand now how important Social Links are to Persona-users such as yourself?"

"What about the others? They can only hold one Persona-"

"Thus, my services would be useless to them. However, their bonds to others still affect their own Persona in other ways."

I nodded. "So do fused Persona only have increased strength?"

Igor grinned. "Not at all. A Persona created through fusion may inherit the skills possessed by its precursors. In other words…"

"it's possible to give a Persona skills that it could never learn on its own…"

"Indeed." Igor seemed to like how quick I was catching on. "The mechanism of skill inheritance is not completely understood... but there are three key points I'd like to share with you."

I nodded, and Igor explained. "First, the skills to be inherited change every time you select a Persona for fusion.  
Second, the chance of a skill being inherited depends on what the expected Persona is…" Igor paused. "...I can give you more details on this some other time.  
Lastly, the more skills the original Personas possess, the more skills the resulting Persona will inherit...Please remember this."

"Thanks." I looked within myself. I had enough room for three more Persona. "I can get more Persona to fuse with be doing battles with the Shadows, right?"

"That is correct."

I smiled. "I'll see you later."


	13. Chapter 13

"Welcome back. Perfect timing actually," Mitsuru greeted me once I returned to the dorm. "I'd like to speak with you a moment, regarding our exploration of Tartarus."

"So would I." I replied. "You go first."

"Very well. Akihiko is still on the mend, so for now, I'd like you to lead the team."

"Really?" I actually wasn't that surprised.

Mitsuru nodded. "You never know when a powerful enemy might appear, like the one you faced the other week. It's best to be prepared, or else you may find yourself in a difficult situation."

Nodding, I answered. "I agree. So, when do we go next?"

"That's up to you."

"Eh?"

Mitsuru smiled slightly. "Whenever you'd like to explore Tartarus, just let me know, and I'll gather everyone there. Also, since I'm sure there are other things you need to take care of," Mitsuru turned back to the book she was reading "you may go out at night if you need to."

I wasn't aware that I wasn't allowed out at night in the first place. "How's tonight?"

Mitsuru's head snapped back so fast I thought she might have gotten whiplash. "Tonight? B-but you just went yesterday!"

I nodded. "I have a theory about my power and besides…" I flashed my patented winning smile. "…Don't we want to find out how high we can get?"

"You're insane…" Mitsuru turned back to her book. "Alright, but don't blame me if you're unwell tomorrow."

Grin.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

So, five hours later and it was the Dark Hour, and four floors later and I had Orpheus, Apsaras, Forneus, Omoikane, Nekomata and Alp, losing Pixie along the way. I really wanted to get back to the ground floor so I could fuse these things, when I saw a DDR Teleporter that was just like the one downstairs.

"**Hm? Excuse moi, but please could you have a look at that thing?"**

I did and as soon as I stepped on it, I was teleported back to ground. Only now the ground teleporter was glowing.

And the panel was working.

Yukari and Junpei appeared beside me. "It looks like we can teleport _up_ to certain floors once we reach them…"

Yukari was surprised, thin breathed a sigh of relief as Junpei punched the air. But I was already gone, headed strait for the Velvet Room.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Welcome. I wasn't expecting you so soon."

"Me neither." I told Igor. I held my hand out and, willing for their existence, six cards appeared. "What can I get for these?" I asked Igor, handing him four of the six cards.

"Oh? You aren't interested in fusing Orpheus or Apsaras?"

I shook my head. "Together they can use the Cadenza. I want to hold on to that for as long as I can."

"A wise decision." Igor looked at my cards. "If you were to fuse Omoikane and Alp, you would be able to create the level 10 Jack Frost."

"Oh!" Elizabeth exclaimed. "I- I really like that Persona…" She seemed excited. "I'll give you a rare armour if you can create one with the skill Dia."

"Is that possible?"

Igor grinned. "Indeed. Any other skills you would like your Jack Frost to learn?"

"Zio. Dia and Zio."

Igor's grin grew as he arranged the cards. "Very well." He raised his cards into the air and the cards rose, fusing in a bright light. Then something appeared.

"I'm Jack Frost! Nice to meetcha! Hee Ho!"

"Nice to meet you too." I replied as it vanished, and a card bearing its image appeared on the table. Taking it, I asked Elizabeth "Is this alright?"

"Wonderful…" She answered. "Here is your reward." She gave me a small box. Opening it, I found… what the hell is this?

"This is the high cut armour. I believe that there is a Men's version of it somewhere within the tower."

What was so bad about it? Well, ever seen Return of the Jedi? Like that, only kinkier. And red. And yet… it had better defensive power than my armour by a clear mile. I wondered how I could talk Yukari into wearing it. Not that I'm into any of that (Although it would be hot), it would seriously give us a huge advantage in battle.

So, I fused the other two personas to make Nigi Mitama, of the Temperance Arcana. It looked like a blue Apostrophe. Seriously. It doesn't get any more messed than that. At least, I hope it doesn't. I equipped that Persona, and left the velvet room for now.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"No way. Uh-uh. Not a chance."

"Look, Yukari, we've got three huge enemies at once that we have to fight, and this is the best armour we have!"

"Why the hell were you even carrying that around anyways?"

"I told you, I literally got it a few seconds ago."

"And how do you explain that?"

So, the argument continued. I was eventually able to leave it to Junpei and go talk to Mitsuru. "So, what's your take on the situation."

"Strategically, you are correct, but I can understand Takeba's perspective as well."

I sighed. "So tell me about these shadows then."

"They are called Venus Eagle. They are of the Empress Arcana and are weak against Ice."

…Wow. I looked at my Gladius. And I looked at Jack Frost. I couldn't be more prepared for this if I had known about this before hand.

I walked over to the teleporter pad and, checking that Yukari and Junpei were still arguing about the armour, I hit floor 5.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

When I got back they were still at it. So, I put on one of the Empresses masks I got and said "Boo!"

While I didn't shock anyone, I got their attention. "While you were all arguing, I just killed them all by myself. Explain that!"

That did shock people. Mitsuru explained, "He summoned a new Persona and cast a Mabufu, bringing the three shadows to the ground. He then decapitated them, finishing them off."

I nodded. "Thanks for the help guys." I looked at the clock. I'd figured out that, since it's the only clock that works during the dark hour, it must show the passage of time in here. "We've got about twenty minutes left. We can probably make some headway before we run out of time if Yukari puts on the armour…" I headed for the velvet room. "Wear your clothes over it if you want. I'll be staring off over here."

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

We managed to make it to the 7th floor before we ran out of time, but I did some Persona fusion before leaving, so now I had a fairly decent team within myself. Apparently now I can hold up to eight Persona, but I can't be bothered listing them all right now, since I'm pretty tired.

Actually, we're all wrecked. No surprise, since I made us go through that two nights in a row, one night being our first time, and the second night doing seven times as much. Actually, Yukari in particular looked like crap, but I'm sure she'll be fine.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Next day, Kenji grabbed me strait after school and took me to a place called 'Hagakure' that apparently served, in Kenji's words, "Sweet Ramen." As far as I knew, Ramen came in pots and was cooked in the microwave, but apparently I was wrong. It was actually pretty good.

Kenji clearly thought so. "See what I mean? Was I right, or was I right?" he asked me, in between mouthfuls. "This Ramen tastes great doesn't it? Bet they put in some secret spice… something no other ramen shop uses… oh, sorry," He said, suddenly remembering I was there, "I get so geeked up when I eat here. "

I agreed with him, but all I felt like saying was "Shut up and eat."

"Yeah man, you're right!" Wow, sometimes the surly thing to say is the right thing to say. "If we talk too much, the noodles will get soggy and the soup will get cold… You're a man who appreciates his food!" And my Music, and my weapons, and my fights, and my… you know what? I appreciate a lot of things. I told him this, and he laughed.

"I hear ya man. By the way, I hear you and Yukari San are pretty close."

"I guess we are fairly close, why?"

Kenji whistled. "Damn boy, you move fast. Can't blame you though, a man's gotta be aggressive nowadays." Actually, Yukari wasn't in school this afternoon. "Hey, let's hang out after school again sometime!" I wonder if she's ill... "We'll get some food and I'll tell you all about my secret plan…" I should probably stop by the chemists on the way back to the dorm "Wait 'till you hear it dude, you're gonna flip!"

"Oh, Sure." I replied.

SMASH

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Magician Arcana..._

Ah, these were the social links Igor was talking about. It was starting to get dark, so I stood up "Listen, Kenji, I gotta go."

"Huh? Oh sure…" Kenji looked at his watch "Oh man, it's already this late? I missed my favourite TV show!" Kenji sighed. "Man, you are one serious dude… well, later!"

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

It was a good thing I did stop by the chemists/pharmacists on the way back, because the first thing Mitsuru asked me when I returned was if I'd been monitoring my condition. Junpei was knackered, and Yukari was actually sick. After dropping my school bag off in my room, I took the stuff I got from Aohige, the Pharmacist, and went straight to Yukari's room. He knew his stuff alright. I knocked on the door, and she told me to come in.

Dude, she looked like hell. My diagnosis was the man flu; a disease that drains you mentally as well as physically. It's really half common cold, half flu, and half in your head.

"I'm sorry…"

Yukari seemed puzzled. "What for?"

"It's my fault you're like this…"

"No it's n-"

"Yes it is." I interrupted her. "I made us all keep going even though the two of you were still adapting to the Dark Hour. I didn't think about anyone other that myself, and this is what happened." I was actually pretty upset. This was the first time something like this had happened to me in years, and it felt awful.

_I, Minato Arisoto, give my word that I will take full responsibility for the consequences of my decisions._

Well, I'm gonna take the responsibility here like you wouldn't believe it. I opened the bag. Fresh Orange Juice, Lemsip, Honey, and all the other decent flu remedies I could get my hands on. I put them by her bedside table, and picked up her phone, exchanging mine and her phone numbers, setting myself to Speed Dial 5, putting the phone next to all the stuff I had brought, I told her "You need anything, just call me, I'll be here as soon as I can.

"You- you didn't have to-"

"I know," I answered her as I left. "I chose to."

I closed the door behind me.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Next day she was feeling fine, so I didn't have to skive off to look after her. That was good, since I was hoping to try out for the Kendo Team. I needn't have worried though; I got welcomed with open arms, initiating the Chariot Social Link with Kazushi. He seemed pretty cool, if needing a life outside Kendo. Still, a social link is a social link.

So, if the Social links are based of the Arcana, and I've started Fool, Magician and Chariot, that leaves… 19 left…

Sigh… This is gonna take all year isn't it?


	14. Chapter 14

A week later, and it's the Friday, the first of May. I gotta say, in one week, I've made a lot of progress. Couple of nights ago we reached floor 10 and killed the Dancing Hands. I'd already gotten much closer to Kenji and Kazushi, and even started three new social links. I found the Hierophant with an old couple who run a book shop, and Hermit with some girl I met on an MMORPG Junpei gave me. I walked home with Yuko, the girl who manages the Kendo team, and found the Strength Arcana. I'm gonna have to be careful there, I think Kazushi fancies her.

Anyway, I was wondering who I should hang out with today when Junpei mentioned that he was delivering something at the hospital for him. Then Yukari said that she'd go with him. "You're coming too, right?"

Actually, I needed all the time I could get, so I declined. Or at least, I tried to…

"Come on now, I'm sure he wants us there too."

"He-Hey!" Junpei protested. "He asked ME, Ya know."

"If it's important, we should all go together, right?"

I could tell that I wasn't getting out of this, so I submitted.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

When we got to the room Akihiko was supposed to be in, he wasn't there. Unless he had the ability to transform into a big guy with a mullet, trench coat and a beanie. Which I'm sure he doesn't. But, just to make sure, I asked. "Hey, is Akihiko here?"

….

Dude, that is the mother of evil glares.

"What are all you guys doing here?"

Ah, Akihiko's behind us. "We came to see you!" Yukari answered. "But… there doesn't seem to be anything wrong…"

Akihiko shook his head. "Nah, I'm just here for a check-up."

The badass, who probably wasn't a shape shifter, stood up. "Is that it Aki?"

"Yeah," Akihiko responded. "Thanks."

"Tch," The badass began to leave. "I don't have time for this…"

Junpei practically jumped out of his way. I caught his eye. I regretted it instantly.

Once he left, Junpei asked "Who-who was he?"

"A friend from school…" Akihiko replied, "Sort of." Yeah, some sort of. "You know how the number of Apathy Syndrome cases are rising? Well, he knows a few people suffering from it, so I was asking about it." Bull crap, I didn't even need to see his face to know he was lying. Then again, I'd figured out that I was the only person who could see what I could.

Castor of the Hierophant. Level 40. No weaknesses. Skills are Regenerate 1, Counter, and Evil Smile.

To put it into perspective, Akihiko's only level 17, and I'm only level 15.

I thought about this as Akihiko was talking to Yukari and Junpei, and came to a few conclusions.

1) There are Persona Users other than us  
2) That guy used to live in the dorm, explaining the need for the dorm  
3) He's crazy strong, but doesn't fight with us  
4) But he used to, since he lived in the dorm  
5) He's on good terms with Akihiko  
6) So they didn't kick him out  
7) He has no psychological weaknesses  
8) He's also a street fighter  
9) So he's better in battle than I am

So why the hell am I leading the S.E.E.S. instead of him?

"That's an interesting way of putting it." Junpei was talking to Akihiko of course, but out of context... "You know, I like to play games too."

"Yeah," Yukari replied with scorn. "VIDEO games…"

"H-hey, they're good for hand eye co-ordination…" Junpei's rebuttal was weak.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The next day I was entering school and I overheard some girls talking about Golden Week. Apparently we had Monday and Tuesday off next week, giving us a three day weekend. Mitsuru wanted us to go to Tartarus, but I wasn't having any of that. This was my huge weekend, and I was getting sleep!

Just before class started, I got a text message. As well as my dorm mates and school friends, Elizabeth also had my phone number. She had me doing odd quests she called 'Requests'. I got decent rewards for them, like the high cut armour, but mostly money or rare items. The text said that I had to bring her some… Pine Resin? For Tonight?

I asked Yuko about it after school. She said that Yukari should have some, since she was in the Archery club. She was right, and I got some… Purifying rice? Ah well, I'm sure it'd be good for something.

Back at the dorm, everyone was discussing their plans for Golden Week. Junpei wanted to hang out with some friends, but he was complaining that he couldn't get any girls to go with him. Hey, who wants a sausage fest, right? Mitsuru brought him down to earth by reminding us that we had midterm exams in a couple of weeks. That inadvertently brought me and Yukari down as well, so I suggested that we revised instead of going to Tartarus for a while. We all agreed, and went to our separate rooms.

I fell asleep at the desk.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Hi, how have you been?"

I sat up, spinning in my wheelchair. It was that kid again. "Fine thanks, you?"

The boy chuckled. "The same. But I've come to warn you."

I sighed. "No chance of simple conversation then?"

The boy laughed, but was suddenly serious. "One week from now, there will be a full moon… Be careful; a new ordeal awaits you…"

"Full moon huh?" I asked. "What kind of Ordeal?"

The boy nodded. "On such days, you will face your greatest challenges. You will encounter on of THEM."

"Them huh? That doesn't really help mu-" I stopped, brain catching up with my mouth. "That night… When I summoned Thanatos…"

"Yes… That night was also a full moon…" The boy looked grim. "And you faced one of THEM, the weakest one in fact…"

Oh bugger.

"You must prepare for this ordeal…" The boy warned, "But time is of the essence."

"It doesn't wait, does it?"

The boy smiled. "No it doesn't. It delivers us all unto the same end…"

The boy walked towards the door. "I'll come see you again when it's over. Goodbye for now."

He walked through the door without opening it. I sighed and held my head in my hands.

Stronger than the magician, huh?

I lifted my head and decided what I was going to do.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Next day I paid a visit to Igor and Elizabeth. I fused some of my Persona and spent the day getting ready. When I got back to the dorm last night, I simply said. "Change of plan. We're going to Tartarus."

That night, we reached a barrier blocking the stairs, but we reached the highest we could go. I didn't bother telling the others about what was coming, they wouldn't believe me. Best I could do was to become crazy prepared.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

We re-entered the tower on Tuesday, simply for more training. We had actually spent over ten minutes on a single floor just killing shadows when, for the first time I heard fear in Mitsuru's voice. **"GET OUT OF THERE!" **Make that Terror. **"I SENSE DEATH, RUN!!"**

At first we were confused. What was going on?

Then I head it.

clink. clink. clink. clink.

The sound of slithering chains slowly approaching… but the sound was nothing compared to how the air felt. It was… crushing… choking… we had to get out of there or we would DIE.

That's when I saw it. Floating there, covered in chains. It held a long barrelled revolver in each hand, and its face was covered in bandages, hiding everything except for one, grotesque, monstrous yellow eye. One thing was clear.

We couldn't fight it. It would kill us instantly.

"this way." I kept my voice low, barely above a whisper. "slowly… don't make a sound…"

Then it saw us.

As it raised one gun to aim, I realised secrecy was useless, "RUNN!!!"

We bolted, dodging the screams of darkness flying past us, shot out like bullets from its guns. I reached into my pocket and pulled out a Magic Mirror. As the barrier flew up, I remember thinking that that would hold it for a little while.

I was wrong.

Instead, it lifted gun to the sky and a globe of black and gold energy amazed at the muzzle. _That's a Megido_, I felt. _No, that's a Megidolaon. The mirrors are useless!_

I dodged out of the way just as the blast obliterated everything where I just stood. I saw Junpei and Yukari had made it to the warp station, but I didn't stand a chance of making it in time. "YOU GO! NOW!" I cried to them, and Junpei forced Yukari onto the teleporter. He watched as I jumped down the hole made by the Reapers attack, and I hoped like hell that he would have the brains to escape the same way Yukari did.

I hit the ground running. I felt the Reaper chasing me- wait, WHY ME? I went a separate direction to Junpei and Yukari, so why did it chase me?

_Because you are the one it wants_

Damn. Once you thought about it, the nest shadows all attacked me before splitting into masked shadows. They were never interested in Yukari or Junpei. _Why?_

_Because you are their greatest threat. _

Oh, great. Apparently they hadn't heard of Akihiko's friend. Unless the shadows were afraid of my potential?

BANG!

Woah, gunshot is just what I needed to pull me from my badly tied monologue. Runninglikehellnowsir.

OH HELL YEAH! I slid onto the escape pod, flipping the reaper off.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

When I got down, we were all covered in sweat. Yukari seemed close to tears, and Junpei may have peed a little. Either way, we were all terrified. I needed to do something.

"Alright, Junpei? Yukari?"

The both looked towards me, as did Mitsuru. "New Goal." I explained. "By the end of this year, we will be far stronger than you could ever believe. We will be strong enough to bring that thing down to size and force it to make us all sandwiches." I looked around the ground floor, we seemed safe for now, so I sat down. "But first!" I added, "Sleep!"

With that, we head home.


	15. Chapter 15

Saturday finally came. This meant two things. First, our holiday ended. Second, it was the day that kid had warned me about. The full moon. I decided to keep my mouth shut, since no-one else seemed to know. If the kid was right, then we'd find out soon enough anyway.

Hey, as long as it wasn't as strong as the Reaper, we were ready.

Hopefully.

I didn't bother going to bed that night. I spent a few hours in my room doing stretches and getting prepared. I was actually meditating, meditating for crying out loud when the alarm rang. I burst out of the door, fully dressed and saw Junpei bolt out of his room in pyjamas. He reached the stairs before I did.

I couldn't help it; he looks so… weird without his hat.

When we got there, Yukari was already there in her pyjamas (She looked surprisingly good for someone who's just woken up and sprinted up the stairs), and Junpei had just rushed in.

"Where is it!?" Junpei asked. "I'll rip it a new one!"

Mitsuru seemed surprised that I was actually already geared up for battle, but ignored it. "We've detected a shadow outside of Tartarus." Yeah, we got that. "We don't know for sure, but we think it's another big one." Kid was right. "We have to defeat any of them we find, as quickly as possible. Most people don't know the Dark Hour exists. But, if half the city is destroyed, there will be panic." Oh, I actually hadn't considered that. Come to think of it, it was practically inevitable. This was Japan after all.

Junpei laughed darkly. "So in other words, we need to kick some ass right? Well count me in!"

Yukari sighed, Akihiko stepped forward. "I'm going too."

Mitsuru was mortified "You're not going anywhere in that condition." I agreed. "You wait here for the Chairman."

"Wha-!?" Akihiko looked shocked; as if he wasn't expecting this "I'm going!!"

"She's right Akihiko Senpai," Junpei pointed out, "You're still recovering from the last fight."

Akihiko growled, so I stepped in, "Akihiko, you can come for the next one, but if you continue to hinder my team on this mission, I will take you out."

That surprised everyone, for different reasons. Was I threatening him? Was I usurping his authority? Was I expecting more big shadows?

The answer? D. All of the above.

""He's right." Mitsuru recovered first. "In your current state, you'd be more of a hindrance than a help. Have faith in them Akihiko," She looked at us, "They're ready."

"Tch…" Akihiko sat down at the console. "Fine…"

"You'll get your chance," Mitsuru told him, "But for now-"

"Wait for the chairman," Akihiko moaned, "I got it."

Junpei slapped his chest with pride. "Relax, I got it covered."

Akihiko looked up from the console, comparing us. "Guess I've got no choice then… Arisoto's in charge."

Junpei groaned. "Him again..?"

Mitsuru looked at me. "We're counting on you."

I nodded, and Junpei turned to leave. "Heh. Looks like you're stuck playing leader again…" Junpei walked off. "Suck's to be you."

Yukari turned to us. "I'll go get dressed too. See you downstairs."

I nodded as she left, thinking. _Hermes and Orpheus. Come to think of it, Hermes tries to usurp Thanatos several times in the legends…_ I hope like hell I'm being paranoid.

"So," Mitsuru asked me, "How did you know that this was coming?"

I turned around, deciding that the truth wasn't the correct answer. "Apathy syndrome's been on the rise lately." So had the moon. "Since loads of victims died after I killed the last one, and Shadow's cause Apathy Syndrome…"

She seemed to buy that.

Around ten minutes later, Junpei, Yukari and I were at the train station waiting for Mitsuru. We were a quarter of the way through the dark hour already, and I didn't want to be wasting anymore time. Then I heard a motorbike.

Mitsuru had a motorbike. One that worked when everything else didn't. "It's special." She told us. I want a special Ipod.

She was going to provide support from there, and we had to run along the track and get on the train. In the dark hour. Junpei acted like this was some big deal. I'd done this hundreds of times. Sometimes I timed it just right so I could skip the fare.

With great power, comes great irresponsibility.

We got to the train after a while, and Yukari decided to climb into the train first. "Don't. Look. Up."

I did, but for a different reason. I waited until Junpei had followed her in until I raised my point. "You know, I've sneaked in and out of trains during the dark hour all the time." I didn't want them running away before it happened. "And in all the years I did it," I continued, climbing the ladder, "Not once have the doors been open when the train wasn't in station." I climbed in and the doors closed behind me. Told you.

Everybody panicked. Told you.

"Come on," I said, "Shadow's trapped us, so we gotta kill it if we want to leave."

"**That is correct Arisoto."** Mitsuru was providing support. **"The Shadow is at the other end of the train. Move with caution."**

"R-Roger." The military term sounded forced coming from Yukari. "Let's go."

We moved forward. The other two seemed disturbed to the transmogrified coffins. Come to think about it, I grew up with them, but the others had only awakened recently, so they weren't used to them. Hell, I remember running on top of them in the city centre. What really crept me out was when my foot fell down a short hole, and I realised that I just stood on a kid. Now _that_ ruins the fun.

Maybe it was because I was on edge, or maybe because I was finally wearing those badass steel gloves I sto- acquired, but I felt a pike of killing intent and I stabbed upwards, straight through the shadow that jumped down.

"WOAH!" Junpei didn't see that coming.

And that's why I'm in charge, not you.

"What the hell man!?" Junpei seemed mad at me for some reason. "You let it get away!"

I looked at my sword. Then the door. Then the muttering tiara waving at me from behind the door. Oh.

Junpei reached for the door handle but I grabbed his wrist. "What the hell Minato!?"

"**Something's not right," **Mitsuru pointed out, **"The enemy is acting strangely…"**

Junpei almost lost it there. "But if we don't go after it, it's gonna get away!!" And? There's plenty more just like it in Tartarus, we need to focus on the big one.

"**Arisoto, you're in charge over there. What do you think?"**

"We should be careful, so I'm going after it."

"Who needs your advice?" Junpei pushed me in the chest a fair few feet, "I'll kill it myself!" With that, he ran through the door, slamming it behind him.

"Junpei Kun! Wait!"

"Idiot!"

"**Watch out, behind you!"**

I span around just in time to block an attack headed for- Yukari? Why were they targeting her? Block, they always focus on me don't they? Parry, hell, that first one even taunted us STABSTABSTAB!

I rushed round, sighing with relief as Yukari killed the other shadow. She sighed a very different sigh. "This is just what the enemy wanted…"

Hold that thought, what they _wanted_? But the shadows were just mindless drones… unless…

A shadow with significant power or rank can think and command other shadows. I noticed that all three of the shadows we'd seen that night had been of the Priestess.

Last month they were all Magician.

"Mitsuru, can you scan ahead and determine the Arcana of the large shadow?"

"**It's the Priestess, why?"**

Good job I'd bought that Tarot deck recently. I flicked out the book that came with it and noted Yukari's shock. "Do you have to do that now?"

"Yep," I answered, leafing my way to the correct page. "Any later and this'll be meaningless." There, Priestess.

_Portrayed as an old woman with a closed book, the Priestess Arcana is a symbol of hidden knowledge or other untapped power, wisdom, female mystery and magic when it appears in tarot readings. The Priestess means someone with knowledge and wisdom, yet the reversed version of it means someone unable to use that knowledge or someone not able to take decisions._

"Great," I noted, putting the book away. "This shadow is smart."

That confused people, so I just headed for the door saying "Priestess represents hidden knowledge and wisdom. They're based of Tarot cards."

Other side of the door had Junpei surrounded by half a dozen shadows. Idiot! It's easier to fight with your back against the wall than it is to have an enemy there! Still, he was doing well. I jumped in and punched the lights out of the closest shadow; an arrow flew through the one to my right.

"Minato!?" Junpei seemed shocked to see me. "What the hell-?"

"Idiot," I told him, grabbing my Evoker. "NAGA!" The shadows around us fell as they were struck by lightning. Turning around, I saw Junpei had a slight nosebleed. "What?"

"Dude…" He replied, slightly dazed, "Your persona has boobs…"

Yukari stamped on his foot "OW!" and I sighed, shaking my head.

"Time or Place Junpei, this is neither." I looked at him. "You okay?"

Junpei huffed and looked away. "O-Of course I am... I was doin' just fine..."

"Excuse me!?" I agree Yukari; he was getting his ass kicked.

"**Be careful you three," **Mitsuru interjected, **"I don't detect any movement, but stay-"**

Never found out what we had to keep doing, since the train started moving. "Woah, What the-!?" Yukari asked, "Why are we moving!?"

"**It seems like the monorail is under the enemy's control."**

What do you mean, 'It seems'?

"Waddaya mean, 'It seems'?" Woah, Yukari.

Then the train sped up, as if to spite her. This doesn't look good.

"Uh... This doesn't look good" Woah, Junpei.

"**If we can't stop that thing, it'll crash into another train!"**

"WHAT!?" Yukari screamed. "Oh God! What are we gonna do!?"

Well, I'd recommend calming down and getting to the front of the car and killing that Shadow.

Oh, you were swearing. I was gonna say, I'm not that awesome.

"**Calm down and listen."** Mitsuru tried to regain control. **"I sense a strong presence in the front car. That must be the one we're after." **I knew that, but then again, I wasn't panicking. **"You'll have to defeat it to stop the train." **Wait, I wasn't panicking.

I'm gonna die and I'm not panicking. Something's not right with me.

Shadows came down. More Tiaras, couple of tables. "How long do we have?" I asked, putting the Evoker to my head. SMASH. Pyro Jack, MARAGI!

I got my answer as the Shadows burned. "Three Minutes."

I sheathed my sword "Let's get moving then!" pulling me jacket over my head, I ran towards the blaze. "Don't bother with your weapons, JUST USE PERSONA!" I dove through, shortly followed by Yukari, then Junpei. More shadows came to block our path, so I put my Evoker to my head while running.

"HERMES!"  
"IO!"  
"PYRO JACK!"

I couldn't summon the first two of course. Yukari and Junpei were quicker on the draw than I was there, and the result was fire tornadoes.

Yes, fire tornadoes. Little ones, incinerating the Shadows. This was easy.

Too easy.

"**Two minutes Forty seconds."**

I looked back. Junpei had slung his sword over his back, and Yukari was unarmed. The bow was only going to slow her down, so it was a good call. I reached for the door to the next car, stopped when I saw the huge mass of shadows on the other side.

"**WHAT!? Where did these come from!?"**

This was gonna be a full on war sequence. I passed Yukari my sword, "We just need to get through. Hack and slash, don't stop. How long do we have?" I asked Mitsuru.

"**Two minutes twenty five seconds. The leader's in the compartment after this."**

Fetch me my brown trousers. Clenching my teeth, I closed my eyes and opened the door, pulling the trigger.


	16. Chapter 16

"RR**RAARRG**GHH!!!" **BOOM**

I fell back as fire and ice flew into the mass of flesh, pushing them back. I recovered and charged in, beating down a Tiara with my metal gloves.

"Hey Jack, why do you carry that lantern around with you?"

Ignore! Ignore! Just lose yourself in the melee!

"Because the Shadows make it dangerous to walk near traffic!"

Holy crap that was bad. But hey, half the shadows fell down, making them easy picking.

"Here's our chance!" I turned to see Junpei slice through another Shadow. "LET'S GET 'EM!!"

I grabbed the nearest Shadow and threw it into the air. "KILL THEM ALL!!"

Junpei grinned, charging after a fleeing Shadow. "GET BACK HERE YOU SON OF A-"

"**One minute fifty seconds remaining!"**

I drew my Evoker and pulled the trigger. _BURN_

I charged and plunged my fist into another Shadow. _CRUSH_

A Shadow struck my back, so I span round and broke its arm in half. _MAIM_

I pulled the trigger again as dark light filled the room. _KILL_

Junpei sliced through Shadow after Shadow, delivering death with each blow. Yukari mowed her way through behind him. Both were covered in the black ichor the Shadows left behind. I was probably soaked in the stuff myself.

"**ONE AND A HALF MINUTES! HURRY!!"**

Damn. There were still over two dozen shadows remaining. Putting the Evoker to my head, I roared as I pulled the trigger, and holy light filled the room. The Shadows screamed as they burned. This. Is. JUSTICE!

"HERMES!"  
"IO!"

Flaming wind filled the room, picking off the survivors of my attack. Finally, the room was empty. Yukari collapsed to her knees, gasping for breath. "We… We did it…"

"Yeah…" Junpei seemed overwhelmed by it all.

I stopped too. That was intense.

"**What are you stopping for? THERE'S ONLY SEVENTY TWO SECONDS LEFT TO KILL THE PRIESTESS!!"**

We all froze. Not good.

"**SEVENTY!!"**

We all got moving. I smashed the door to the next compartment with my shoulder, not bothering to slow down. I saw this giant woman, her right side was black and her left was white. She wore a cloth between her legs, and her hair fused into the power cables in the walls.

It looked at me and summoned two more Shadows, Tiaras.

"WHAT THE HELL!?" Junpei arrived, followed by Yukari. "IS THIS THE FRIGGIN' BOSS!?"

The Shadows charged for us as the Priestess launched ice spells. Dodging, I asked "What's it weakness?"

"**Hold on."** Grunting, I charged forward and elbowed the nearest tiara, Junpei slashing through the other. Yukari summoned Io and cast a Garu. **"It doesn't have one, but the only spells that won't work are Bufu, Mudo and Hama."**

"Thanks." I grunted. That meant everything we had was fair game. "EVERYONE! ALL OUT!"

We charged forward, but every time we got close the Priestess sent us all flying back.

"**Forty seconds left."**

Grunting, I put the Evoker to my head. SMASH. "CADENZA!!" BANG

As soon as I heard the music, I felt better. Everything else slowed down. Smiling, I pulled the Evoker to my head. SMASH. I pulled the trigger.

Nothing happened.

"**You've run out of Spiritual Power! You'll have to rely on your own strength for now! Thirty seconds left!"**

Damn.

Junpei and Yukari both paled and hesitated. How can I blame them? Their secret weapon just ran out of bullets, and we're all gonna die because we can't kill this damned Shadow!!

It laughed.

The damn Shadow was laughing at us.

_It was laughing at me._

"SHUT UP!" the world blurred for a moment as I charged forward and plunged my fist in its face.

I was four feet in the air.

I grabbed the back of the Shadows head and plunged my knee into its face. It hurt like hell and I lost my grip, but I heard a crack. I kicked it with the other leg as I fell down. I landed flat on my shoulders and rolled while the Priestess screamed. It launched an attack that flew over my head, striking Junpei and Yukari right in the stomach, making them drop their weapons.

"**One Strike!? Come one! Get up! Twenty two seconds left!!"**

I got up and grabbed my shortsword and Junpei's katana. I span round and plunged the shortsword deep into the Priestess, stopping at the handle. It screamed in pain as I vaulted onto the weapon and jumped up, gripping the Katana with both hands over my head.

"RRAAARGH!!!" I swung the blade down through its head. And through its body. I felt the Katana hit my sword, but I kept pushing until I hit the floor.

The Shadow screamed in agony as the white fell apart from the black. Both sides dissolved into the black mist and my sword fell to the ground. I fell back to the ground, panting.

Junpei got up "Did-Did we stop it..?" he fell back down as the train shook. "HEY!" I felt the panic. "Why're we still moving!?"

Crap. Getting up I tried to ignore everyone's rising panic as I ran into the drivers compartment. I squeezed past the coffin to the controls and saw the train up ahead.

Ignoring the screaming in my ears, I grabbed the nearest lever and pulled it.

The train began to scream in pain, but it was too late. The two trains hit, and the world turned white

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"I told you already." That voice was familiar. "I'm always with you…"

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

When my vision cleared, my head was resting on the controls, my head bleeding.

"**Ha mina moushibun nakuaru?"**

"Uh, H-Hai, watashitachi ha yoi." Yukari was talking. "Ha, haa…watashi no hiza ha yure teiru…"

"Otoko…" I heard Junpei and decided to get my brain into gear. "I'm like, drenched in sweat…" Good, brain working.

"**I'm so glad you're safe… I'm sorry I couldn't do more on my end…" **Mitsuru seemed really sincere about that. **"I don't detect any more shadows. You guys did a great job, so come on home."**

"What about the other train? Don't we need to stop that too? We don't know whether or not this train was in reverse or not."

"**I do. That train just left the station in the direction it was headed. Everything is fine. Thanks to the mild collision, we can easily explain the damage done to the train."**

"In that case…" I punched through the front window and climbed through, kicking the remainder of it back into the train. "Now the front window shattered from the collision." I stepped back in to see Yukari and Junpei. Wow, they were covered in sweat. I didn't blame them. "Junpei, you go get Yukari's bow and grab any arrows you find. Yukari," I turned my back to her and sat down, taking my jacket off. "I need your help."

Junpei looked annoyed at this but couldn't argue with my logic. "Got it…" he murmured, jogging back to the previous compartments.

As Yukari began healing me she asked "But, how did you know which one was the brake?"

I laughed. "I didn't."

"What!?" Yukari smacked me lightly on the shoulder. "Don't scare me like that... Seriously, how did you know?"

I shook my head. "I am serious. I trusted my instincts."

Yukari sighed. "Well, either way, you saved my life again… thanks."

I shrugged. "It was a lucky guess really."

"WHAT!?" Junpei had just returned with Yukari's bow and arrows. "Are you freakin' messing with me man!? Ah, whatever." This seemed to cheer Junpei up somehow. "Wanna grab a bite to eat? I'm damn hungry!"

I nodded and stood up, shrugging my jacket back on. Yukari rose and took her weapons back from Junpei. I tossed him his Katana and I sheathed my own sword. I saw a couple of stones where the Priestess was and pocketed them. Might come in useful later. "Mitsuru's treat."

"**Not that I object, but why am I the one paying?"**

"You said that you were sorry about not being able to do more, well now's your chance!"

We all had a good laugh about that. I helped Junpei and Yukari out through the broken front window since I was the only one with gloves on. As we walked down the track, I thought about what would have happened in that battle if I'd conserved my SP. It would have been a lot easier, for one thing. Mental note, keep that in mind later on.

As we were approaching the dorm, we heard a clock strike the hour and life returned to the city. I noticed that we got a few funny looks from people, since we were covered in black liquid, were carrying weapons and looked like hell. We upped the pace and entered the dorm, heading straight for the showers. Junpei got into the mens shower before I did, so it was my job to go grab everyone's Pyjamas and throw their clothes into the wash. I considered complaining at first, but then considered that Yukari probably wouldn't have been happy about Junpei going into her room to get her clothes, so that made me feel a little better.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

By the time I got out of the shower, everyone was eating Chinese. Sweetness. I vaulted the couch and grabbed a bowl of chow mein, then I noticed the late night news.

"_Two trains miraculously avoided a collision today on the Iwatodai monorail tonight. Around midnight the driver pulled the emergency brake, minimizing the collision with the next train. It appears that a power surge made the train's speedometer malfunction and give an incorrect speed reading. Were it not for the heroic actions of the driver, many lives may have been lost. We now go live…"_

"What?" Junpei whined in disbelief. "They're taking the credit for what _we_ did and shifting it onto that driver!"

"Hey, at least we know what happened, right?" Yukari told him. "They don't know about the Dark Hour, so they don't know any better."

"Yeah, I know… it's just…" Junpei sighed. "It'd be nice to get a little recognition, you know?"

"We got Chinese food, what more do you want?" I joked.

Everyone laughed. I wasn't even concerned when time stopped again and I saw the Fool Arcana. It had been happening almost every day lately. I was actually getting used to heart-warming moments being interrupted by these cards. Well, at least it wasn't getting awkward. Time started again and we were all in great spirits. I think I actually stole Junpei's chicken ball right from his plate just for the fun of it. He tackled me, shouting how nothing gets between a man and his food, but we were all just laughing.

Come to think of it, we were just trying to forget about how close we had actually come to dying. Still, it was much better than brooding about it.

The three of us just sat there, laughing and joking all night. Junpei and Yukari both fell asleep before morning came though, so I ended up carrying the two of them to their beds. I was just about to collapse on my own bed when my phone rang.

"Yello..?"

"Hello? This is Elizabeth…"

That was an eye opener. Didn't expect her calling so soon.

"I'm calling to inform you about a change in Tartarus…" What kind of change? "I believe a path that was blocked is now open." Just after we defeated that huge Shadow? That's too much of a coincidence… "I thought you might like to know. I wish you a safe journey."

"Hey, wait!" but she'd already hung up. Well, I was too knackered to think about it. Right now I needed Sleep. I fell into the bed. Sleep… Sleep is… Sleep is… Yawn… Sleep is my… my friend… nussle…

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Alright, I want to thank you all for your support so far. I'm gonna take the advice some of you have given me and tone down the britishness and also stop referring to game mechanics.  
However, this is gonna cost you. Well, more accurately, it's gonna cost Minato. Have you every played any other ATLUS games?  
If you have, then you know what Minato's getting himself into. This is just the beginning…

Also, I've been informed that the manga names him Arisato, not Arisoto. Hey, for months, I thought his name was Minatos. Yeah, no kidding. As it is, I'll keep the name as Arisoto.

While I'm at it, I'd like to recommend the fanfiction 'Shinji and Warhammer40k'. Epic does not begin to describe it. I'll try to implement some of Bhepin's awesomeness into my style, but I'm not sure if I can pull it off.

Also worth noting, I'm going on holiday for a week, so I won't be updating. However, I'll probably still be typing, so there _should_ be a couple of updates ready for you when I get back, but no promises. Check out ravenwingcorps 'One eye of the demon' though, that'll still be updating. He has a buffer. I give it to you hot off the presses, which is why the updates are so irregular.

Anyway, back to the story.

Yes, this chapter is shorter than the other ones, but I can't exactly extend a timed fight much. I actually put in that scene towards the end with the Chinese just to help with the characters. I actually think that is what most people in their situation would do- just have some fun and try to bury the bone shaking fear of death.

I'm pretty happy with how this chapter turned out. I made Minato strong and capable but not too much so. So far, he's developing into a pinch fighter, one that does better when more pressure is added, which is the best kind of character to write for really, since it lets you get closer to the edge more often. As for the super punch, well Cadenza ups speed, plus he was angry, so it was expected. As for all the other stuff he did, well like I said. He's a pinch fighter. The worse things get, the better he fights.

Just to let you know, he used three fusion spells in this chapter, which is why he ran out of SP. First he used Jack Brothers, using Jack Frost and Pyro Jack, where they do a really bad comedy routine that has a 50% chance of making a Shadow fall down, since they're so bad. Then he used Justice, a Light technique used by Angel and Archangel. That does 50% damage to all enemies. Then he used Cadenza again.

I'm gonna spend more time focusing on the social links now, in that I'll be picking random social link events and writing them in. I'll probably edit or even replace some scenes. For example, Minato may level up a social link with one of his male classmates while on the run from one of his girlfriend's dad's for reaching level 10.

…

Okay, screw May, that is so happening. Not saying who though, but that won't happen for a while. Give me your ideas! Any cool tactics or battle scenes you have in mind, any jokes you want me to worm in, any decisions you want Minato to make while levelling up his social links, throw them at me! I want this to be fun for everyone who reads it, so give me your ideas! I may end up using my own ideas over yours if I think mine are better, but hey, I'm the author.

Anyways, I'll be seeing you all later. Enjoy!

Edited to remove some errors.


	17. Chapter 17

I didn't get much sleep though. Kazushi rang me at around noon asking me where I was. Crap. I threw some clothes on and ran straight to Iwatodai strip mall. I was still catching my breath when I got there.

"Woah, Minato! What were you doing last night?"

"Kicking ass…" …oh crap I can't believe I just said that.

"You were in a fight?" Kazushi was suddenly all concern.

"Uh… Kinda…"

Kazushi grabbed my shoulder, glaring at me. "Minato, my knee's probably injured. Don't do this to the team OR to yourself."

"R-Right…" I was too tired to deal with this. "Sorry…"

"But man, I thought you could deal with something like that with your endurance!"

"It was the aftermath that did it for me."

"Ouch… painful…" we started heading for the restaurant for lunch. "Did you win?"

I laughed. "Winning isn't everything you know."

Kazushi laughed as well. "Good point." We stepped through the doors and headed for the tills to order our food. "Did you?"

"Prodigy Platter please." I said to the guy behind the till. I turned to Kazushi and punched him in the arm. "Hell yeah!"

Kazushi smirked rubbing his dead arm.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I stepped by the Velvet Room on the way back to the dorm. "Good evening."

"Hey Elizabeth. 'Sup Igor?"

"It's nice to see you Minato."

I turned to Elizabeth. "You wanted to see me?"

"Yes." She answered. "I would like to begin to offer you my full services." Ooh, this good. "This," she said, offering me a large, leather bound book, "Is the Demonic Compendium."

I opened it and on the first page, it said _'The definitive record of Minato Arisoto's Personae'._

"What's it for?"

Elizabeth took the book back from me. "This Compendium contains record of all the Persona you have ever possessed, and updates itself whenever you obtain another. You can also overwrite previous records with your current Personae."

"And why would I do that?"

"Because, Minato San…" her respectful tone seemed to have a hint of annoyance, but I could have been imagining it. "I am capable of summoning any Persona that you have recorded in this compendium for your use."

…

…

…

Wait, what?

"Meaning, you can regain Persona that you have discarded, or used as fusion material in demonic fusion."

"Sweet!"

"For a price of course." She offered me the book again. "I'll let you take a look."

Let's see… WOAH! Expensive!

It must have shown on my face because Elizabeth noted, "I think that you will find my prices more than reasonable."

I had to admit, the prices seemed to fit the usefulness and power of the Persona they contained. "I assume that these rates are non-negotiable?"

"Correct."

Well, I'd have to do something about that. "Thank you very much." I closed the book and handed it to her. "I'll be seeing you later." Yeah, after studying up on business tactics.

"Good night, Minato San."

Note to self, visit Bunkichi and Mitsuko later.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I set out from the dorm early that day to visit Bookworms before school. "Hey Bunkichi."

The old man was happy to see me. "Minato-Chan!" If I was Japanese, I'd probably be annoyed at that. "My wife's still upstairs."

"That's okay. I'm looking for a book on negotiation and business tactics."

"Ooh, hoping to get some money behind that handsome face of yours?" Well, Kind of. "You're not gonna leave those girls half a chance, are you?"

I chuckled at the old man. He always did this, making me out to be some big player. Personally, I doubt I could hold down a girlfriend, but it's good for an old man to have faith in me. We both scoured the shelves for a book that would do, and after a few minutes, we finally found it. We took it to the till and Bunkichi's wife came down. She looked like she'd just been told that the world was ending.

"T-Tree…"

I was getting worried. "What happened?" She looked pale.

"See? You have Minato-Chan worried now…" Bunkichi poured a cup of tea and handed it to her. "Here, drink this dear…"

He handed me a cup as well. "Here's one for you Minato-Chan." I thanked him for the offer and sipped the drink. Japanese Herbal tea just isn't the same…

Mitsuko seemed to calm down a little. "T-the persimmon tree by the walkway… at your school…" the one that was planted by their son's students before he died? "I-I heard a rumour that it was going to be cut down…" oh… no wonder she looked like she was about to faint.

"What!?" Bunkichi turned to me. "Do you know anything about this, Minato Chan?"

I shook my head. "Now, you have me worried."

Bunkichi smiled. "You're so kind Minato Chan." He turned to his wife. "I'll try to look into the rumour, but I may end up 'barking' up the wrong tree!"

I winced. "That pun was just 'Pine'ful."

Bunkichi hooted with laughter and Mitsuko smiled. I slipped some money onto the counter. "I need to get off to school." I said, slipping the book into my bag. "I'll come back later to tell you what I can find out." I left before Bunkichi tried to give me the book for free. "Later!"

I felt time stop again as I left the shop. Hi there Hierophant card. Bye-Bye Hierophant card.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I bumped into Junpei on the way to school.

"Wazzup? Today is just an ordinary day, huh?"

"Apparently."

"That was crazy though," Junpei continued. "They day before yesterday. I've never had that kind of thrill before in my life!"

"Huh? You were fighting too Junpei Kun?" Kazushi had just walked up to us. Junpei turned to me with horror.

"I told him Junpei." I turned to Kazushi. "He took a couple of those thugs out on his own!"

Junpei got the hint. "Oh, gotcha." Apparently he missed that hint though. "Yeah, those guys didn't stand a chance!" he added, throwing a few Shadow punches.

"Woah, You better not become a delinquent Minato." Kazushi looked serious. "You're on the Kendo team! Street fighting can-"

"Get me kicked off the team, I know. But those guys crossed the line. Don't worry," I added, patting his shoulder, "No one knows I did it. "

Kazushi sighed. "You sure?"

"Trust me. I'm like a ninja. Check it out…" I showed him a slim leather case. "This is Junpei's wallet."

"Huh!?" Junpei frantically checked his pockets, before grabbing it. "Give it here!" he shoved it back into his back pocket.

The bell rang. "Come on," Kazushi told us, "Let's go!"

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I slept through Mr Ekoda's lecture. Exams were starting next week, but I didn't care. He was doing the standard pre-exam rant, so it was fine.

I tried to check out the student council room after school, but apparently it was locked until after the exams. If that was the case though, then there was no chance I could talk to a teacher about it. I decided to cut my losses and head straight for Bookworms.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Oh, hello Minato-Chan. We were just talking about you."

Bunkichi and Mitsuko still looked worried. Bunkichi apologised to me. "I'm sorry for troubling you about the Persimmon tree."

"I'll 'Root' out the truth" I'd figured out that the best way to cheer up the old man was to tell worse jokes than he did.

"Good one Minato-Chan!" told you. "It's really nice having you around. I can make stupid puns whenever I feel like it!"

"I'm laughing my 'ash' off."

Bunkichi chuckled, then became serious. "That tree… I can't believe it's going to be cut down…"

I nodded. "It reminds you of your son, right?"

Bunkichi nodded. "It was planted on graduation day with his first class…"

"It's just about to bear fruit…" Mitsuko looked like she was on the verge of tears. "Why now? Why do they want to cut it down now?"

I wanted her to cheer up, but asking her to do that seemed silly. I settled for "Don't worry."

"Thank you… Minato-Chan." The old woman smiled. "I feel a lot better. It's really comforting talking to you."

She seemed appreciative of the little support I could give her. Bunkichi, on the other hand, looked impressed.

"Wow, Minato-Chan, you've really captured her heart!" Odd phrasing. "You must be really popular with the ladies!"

"No, not really…"

"Nonsense! My wife's no sucker after all!" Bunkichi clapped me on the shoulder. "I feel like I'm looking at myself back in my prime! Course, back in my day, short hair was fashionable."

"Hands off the hair old man."

Bunkichi laughed. "Are you kidding?" he leaned forward and whispered into my ear. "It gives you an air of mystery lad. Makes a woman swoon faster than any soldier's uniform."

SMASH.

_Thou art I… And I am thou…_

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Hierophant Arcana._

Time started again and Bunkichi moved away from my face. "Don't worry about the tree, Minato-Chan. Just stop by when you have the chance." Bunkichi then thought of something and added "Say, you're doing exams soon aren't you?"

I nodded. "They start Monday."

"Well then, you'd better be off. Here," he stuffed a packaged bun into my pocket. "Something to keep you going."

I thanked the old couple and left. I liked them. They were good people, and they deserved better than what life had dealt them, first losing their son, and now this.

Sigh. Well, best be off back to the dorm. I didn't even consider asking Mitsuru if we could go to Tartarus that night. We were still in shock over Saturday.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yukari didn't have Archery club the next morning, so we walked together. Apparently a lot of people who were suffering from Apathy Syndrome had suddenly recovered. I told her about my theory that if a Shadow is defeated, then its victims recovered, so destroying a huge Shadow would help a lot of people recover. Our efforts paid off.

"I think so too." She told me. "It was dangerous, but I'm glad we did it." We approached the train station where we recently had our battle. "We shouldn't get carried away though, cuz we have midterms next week."

"NOOOOO!!! IT'S NOT POSSIBLE!!!"

Some guy ran past us crying. "Hey, it's that odd chap from before."

"What's his problem? Well," she turned back to face me. "Let's just hope nothing like that happens again until Midterms are over."

Oh, that reminded me. "Hey, you feel like going to Tartarus tonight?"

"Oh…" guess not then. "I was actually going over to a friend's house to study tonight…"

I nodded. "Tomorrow then?"

We boarded the train. "Sure. Hey, you okay about Mr. Ekoda's book?" we were told that half of the exam for his class would be on this book he told us all to read.

"I finished it ages ago. Pretty good, but I had a few problems with the character development at times…"

And that is how a conversation turns into a quick tutoring session on literature.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I hung around Chagall Café after school revising.

At least, I was supposed to be, but I was actually studying my new book. It was unexpectedly useful, kinda like 'Art of War', translated for business. I'd already read Sun Tzu's work a few times already, so I was soaking in this business book like a sponge.

I felt several pairs of eyes looking at me. Was this an effect of the coffee?

I looked around, but the only person looking at me was this middle aged man in a suit. It was pretty creepy.

Come to think about it, he looked familiar somehow. Was a he stalker? That would be even creepier. I looked away from him, focusing on my book.

He walked over to me and sat opposite me. Oh crap.

"My, you're handsome."

Oh, SNAP!!!

"Tell me young man, how would you like to have your dreams come true? I have a golden opportunity for you."

Normally, I'd say I wasn't interested, but something was telling me to hear him out. "Tell me more..."

The man smiled. "I'm only telling this to you, so don't tell anyone this, okay?" he was enjoying this. "I can make you rich. Guaranteed."

"Nothing is guaranteed. Many major companies are failing today because they believed that their success was guaranteed."

The man was taken aback, but persevered. "All you need is 20,000 yen, and your investment will multiply by ten- no, a hundred fold!"

A hundred and twenty six pounds? "Two hundred and eleven dollars is a lot of money."

"The best part is that you don't have to do a thing!" The man was cracking, but he hid it well. "You'll become fabulously wealthy while you sleep!"

The man regained composure. He was a good liar, so combine that with the nice suit and he was probably in big business. He'd be good practice before I go up against Elizabeth. "Just give me the 20,000 Yen and I'll take care of the rest." He added.

I thought about it. "Well," the businessman began, "What do you say?"

"Honestly… I have a few… reservations I would like clearing up first."

Surprise and Contempt flashed across the businessman's face, but he hid it well. If I wasn't looking at his face, I would never have seen it. Thank You, Paul Ekman. "What would they be, son?"

"Well, first I would like to know where my money is being invested. The Kirijo Group's stock is rising, as is the new up and coming Junes chain. However several other companies, such as the Nanjo and Shibuya organisations are failing." The man seemed disturbed at this, but I continued. "My concern lies in whether or not I could make a good return on my money." I took a sip from my drink and looked up. "The Shibuya group in particular is in danger. So much so that they are likely to turn to another company for financial aid."

The man stood up to leave. "You don't know what you're talking about kid." He didn't bother to hide his scorn this time. "The Shibuya group may be suffering from the recession, but that companies CEO is to proud to humble himself like that."

"I know." I replied calmly. "This is why their Board of Directors will most likely band together to force him out. My prediction is that they will approach either the Kirijo, Virgin, or more likely, the Tanaka Mega Corporation within the next few days."

The man scoffed. "Sucking up to me won't do you any good kid."

"Oh, are you part of one of those companies?"

He turned to leave and threw a business card onto the table.

_President Tanaka S. - CEO of Tanaka Mega Corp. _

Oh.

I sighed as returned to my book. I left about fifteen minutes later and saw a Limo parked outside. President Tanaka stepped out of the back, door held open by a body guard type person.

"Where is he… AHA!" He saw me and ran towards me. "You! How did you know!?"

"How did I know what?" I was confused.

"How did you know that Shibuya was having a takeover?"

Didn't see that coming. "The president was making poor decisions because of his pride and desire to cling to the past. It would only be natural that those who worked their way to the top would want to protect their livelihood, and remove their biggest threat. Didn't expect it to happen so soon though…"

Tanaka face palmed. "Dammit… Shibuya just approached one of our guys asking us to buy into it."

Wow, I was good at this business thing. "What're you going to do?"

Tanaka looked at me and smiled. "What would you do?"

I frowned. "With President Shibuya out of the picture, then his forty five percent share would now be open game. He would have held on to some of it, of course, and the other board members would surely have bought much of the majority shares…" I did a few rough calculations. "I would pay a Thirteen point seven million US Dollar Bailout for thirty two percent shares, with the opportunity to buy those back over the next nine and a half years at a four point six percent interest rate."

"That's some pretty accurate numbers kid."

"The numbers are irrelevant; it's the precision and detail that put you in control." I was really good at this! "This gives an impression that you are smarter than you actually are, and that you have thought this through and are planning ahead of the game. The rates are tough but fair, and easily payable. The share allows you to have a strong say in how the company is run, and allowing them to buy it back in the future means you are considering their wellbeing as well as your own, which makes them more likely to trust and obey you."

Tanaka nodded and lifted his phone out of his pocket. It was on call the whole time. "You heard the kid. Do it."

"_But- but sir-!"_

"Do it. That is my decision." Tanaka hung up and looked at me. "Kid… how would you like a job?"

SMASH

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Devil Arcana…_

Why did that not surprise me? "Sure, why not?"

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Oh, SNAP you did NOT see that coming.

…

Yeah, I told you that the events change. BAM!

Also, I edited it slightly to rectify some contingency mistakes.


	18. Chapter 18

You might not think it, but Tanaka's job offer was actually a difficult decision for me. Now, if I took the job, I'd be a millionaire in five years, but I'd definitely have less time to spend with my social links and strengthening my Persona. That and child labour laws, so I told him I'd give him an answer within a week. The next day I still didn't have a clue as to what I should do.

Hell, it was bothering me so much I couldn't even focus in class, until Mr Takenozuka called my name during physics.

"What was Einstein's famous theory? Quick!"

That was so easy. "General relativity theory," I answered. "It refers to gravity as a geometric distortion of space time, which allows for the existence of black holes."

"You sir, are correct!" Well, duh. It was fairly obvious.

"I didn't know that." A voice from behind me.

"I thought it was E=MC squared…" Another voice. Okay, so maybe it wasn't so obvious.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Back at the dorm, me, Yukari and Junpei were in the lounge studying. Mitsuru told us to study in groups because then we could help each other, by which she meant Junpei. Oh, he wasn't stupid; he just had no concentration when it came to books.

Me? I prefer to learn it first time round, then remind and test myself before the exam.

Junpei sighed. "Man, I'm tired of studying…" Fairs fair, he had been doing it for the past five hours straight. "Wanna go to tartarus dude?"

Actually, that was an interesting idea. Elizabeth had mentioned a new pathway earlier. "Go on then." I turned to our other study partner. "Yukari, you coming?"

"We do have exam's next week you know."

"Constant studying without physical exercise is stressful and can hinder your performance in the exam."

Yukari blinked, then she sighed. "What the hell, I'll go!"

"Sweetness!"

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I paid a visit to the velvet room once we got inside the tower. Elizabeth said that she had a special mission for me.

"If you can reach the next barrier and retrieve the document from there by the next full moon, I will give you a special reward." She pulled out a set of scrolls. "These," she said, "Are the Scrolls of Armaments."

"What do they do?"

She unrolled one slightly. There were a row of 'pages' inside, each with a circle surrounding a skull. "Each scroll can carry a type of equipment" she explained. "Each seal can hold one piece of equipment. This scroll can hold weapons," she said, gesturing to the scroll. "These two, on the other hand, can contain armour and equipment respectively."

This was interesting. "How's it work?"

"If you would mind..?" I handed her my sword. She took it and pressed it against the first seal. The sword disappeared, the skull replaced with a symbol of the weapon. She then pressed her hand against it again, and my sword reappeared in her hand. "Each scroll can host over fifty pieces of equipment." She told me, offering my sword back to me.

Must… Get… Those… Scrolls…

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

We reached the sixteenth floor in record time. Yukari and Junpei were surprised that the barrier had gone, but I expected it. "Let's go."

I was not expecting, however, what was on the next level. It was like some sort of demented cinema, and there were these… faces on the wall. Ever seen a drawing by H.R. Giger? Because that was exactly what it was like.

"**You've reached the second block, Arqa. ** **The enemies have changed, and are more powerful than the ones in the previous block, so stay alert."**

"Can you sense where the next barrier is?"

"**I'll check, but it'll take some time. Advance while I scan ahead."**

"Thanks." I turned to my teammates and gripped my sword. "Let's go."

We found the first cluster of Shadows fairly quickly. I got Yukari to shoot it from a distance so I could come up with a plan of attack. It revealed to be some cloaked things in a mask I hadn't seen before. "What're they?"

"**Phantom mages, Hermit Arcana. Don't use fire or dark skills. Hama, however, will be very effective."**

"Thanks." I told her. "ARCHANGEL!" Cards flew around one Shadow, killing it in a flash of light. I did the same to another, but it survived. "GO!"

We all charged and stormed the two remaining phantoms. One launched an attack but I dodged it, ramming my sword through the hole in its mask and dragging my sword down through its teeth, killing it. I ran back to see Yukari summon Io, blasting the phantom with a burst of wind while I stabbed it in the back.

"Where's Junpei Kun?" she asked, the Phantom dead.

I looked back along the corridor and found him. "Oh, Hell no…" he was on the ground, not moving.

We rushed for him and checked his pulse. Heart rate fine, still breathing. **"He's completely out cold; he must have been hit by a Mudo."**

I nodded and pulled a revival bead out of my pocket. Brilliant idea from the pharmacist, they're capsules of adrenaline mixed with smelling salts that, when swallowed, are guaranteed to wake you up so long as you weren't dead or in a coma. I poked it into Junpei's mouth and his eyes opened. He rolled onto his hands and knees and spat the half-dissolved tablet out; he didn't even need to swallow it. It was _that_ good. "Rise and shine sleeping beauty."

"Screw you…" Junpei spat the sour taste out of his mouth. "Dammit… I'm gonna taste that all week!"

"At least you're still fighting." I helped him up. "You ready to go?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"Nope."

"Then let's get going!" He glanced over my shoulder. "Aren't you going to grab those? I thought you liked collecting trophies from your kills?"

I followed his gaze to see some old lanterns. Dude, how did I miss those bad boys? I grabbed them and shoved them into my bag. Elizabeth would pay good money for stuff like that. There was also a torn piece of black cloth underneath one of the lanterns, so I pocketed that as well for good measure.

"**The barrier is at the fortieth floor, but you won't be able to make it there tonight. There's a large Shadow on the twenty-fifth floor, so that is your goal for tonight."**

"Thanks Mitsuru Senpai." I turned to the others "Let's go!"

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Not much happened on the nineteenth, twentieth and twenty-first floors. There were a couple of skirmishes, but nothing important. But on the twenty-second floor, all warmth left the room we were in.

"**IT'S THE REAPER! ABORT THE MISSION!"**

Bugger. I put on a brave face and edged into the corridor carefully. Checking that the coast was clear, I waved Junpei and Yukari over. We dashed across the hallway, relying on Mitsuru's guidance to avoid the reaper. Wait, is that the stairs? "Come on!" I whispered. "Let's go."

"**I told you to abort!"**

"This is faster. Come on!"

We started to creep down the corridor. The stairs were a hundred metres away down a straight corridor when Mitsuru burst my bubble.

"**Its found you! Hurry!"**

"GO!!" I ordered, running for my life. I kept behind Junpei and Yukari, making sure they got to the stairs safely. I saw the Reaper rushing for us, accelerating and quickly gaining on us. "GO! _GO!!_"

It caught up with us, flying along side us as we ran for our lives. It aimed its weapon at us when suddenly

It stopped.

It just floated there, glaring at us like a cat would glare at a mouse hiding behind a dog. Why? I looked around and saw that we were on the stairs. "Hold on…" I started walking down the stairs.

"Minato!"

"Dude, you insane!?"

"**Arisoto! What are you doing?"**

"Testing something…" I walked towards the Reaper. It was in the hallway just outside the stair room, as if it was waiting outside a door of some sort. It glared right at me, and I glared right back. I picked up a stone and, taking a few steps back, threw it as hard as I could, right in its eye.

"WHAT THE HELL!?" was everyone's response to my actions.

"COME ON!" I shouted at the Reaper, arms spread wide. "ATTACK ME! DESTROY ME OH GREAT DESTROYER OF WORLDS! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!" Everyone looked at me like I was insane, until I dropped my arms and smiled. "You can't… can you? You can't enter this room can you?"

_**No. That would ruin the game**_

I nearly soiled myself. The hell?

_**And I shall remember your insolence, Fool, and it shall cost you dearly.**_

TheReaper drew itself to its full height.

_**This was going to be a fair game, but you dare challenge ME? The Night Itself? **_

I stared blankly as the Reaper turned to leave.

_**So be it**_

The hell!? What did I just do?

"**I don't understand… why is it leaving? It could easily have killed you…"**

"It couldn't…" I answered. "That would have ruined the game…"

"Huh?" Yukari responded. "What game?"

"I have no idea myself…" I was more concerned at what the Reaper had just said. Had I just started an open vendetta with death himself?

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

We got to the next floor, but couldn't see much of it.

Oh. That's what he meant.

"**There are more Shadows on this floor than usual!" **Mitsuru told us. **"I'm sensing an increase in Shadows in the floors above you as well!"**

"I'm Sorry…" I started. "I think this is my fault…"

"You just _had_ to piss off the Reaper, didn't you?" Yukari was mad. "Ah, whatever, what's done is done. This isn't as bad as it was on the train." Only because there was more space to move in the tower floor than there was in a train car.

"Heheh… this is what I signed up for! COME ON!" Junpei charged it. I followed him, while Yukari took a back seat in the carnage, choosing to pick the shadows off one by one with her arrows instead of joining the brawl.

The twenty-forth floor was the same, only we used our Personae more. When we reached the Tartarus boss, I immediately activated the escape route and ran to the velvet room.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"IscrewedupIgorwhatdoIdo!!"

"For now, just relax." Igor gestured for me to sit down. I did, panting, letting out all the fear I'd been hiding from my teammates. "Now then, you've just earned yourself the Reaper's interest, am I right?"

"You could say that."

Igor smiled further. "Well, I'll have you know that the Reaper itself is not strictly a Shadow."

Wait, what?

"As you know, all Shadows wear a mask depicting their Arcana. The Reaper, however, does not. And it is certainly not the angel of Death. That, I can guarantee." That was calming. "However, it is true that you have just made taken your journey down a far harsher path. Nonetheless, _You_ signed a contract, did you not?" Igor summoned it to remind me.

_I, Minato Arisoto, give my word that I will take full responsibility for the consequences of my decisions._

"This is a direct consequence from a decision _you_ made. It was not a well thought out decision, nor were you aware of the consequences. Nevertheless, it was your decision to make and you must take responsibility."

Damn us English and our bravado. I sighed. "Can I still do this?"

Igor grinned. "Of course! I am merely stating that it will be far more difficult for you in future." That's not that reassuring. "But this is why you must watch yourself closely, and think all decisions through carefully. This will be an important lesson from you, and I sincerely hope that you learn from it."

I sighed, heartbroken. "Alright. Thank you for everything." I stood to leave.

"Please, don't misunderstand." I looked back to the long nosed man. "Your change in circumstances with the Reaper does not affect _our_ agreement."

Wait, what? I turned back fully as Igor continued.

"I will support any decision you make. For as long as you are willing to accept the consequences of your decisions, we will continue to offer you our services. And as for that Torn Black Cloth on your person…" Igor grinned as I reached into my pocket for the old rag. "We can offer you a _very_ special service…"

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I stepped out of the velvet room with a sadistic grin on my face. I began to approach the teleporter slowly but confidently.

"Dude…" Junpei moved to stop me. "You okay?"

"Never better..." My smile grew slightly. "Let's go."

"What?" Mitsuru was shocked. "You can't go back in there! You need to rest!"

My grin was extremely visible. "Just watch."

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_I see no, hear no evil  
Black writings on the wall_

I walked towards the three Crying Tables with a grin on my face.

_Unleash a million faces  
And one by one they fall_

They saw me and the flames sprang to life, rushing onto the walls and setting the room ablaze.

_Black hearted evil  
Brave hearted hero_

Yukari and Junpei panicked, the flames heating up the room. I calmly reached for my Evoker and put it to my head.

_I am all... I am all... I am_

I pulled the trigger, and a hooded figure rode into the battle on a pale horse. It pulled drew a scythe and sliced straight through the middle table, killing it instantly.

_Go ahead and try to see through me  
Do it if you dare_

"WHAT THE HELL!?" I ignored Junpei and rushed after the rightmost table, slicing my sword upwards as I reached it.

_One step forward, two steps back  
I'm here_

I flipped back and BANG! The Pale Rider rode forth again, launching the two surviving shadows into the air with an evil, green wind. It caught one of them on its scythe, finishing it off.

_Do it… Do it… Do it… Do it… _

"This is our chance for an all out attack!"

_Can you see all of me?_

"Let's get 'em!"

_Walk into my mystery!_

"RRAARRGHH!!"

_Step inside and hold on for dear life…_

The Shadow didn't stand a chance.

_Do you remember me?  
Catch you and set you free?  
I am all… I am all of me…_

I stood over its smouldering corpse, glaring into the hollows of its mask as it burned.

_I see and feel the evil  
My hands will crush them all_

I turned back from it, walking back towards the escape route as the flames died

_You think you have the answer?  
Well I laugh and watch you fall…_

I could feel Junpei's and Yukari's stares in the back of my head, and could almost hear their thoughts.

_I am everyone, everywhere, anyhow, anyway_

_**Just what are you, human?**_

_I am… all that I am…_

"I am me. And I accept your challenge."

I could feel the Reapers leer coming from the walls, almost as if it was the tower itself…

Igor was right. I had just made life a hell of a lot harder for myself…

But I accept it.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Wooh! Combat based chapter with character development for my grand return!

I gotta say, I love writing this story. It's like getting a proper driving seat behind Persona 3.

Now, some things I gotta clear up.

First, scrolls of armaments. I needed an explanation of how Minato could carry around multiple weapons and armour, and no way in hell was I giving up the chance to have a dual wielding axe crazy Minato, nor was I giving up the chance to use the joke armour, weapons, nor the weapon fusions.

Secondly, developing into the reaper. Now, I just want to say this now; THE REAPER IS NOT THANATOS.

There won't be any Kyuubi style head conversations like you get in Naruto fanfics. Closest you will get are short, occasional exchanges, and even then, ONLY IN TARTARUS.

As for the Reaper itself, I've decided to give it a character, as opposed to a random killing machine. I liked to think of it as the dungeon master, kind of like in Dungeons and Dragons, or Hero Quest. Basically, if things get boring for him, or if you take to long on a floor, then things go to hell pretty fast. The Reaper sees this as a game, albeit not the fun kind. The sandwich joke from earlier? That explains the train level. Only now, it's gonna be like ALL THE TIME! On top of that, the full moon bosses themselves will be much harder from now on.

Now, you may question my use of Crush 40's 'I Am' for the last scene, it being Shadow the Hedgehog's theme after all, and rightly so.

If you can think of a better song to use, tell me and I will gladly change it, because I want your help in maximising the awesomeness of this story.

So yeah, Night time for Minato will be hell. Gonna make the daylight fun too.

Hey, where's the fun in reading a story where the hero can deal with it all the time? Minato's the most competent person alive, and this story's version is even more so, so this was the only option.

Evil grin.

Enjoy!


	19. Chapter 19

Holy Crap, six reviews from that last chapter alone! That's almost a third of them!

Okay, seems like I made a good decision with my song choice for the Ride of the Rider. (Now that would be a good song title), and thanks for your support. Reviews are fuel for a fanfic writer, so I owe you a new chapter quick for all you've given me. Some of you said that you got Goosebumps in the last paragraph, and I have to say, it is awesome when you synch your reading up to the song. You can barely keep up, but that just makes it feel even better! And I have to say, I felt awesome reading those.

Okay, enough Ego stroking. In reply to Damien_Black, I just have to say that Pale Rider vs. the Reaper would _not_ be an interesting fight.

The Rider's strong, no doubt about it. I was using a Level 27 Rider as my main physical over a Level 36 Eligor I had in my party, and I had level 40's in my team at the time. However, the Reaper is the freaking Reaper, Minato would die quickly. Now, Reaper vs. Thanatos. That WOULD be interesting.

And thanks for complimenting my explanation for the Revival Beads JRS74, and I'm assuming that carries over into the Scrolls of Armaments. I've got explanations planned for the Soul's, Bead Chains, Magatama, Gems, Medical Powders, and so on. However, if anyone can give me some help explaining Soma's, I would appreciate it. A Soma is a ritualistic drink used by Indo-Iranians that's associated with godliness and unity, but no-one remembers what the key ingredient is, so it isn't made anymore. The problem is, how would Minato drinking one drink heal his party? I can't use smell, because then that would heal enemies, and I can't use sharing because you can't really do that in battle. Any suggestions?

And just as a side note, on with the chapter.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Thursday was… interesting. I'm not sure if I've mentioned this or not, but when I change Persona, I change slightly. I can hide it easily, and the change is slight, normally just little urges to do stuff, or maybe I see things in a different light, or I treat people slightly different. I'm used to it though, and I can deal with it to an extent that no-one notices.

This however, was… new.

I went through the school day with Pale Rider, my newest Persona. I had to say, it was incredible. Its speed and attack power were unlike anything I'd ever seen before in a Persona. Then again, he was the fourth horseman of the apocalypse! Dude!

_And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.  
And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth. _

Yeah, I actually looked that up in my bible. It confirmed what I already suspected, that Personae are based of mythology and religion, but that wasn't what surprised me about hosting the Rider.

It was the change in my perspective.

It was like… everyone was going to day. Of course, I new that, but instead of it being a matter of a few decades, but seventy hundred thousand hours, or forty two million minutes, or two and a half billion seconds until my classmates died. Yes, those numbers are the same timeframe and yes, it's about seventy years, so if you're born, you have exactly 2,522,880,000 seconds until you are seventy years old.

Life is short.

And yet… people waste time. They sit around and complain about how bored they are, never actually going out and doing something.

That was another thing I noticed under the Riders influence. Boredom. We live in a beautiful world, an advanced country, with so many mysteries still unexplained even within our own country and yet… we have the audacity to say that we are bored!

No, that's wrong… We have the imagination to live in such a majestic world and _invent_ boredom! Humans are… We are incredible… No wonder we interest the Reaper so much.

I just realised. I missed the perfect chance to say "Tell me your name horse master, and I will tell you mine" to the Reaper last night. DAMNIT! I'm not gonna get another chance like that again!

Speaking of missed chances, I found myself in the same train as Chihiro after school, while headed for Bookworms. I met her on the first day, the girl who bumped into me, remember? Well, turns out that she's in the student council as well as me, but far from the confident Hidetoshi, she's really shy. Turns out she has some kind of fear of men. If that's not a chance for a social link, I don't know what is. I took a good hard look at her on the train. It was faint, but her Arcana was there. Justice.

_There is no Justice. Only Me._

Influence of the Reaper, I know, but it had to be said. I was wondering how I could start the social link off, when I saw some guy grab her arse. I was appalled. People actually did that? She was disgusted herself, but she wasn't moving. The train was packed, but she could still spin around and slap the guy.

Oh, right. Androphobia. I started moving my way towards them, "Excuse me, pardon me…" when I saw the actually start fingering her.

Oh hell no, this sicko was going DOWN! I jumped up, grabbed the hand bars, swung and landed on his shoulders, driving him to the ground. I stepped off him and he got up "What the hell kid!? Who the fu-"

I grabbed him by the throat and forced him against the train door. "IF I EVER, **EVER, **SEE YOU DO THAT AGAIN, YOU END! **YOU HEAR ME!?**"

I must have looked like hate incarnate, because it was running down his leg and I was now standing in the puddle. "Disgusting…" I grunted as the train pulled into the station. It wasn't my stop, but I hit the door open switch. "Get out of my sight…" I warned, kicking him off the train Spartan style. I turned around and saw everyone was looking at me. Well, I did just lay a beating on a guy inside a packed train, so what did I expect? So I walked over to Chihiro and asked "You okay Chihiro San?" Really I should have been using Chan, or Kohai, but again, best to be careful.

"H-hai… ano… a-arigato, A-Arisoto Senpai…"

Okay, nervous stuttering was harder to translate, but thankfully she used simple terms. "You sure?"

She shook her head forcefully. "Yes I… I'm fine… I've gotten used to it."

Holy crap… "This happen often?"

She shook her head, softer this time. "No, only once or twice a week…" she replied, with a hint of shame. "…It's okay though…"

No, it's not, and you know it isn't. "Where you headed?" I asked, as the doors closed and the train started moving again. A load of people had gotten off and gotten on, so we weren't the centre of attention anymore.

"Um… Iwatodai… Why?"

That was a coincidence. "Same here! I'm headed for the bookstore, you?"

She seemed surprised at that. "Me too. Um…" she blushed, as if talking to me was a great effort. "I- I never thought you would be interested in books, Arisoto Senpai…"

Good, this was moving up to a conversation now. "Mostly English novels, but I'm getting into some Japanese titles too."

"Oh, you know English?"

"Brought up there."

"Eh!" not everyone in the school knew me you know. "Um… Sorry, I… I didn't mean to pry…"

"Don't be!" Didn't this girl have any self esteem? "That's what conversations are about!" Gotta get this back on track. "My mum was English, but she met my dad at Tokyo University and moved here when she married him." I explained. "I was born over here, but moved to England when I was seven to live with my Aunt and Uncle, Mum's brother, when mum and dad died."

As expected, shock horror. "It's fine, but don't apologise for it." I explained. "What about your parents?"

"Um… My dad works in an office in Okinawa, s-so it's mostly just me and m-mom at home…"

"Do you see him often?"

"Um… y-yes… Once every few months or so…"

We struggled through the conversation on until we reached Bookworms. Bunkichi and Mitsuko were talking to each other behind the corner. Bunkichi nodded when I came through the door with Chihiro and said "Dear, Minato Chan is here… So, could you please cheer up?"

Mitsuko wiped her face and said "I… I understand their reasoning but… If that tree were removed I… I feel like the memory of our son will vanish with it…"

The lady doth protest too much, methinks. "Please stop quarrelling!" I said, however.

"Were fine," Mitsuko said, turning to me. "We're not fighting, I was just fretting…" A smile returned to her face. "Sorry to make you worry." She seemed genuinely touched.

Bunkichi turned to me. "Apparently, the rumour was true… they really are going to cut down the persimmon tree…"

"That's awful…"

Bunkichi nodded sadly. "We went to the school to say goodbye, but…" Bunkichi trailed off.

"It just reminded you of your son's death…" I finished for him. The couple seemed really depressed. "It'll be okay." I added, smiling slightly.

"See dear!" Bunkichi perked up. "That's exactly what I said! If you keep crying, what will your admirers think? Right, Minato Chan?"

I nodded. "I might start crying too!"

We laughed a bit, but Bunkichi suddenly turned serious. "Now Minato Chan, a man must never cry in front of a lady friend."

Oh, right! I looked behind me and saw Chihiro browsing some books. "You shouldn't ignore her like that just to talk to some old fogies like us now!" Bunkichi added.

"She's a friend from school, not like that." I replied, smiling sheepishly, "But you're right. But since I'm already here," I leaned onto the counter, "I'll help you first. Your best bet is to start gathering signatures for a petition against cutting down with the tree. I'd start with contacting your son's old students."

"No, it's okay." Mitsuko seemed appreciative of the suggestion. "We don't want them to go to all that trouble for us, and it probably won't work… but thank you."

SMASH.

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to make a Persona of the Hierophant Arcana._

"Now get going Minato Chan!" Bunkichi hissed. "You don't want to keep a girl waiting."

I nodded humorously and walked over to Chihiro. "Find anything you like?"

"Oh!" I seemed to have surprised her. "Um… Well… This place has such a good selection… I-I was having trouble deciding…" She looked at the bookshelf, embarrassed. "Um… What kind of books do you read S-Senpai?"

"Whatever takes my fancy at the time." I answered politely. "Usually the classics or manga."

She seemed impressed. "I- I didn't think you would be into that… They aren't very entertaining, but I can respect what the authors were trying to accomplish."

Not very entertaining? "Are we talking about Western Classics or Japanese Classics?"

"Oh! Um… I'm sorry… I forgot you grew up outside the country didn't you?"

I laughed. "I forget myself sometimes." It's true, but very rarely. "Some of the western classics are brilliant…" I scanned the bookshelf until I found what I was looking for. "What about manga?"

That perked her up. "I love manga too. I have a whole shelf of Shoujo."

"Really?"

"Yeah," she answered, loosening up. "I tend to get frustrated when the main character can't ask out the guy she likes, because I can relate to her…"

"Same here." I caught her confused expression. "Other way around of course." I passed her a book from the shelf. Translated version of Pride and Prejudice. "Have you read this one?"

"Um… No, I-I haven't…"

"_This_, is a classic. You'll enjoy it." I slipped some money onto the counter. "I've already paid for it, and I've already read it so you can't refuse."

"OH!" she seemed genuinely shocked. "Um… Um… T-Thank you, Arisoto Senpai… Um…" she seemed to be hesitating. "Is… Is it boring to hang around with… a nerd like me?"

Aaand cue the perfect response in three… two… one… "I don't know, is it boring to hang around with a nerd like me?"

"Huh?" she seemed confused. "Um… No… Not at all…" she blushed slightly from behind the books she clutched to her chest.

"Then no, it isn't boring to hang out with you."

SMASH

_Thou art I… and I am thou…_

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to make a Persona of the Justice Arcana._

Eeeeyes! Score!

"Um… I- I had best be going now…"

"Want me to come with you?"

"Oh, it's… It's okay!"

I shook my head. "It's no problem, really."

"But… Don't… Don't you have exams to prepare for?"

Nope. Already prepared. But I did have a Junpei to prepare for exams. "If you're absolutely sure…"

"It's fine." She insisted. "I-I'll see you later, Minato San." With that she walked out the door.

SMASH

Huh?

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to make a Persona of the Justice Arcana._

Holy crap, twice? I _am_ good…

"Ah well…" Bunkichi clapped me on the shoulder. "Better luck next time Minato Chan…"

"Actually…" I smiled at the old man. "…I think I did alright…" turning to face him, I added "She was calling me Arisoto Senpai until just now."

Bunkichi caught on and grinned. "You sly dog…"

Grin.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Back at the dorm, Junpei was playing on his PSP.

Wait, no it wasn't. Junpei's PSP was black, but he was playing on a white one.

"Oh, this?" Junpei answered when I asked about it. "Special edition, just came out. Want my old one?"

Actually, Elizabeth had mentioned me getting my hands on a handheld gaming console, so I jumped on the offer. "Sweet! Thanks."

"No probs, let me get it for you."

By the time he got back and handed me the old console, Yukari walked in. "Alright, time to hit the books!"

"What? But you just got here Yuka-Tan!"

"Well, we missed out last night, so we need to make up for it."

"I'll just go grab some supplies from the store," I asked. "Anyone want anything?"

"Hey, don't you go bailing out on me!"

"Relax Junpei, I'll be back in twenty minutes." I gave him a look that translated to 'Enough time to go to you room to get your books, then save your game and hide it before Yukari confiscates it."

"Fine then," Yukari said. "Meet back here in 30 Minutes. Don't you dare be late."

Yep, Yukari was serious about getting a good grade. "Be right back."

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Half an hour later, I was cooking Nacho's in the kitchen. Elizabeth ended up returning the PSP, something about making the player forget about the passing of time by sending electrical shocks up the arm affecting perception lobes in the brain. I got my reward anyways. Curse seals. They looked like the exploding tags from Naruto, which gave me an idea involving the Kunai I'd be buying by the dozen tomorrow.

Anyway, right now I was cooking Chilli and Nachos for six. You never know who else might decide to join our little group.

"Hey, Minato Kun, you coming?"

"Yeah!" I told him, spooning the chilli onto the plate of nachos. "Hang on!" I sprinkled the cheese on top and debated whether or not it was worth microwaving it while I made them wait.

"Minato! Come On!" Righto then.

"Coming!" I grabbed the large dish and carried it into the lounge. "Brain fuel." I explained, placing it onto the table.

"Nice!" Junpei said, "Thanks man!"

"Thanks Minato." Yukari added. "Now, let's get this over with. What shall we do first?"

Since we were in the same class, we all had the same subjects. Physics, Biology, Chemistry, History, Mathematics, Literature, Japanese, English, Business Studies, Health and Fitness, and General Studies. So starting Monday, we would have six days in which to do eleven exams, so that made two a day, with Saturday afternoon off school. Results would be posted on the school notice board on Monday during lunch, which surprised me. Back in England, your results are given to you individually, probably to preserve the dignity of those who didn't do well.

Not here in Japan though. Here, they display your success or failure for everyone to see. They even rank you, like in races. I heard from Kenji that last place has to wear a dunce's hat until the next set of exams, but I doubted it. The humiliation of even being last place would be punishment enough.

"Hey, I heard that there might not be a Health and Fitness exam after all!"

"What are you talking about Stupei?" Yukari replied. "Of course there is!"

"No, seriously!" Junpei leaned forward, taking a Nacho. "He was caught up in a car accident the other day, so he's on leave for the rest of the year."

"No way…"

"Way!"

"Actually, Iori is correct." Mitsuru just walked in. "Mr. Takezawa was severely injured when the road he was driving on collapsed, and he will be unable to leave the hospital for some time. Even then, he has handed in his notice."

"What? Why?" Yukari was surprised, but I knew the answer.

"He's retiring off the compensation money, isn't he?"

"He was retiring in a few years regardless, but yes Arisoto."

"Hey, Mitsuru Senpai!" Junpei started. "Can we go to Tartarus tonight?"

"We just went yesterday!" Yukari scolded him. "And we almost died, remember!?"

"You kidding?" Junpei smirked. "I _live_ for danger!" He turned back to Mitsuru. "Can we? Please?"

Mitsuru closed her eyes and smiled. "How are your grades Iori?"

"How are yours?" Junpei began, but stopped. "Never mind… I already know."

"I'm currently studying college level material for your information."

"What!"

"I've graduated." I piped in, "So I have studied College level material."

"What?" Junpei was in shock. "You some super genius or something?"

"School leaving age is 16 back in England." I answered. "Then there are two optional years we call College, then University." I leaned forward. "I did one year of college, then dropped out to come over here." BAM!

Junpei leaned back against the couch, moaning. "Man… Now I don't feel like doing anything at all…"

"Well, Colleges are different from Universities back home, so I'm not at Mitsuru's level yet." I picked up a book. "Alright, History. What's the difference between the Palaeolithic and the Neolithic eras?"

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Next day, Friday, I bumped into Mitsuru in the school courtyard. "Good Morning. Exams begin next week. Are you prepared?"

"So long as the Reaper doesn't mess with my exam paper, I should be fine."

Mitsuru chuckled slightly. Admit it, I am better at making jokes than Ikutsuki is. "Well, I'll look forward to seeing them. If they're good, I'll give you something… consider it a reward."

"Oh, thanks."

"To be honest, I'm not as well prepared as I should be. I'm still preoccupied with monitoring Shadows…" Mitsuru sighed. "At any rate, the number of incidents have decreased since the last mission. If we can continue to defeat them, we may be able to rid the public of its fear…"

"So my theory was correct then?"

Mitsuru nodded. "However, every time a new Shadow appears, it seems to be more powerful than the last. And even after Akihiko recovers, we still won't be at full strength…"

I caught that. "Were there any Persona users who left S.E.E.S.? Like Akihiko's friend?"

She was shocked at this. "How do you know about Shinjiro?"

Yep, she knew. "I sensed his Persona when I met him at the hospital. His strength is incredible."

Mitsuru nodded. "It is, but we each have our own reason for fighting. Shinjiro however, has a reason to not fight, and I would prefer if you didn't pry into his business. If he wishes to return, then he will only do so of his own violation."

I nodded. "Alright. I'll keep it a secret from Junpei Kun and Yukari then."

"Thank you Arisoto."

Heh, Arigato Arisoto. Could be the beginning of a tongue twister.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

So, yeah. No fighting, just social linking this time.

I actually came up with the idea for double levelling Chihiro while typing, and I hope it worked. This isn't the first time I've levelled a social link up twice in one day, but this is the first time I've sent it up two levels in one event.

Well, technically it was two events, the train and bookshop, but they went up together. More impact that way.

Now, as for English school systems, yep. It works like that. I know that I made up a few new subjects for Minato to learn, but I have something planned. I made up Mr. Takezawa, but the car rumour was in the game, so I just added a name to it.

As for Chihiro's dad, all I know about him is that he isn't around, so I kept him in contact, just in case. Yep, Justice is moving in a slightly different way to normal, and tell me if you can guess the changes, or if you like or dislike where this is going.


	20. Chapter 20

I'm on a roll with these! Just don't expect me to keep it up to this extent, but I intend to finish this story within a year, so I'll always update fast.

Now to answer KRP's questions, I can't use smell because then nothing would stop human enemies from healing. And as for girlfriends, well I did say that Minato will max out every social link. Though I have plans for how he deals with the whole thing. Anyway, onto the next chapter. It's chapter 20, so I'll do something special.

You might want to listen to Dan888's Toki wo Kizamu Uta during this, at least for the second half of it. It seriously sets the mood for when you need it.

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_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I jogged to school with Akihiko on Saturday. He was almost fully healed, and couldn't wait to do some exercise. Apparently he would be fit for battle after the exams, and since Mitsuru had forbidden exploration during them, I thought it would be best not to do any exploration for the rest of the week.

Hey, those scrolls would still be there when I got back right?

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Good Evening."

Okay. Awake. Green moonlight. In bed. Dark hour. Mysterious boy.

"Oh… Hey."

The boy chuckled, sitting on my bed. I kicked off the covers and sat next to him. Brr… cold. "Thanks for the tip, you saved my backside."

"I just thought it best to warn you." He told me. "After all, I'm always with you."

Hey, wait a second… "Did you say that on the train?"

"Why yes."

"So you actually are with me all the time?"

The boy nodded.

"So why don't I see you more often? Why do you only talk to me during the dark hour, when you need to warn me or something?"

The boy seemed slightly puzzled. "Well, you're busy as it is. I'm sure you need as little distraction as possible."

"Really. Because I really could have used someone holding me back a couple of nights ago."

The boy thought about this for a moment, then said "Angering the Reaper wasn't a very good idea… Why did you do that?"

"Because I didn't know any better and I thought you would warn me if I was doing something stupid?"

"Why would you think that?"

"Because I thought we were friends."

The word seemed to shock the young boy. "F-Friends?"

I nodded. "Yeah, are we?"

Kiddo looked thoughtful. "Well… Yes, I suppose… but… are you sure?"

I offered my hand. "Of course! I'm Minato Arisoto."

The boy closed his eyes, smiling. "Alright then." He opened them and took my hand. "My name is… Pharos. You may call me that if you wish."

"Pharos… Nice to meet you." I said jokingly, shaking his hand.

He stood up. "Well, I'll let you get back to sleep." Pharos moved towards the door. "I'll see you soon, okay?"

I got back under the covers. "I better. Night!"

The boy chuckled as he opened the door. "Goodnight…" he closed the door behind him as he left.

SMASH!

_Thou art I… And I am thou…_

_Thou shalt have our blessing __when thou choosest to make a Persona of the Death Arcana._

Oh, Pimping sweet.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Good Morning."

Okay. Awake. Orange Sunlight. In bed. Morning. Mysterious boy.

"Oh… Hey."

The boy chuckled, sitting on my bed. I kicked off the covers and sat next to him. Hmm… warm. "That was quick. What's up?"

"Nothing," answered Pharos. "I did say that I'd see you soon."

Oh. Cool. "Apparently I made created a social link with you last night."

"The Death Arcana, I know." The boy didn't seem to mind. Rather, he seemed happy about it. "I wonder what power will come from it?"

I nodded. "Well, I need to get ready for school."

The boy tilted his head to one side. "No you don't."

Oh, wait. Sunday. I didn't need to get ready for school. I turned on the TV to see what was on.

"_Anato no, Televy ni, Jika Net Tanaka! Everyone's Friend of Desire!"_

Oh, that's right. Tanaka sells stuff on Sunday TV.

Oh, that's right, Tanaka offered me a job.

"Hey, Pharos…" He looked at me expectantly. "Think I should take the job?"

"Well, the powers of the Devil Arcana are great."

"I expect so… what with Lucifer the Archangel and everything else."

"Actually, The Persona Lucifer is of the Judgement Arcana."

I span around to see him. "Seriously?"

He nodded. "However, you will need the powers of the Devil Arcana at its fullest to be able to summon him."

"Figures…" I looked at the TV. He was selling some knock off katana. It looked fancy, but I could see that it was nothing much. Power of Persona, but still… "I meant morally. _Should_ I take the job?"

"Not as Minato Arisoto, that's for certain."

"Got an alias in mind?"

"I like Mochizuki." Pharos said.

"Full Moon?" It was symbolic. "I like it." I reached for the suit in my wardrobe.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Hi there, I'm here to see President Tanaka."

The receptionist behind the desk looked at me disdainfully. I was wearing a dark grey business suit and I'd combed my hair back. I also brought a briefcase over my normal satchel. Not that I really needed it, it was more for the image. I needed to look three years older than I actually was.

"Do you have an appointment?"

SMASH. Take-Mikazuchi. "I would say that he has an appointment. Tell him it's the man he hired on Tuesday."

The young woman frowned in a confused way, but called Tanaka's Secretary. "Does Mr. President have an appointment with a young man he hired on Tuesday?"

"Does he have blue hair in his face?"

"Not in his face, but yes."

"Then send him up."

"Yes." The receptionist sighed and looked at me. "Mr. Tanaka has just got back from shooting, so try to disturb his meal as little as possible. His office is on the top floor."

"Thank you very much."

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"I take it you've accepted my generous offer then?" Tanaka said, grinning.

I sat down opposite him. "I've come to negotiate."

Tanaka sighed. "I knew this would happen. Go on then."

"I need to work from home. I will report to the office once a week to file a fiscal report for the near future, plus I will be on call for emergencies. And I mean emergencies." I looked at him in the eye. "I will require a work mobile phone, plus full access to the company's information and computer network. And I want a starting bonus equal to three months pay, and to be paid weekly as opposed to monthly." I doubted he'd go for it, but I know it's best to start off big when negotiating, but not so extreme that the other guy to write you off as unreasonable.

"Done."

Huh?

"If you are as skilled as I think you are, then you'll easily earn your keep, even like that. I actually was going to suggest you working from home in order to minimise suspicion of me hiring a minor." Tanaka looked at his computer.

"He's opening up a bank account." Pharos said, suddenly appearing behind him. "In Switzerland."

"I want your pay to be untraceable to a minor. What's your name kid?"

"Orpheus." I told him. "Orpheus Mochizuki."

He typed it in. "Now what's your real name?"

"Minato." He seemed to want the same thing I did. "Minato Arisoto."

That surprised him. "Relative of Hayate Arisoto?"

"Um… Yeah!" That surprised me. "He was my father."

"That explains a lot…" Tanaka smirked. "Brilliant man... Shame about what happened, right? Come to think of it…" Tanaka looked at me thoughtfully. "I think I remember him buying everyone drinks when you were born…"

SMASH

_Thou shalt have our blessing __when thou choosest to make a Persona of the Devil Arcana._

"See? I told you coming would pay off."

Time started again.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Tanaka gave me some files to look through while he got a guy to fake an identity for me. "Anything for Hayate's kid!" Apparently dad was popular around the office. I explained that I wouldn't be able to do anything for a week due to exams, but I gave a fairly detailed report of predictions for the coming week to him. He seemed appreciative, telling me that my cheque was in the mail. It was getting dark by the time I left, and when I did, I flicked my hair forward and took off my tie. It felt weird with the right hand side of my face exposed. Still, I walked back towards the train station with no regrets.

"Hm? Arisoto?"

Ah bugger. I turned around to see Mitsuru looking at me from the back seat of a Bentley. I'm screwed. "Uh… Hi?"

"Shouldn't you be studying for the exam tomorrow?"

"I needed some fresh air." I lied smoothly.

"In a suit?"

Crap. "There was something I needed to take care of…"

She nodded. "Were you visiting your parents graves?"

That struck me senseless. I didn't even believe myself.

I had been here for over a month and not once did I even consider seeing my parents graves.

Not once.

"Actually… I'm going there now."

Mitsuru nodded. "I understand. Make sure you are home in time to get a good rest for tomorrow. Do you need a lift?"

"No…" I shook my head. "No, I'm fine. Later." I walked off.

"You seem depressed." Pharos told me.

I was actually disgusted with myself. What kind of son was I? I made my way to the graveyard.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_Hayate and Charity Arisoto_

Wow. Actually here, I had no idea what to say.

Normally, I like funerals. I've been to them for ages. I remember attending my grandfather's funeral on this side with dad. _If he's old enough to know about life_ he'd say, _he's old enough to know about death._

Dad was practical like that. Oh, he wasn't hard, far from it. I remember everyone loving him, which made no sense to me at the time since it seemed he was always picking on somebody, but looking back, I guess that he picked on everyone _because_ he loved them.

Hey, a very good measure of how good your friends are is how much you can insult them without them taking offence, right dad?

Mom was always telling him off for that. She rarely said an unkind word to anyone. Well, she got stressed when I acted up, but come on; I wasn't even Pharos's age.

Come to think of it, I don't remember much about them, but what I do is all happy memories.

Memories that made an impact on me.

"Mom…"

Now that I remember correctly, Dad was an only child too. Grandma wanted to look after me, but she was just too old. She's dead now and all, so I would probably have ended up in England with Auntie Anne and Uncle Amos anyway. I smiled. Grandma had insisted I attended the funeral, and Anne said that I shouldn't, I was too young. Amos asked me what to I wanted to do. I went.

I couldn't cry at the funeral.

I don't know why. I knew they were dead. I understood that they were dead. But, I just couldn't cry back then. I was a seven year old fresh orphan, and mine were the only dry eyes at my parents' funeral. Come to think about it… that was about the same time I started forcing emotions. Oh, I feel them, and I can show them, but it still takes a conscious effort to smile.

Whatever the reason, I was crying now. I said it was okay, and not to apologise but really… it hurt. It hurt that other people had parents and I don't. Not anymore. It… it hurt to be alone.

"You're not alone."

I turned around to see Pharos sitting on someone's tombstone. He hopped off it and walked towards mom and dad's grave and started praying. He opened one eye and said "Aren't you going to pray too?"

"I'm English. We pray to God." And talk to the dead. And I still didn't know what to say. Other than "Thanks…"

I wasn't sure who I was thanking, or why, but I had a bunch of questions I never got to ask. What did they want for me? What did they think of what I was doing? Did they approve? Did they want their son risking his life in combat on a regular basis? What about him working in dad's office while still at school? Would they be happy about the fact that their son is manipulating, playing people in order to get close to them so he can gain power?

Probably not.

'_I, Minato Arisoto, give my word that I will take full responsibility for the consequences of my decisions.'_

That's right.

"I'm sorry mom, dad… I know this probably isn't what you wanted from your son… but this is who I am… this is who I have to be…"

I blinked some of the tears out of my eyes, crouching down to the small monument. "I miss you. Auntie Anne and Uncle Amos took good care for me, and I love them, but… I miss you…" Damn… this hurts… "I might not be doing what you might have wanted me to do with life, but I promise that I will do my best to live my life without any regrets." _Like dad did._

I stood up. "I promise that I'll make myself someone to be proud of." With that, I walked away from my parents' grave. Crying.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I don't remember much about the journey home, other than I did it in silence. Come to think about it… I started the day with such bravado… such arrogance… but right now…

I don't think that I've felt more humble now than I ever have in my entire life.

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Tried my best there. Hope it worked.


	21. Chapter 21

I am updating stupid fast. Seriously, this is the sixth in about a week, if the records are telling the truth. Well, what the hey.

Now, got preparing for college to do, so I won't be updating as regularly in the near future. In fact, I probably won't be updating as frequently as this full stop, but I'll keep a decent pace. Hopefully.

And to Naru-Chan, Minato? Blinded with rage? Impossible. Tranquil fury? Oh yes. Coat's are off? You bet. Unstoppable rage? That's for Junpei. Oh, you are going to love Junpei's unstoppable rage. But if Minato did it? It would suck and ruin the story, so no. Never.

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_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I'm not talking about the exams. No way. Nothing interesting happened before or after school during exam time, Mitsuru was adamant on that. I suffered them, doesn't mean you have to, so I'm gonna skip that completely.

Well, I'd like to, but you ought to know that Pharos cheats. Yeah. He kept walking around the classroom telling me what everyone was writing. I'd like to say that I ignored him, but sometimes he told me an answer I knew was wrong, which led me on to what the real answer was. And it'd hard to look back and check your answers if you've been told what they were, so I tried to keep some integrity by not changing the questions I know that I wouldn't have gotten. I just hope that it doesn't come back to bite me in the backside later.

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So, Saturday we had the last exam, General Studies. I was able to take it easy, since Pharos couldn't help me on this one. For each question, you were given two sides of an argument and had to write your argument for or against the topic of the debate.

I know for a fact that I aced it. Convincing people to my point of view was easy for me.

"Hey! Minato Kun!"

I turned around. "'Sup Kazushi Kun."

My teammate walked up to me. "Hey, rest of the team are going out later, you coming?"

"Sure, why not? Is Yuko San going?"

Kazushi nodded. "Yeah, it was her idea. Anyway, we're going for Karaoke, but can you cover me for a few hours?"

I nodded. "Your mom worried about the results?"

He nodded. We both knew that we weren't talking about exams. I reached into my pocket and passed him 5,000 yen. "I'll say you're on a food run. Bring us something good."

"Dude, you sure?" He was reluctant about taking the money.

"You're putting five grand to it too. Difference is you keep the change since it's your run."

He laughed and pocketed it. "Thanks man. I owe you one."

"You owe me pie. Don't forget it."

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mandagora was the Karaoke bar in Paulownia Mall. It was on the upper level, above the alley where the velvet room is, normally, it's next to impossible to get in on the weekend, but Yuko had reserved us a room. We had fun, and I laughed like hell during Saito's horrific slaughter of 'Don't stop me know'. I had no idea that was popular over here.

Eventually it was my turn to sing. I looked for one that I knew somewhat, and found that the opening for that new Fullmetal alchemist was on the list. Man, I loved that remake. I picked it and stood up.

"Dude, Yui's a girl. Again is a girl's song."

"Just watch Hideo Kun…"

Let's see… adjust my voice to adapt…. One octave below the original singers… okay. Let's go.

"_Yume no tsuzuki, Oikakete ita hazu na no ni…  
Magarikunetta hosoi michi Hito ni tsumazuku…"_  
Bring it down…  
_"Ano koro mitai ni tte Modoritai wake ja nai no Nakushite kita sora o…  
Sagashiteru!  
__Wakatte kuremasu you ni Gisei ni natta you na Kanashii kao wa  
Yamete yo!"_  
Now for the fast bit…  
_"Tsumi no saigo wa namida ja nai yo, Zutto kurushiku seottekun da  
Deguchi mienai kanjou meiro ni __**Dare o matteru no**__!  
Shiroi nooto ni tsuzutta you ni Motto sunao ni hakidashitai yo  
Nani kara Nogaretain da __**Genjitsu tte yatsu!"  
**_And now, Chorus!  
_"Kanaeru tame ni Ikiterun da tte  
Wasurechaisou na, Yoru no mannaka…  
Munan ni nante Yatterarenai kara-aaah!  
__**Kaeru basho mo nai no**__  
Kono omoi o keshite shimau ni wa  
Mada jinsei nagai desho…"  
_(I'm not that way!)_  
"Natsukashiku naru… Konna itami mo kangeijan!"_

Damn, I love that song. Lyrics fit FMA so well too.

"Wow, not bad." Thanks Pharos. I turned around and everyone was in shock.

"Wow Minato Kun…" Yuko was impressed. "Nice set of pipes."

"Dammit man…" Manaka was annoyed. "Why bother joining the kendo team if you can just go become a male idol instead?"

"Because I have enough fangirls as it is." Nice, well timed joke. I didn't, and did not want any. A girlfriend or two would be different though.

Did I just insinuate that I wouldn't mind being a two timing scumbag? Why am I not surprised? Scary…

"I'M BACK WITH SUSHI!"

Thank you Kazushi from derailing that dangerous, _dangerous_ train of thought right there.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Eventually Hideo suggested we sneak into Escapade. Obviously we had to change half way out of our school uniforms, and I suggested that we go in separately to avoid suspicion. Since I wore an actual tie and looked the most mature with my hair parted, I went in first.

"Sorry, we can't allow any more inside."

There was a bouncer by the door, which was unusual. I asked him about it, turned out that the band blobbed on them, and all the people inside were in uproar. I peeked through the door. There was a drumkit set up, guitar, bass, mic and some amps set up.

"What are you gonna do?" Pharos asked me.

Fairly obvious. I dodged past the bouncer and ran towards the stage. When the crowd got in the way, I jumped sideways and tic-tacked the wall onto the stage. I grabbed the guitar and began to play.

Borrowing a brilliant crowd calming move I learnt from the great Eric Roche, I started playing Smells like teen spirit. However, I'd taken time to learn it his style. The style that involved playing lead guitar, rhythm guitar, bass guitar, drums and vocals simultaneously on one acoustic guitar. It takes an insane amount of skill, but he played it off the top of his head for the first time at a gig with bottles being thrown at him.

I learnt it before hand, but it had the same effect, which is best described as 'holy crap'.

I played a few songs afterward, then got off the stage and went to the bar, ordering a sprite. Hey, I'm underage, and they're strict about that over here. Barman asked what he could do to thank me, and I settled for him letting my teammates in for the night. I, on the other hand, got my name on the clubs V.I.P. list.

"Hmm… I feel a strange aura around you…"

I turned to the woman to my right. She had dark brown hair and was dressed for working in an office. "In my mind," She said, "I see visions... People's past, present, and future... For most people, I see clearly, and far ahead... But you are different..."

She looked right at me. "Your future is filled with both blinding light and stagnant shadow... I can see but a small portion... What lies beyond that is shrouded in mystery…" She turned back to her drink. "What a peculiar fate you carry..."

"Erm…"

"Would you like me to share my limited visions with you Bearer of Light and Shadow?" I nodded. "Very well…"

She closed her eyes, as if concentrating. "…You have pulled fate's trigger… The bullet passes through many, breaking glass barriers and opening hearts…" She concentrated further. "I feel that a change is about to occur in your life…A strong wind blows across the world, sending a blue flower's petals into the air..." She opened her eyes. "How will you interpret this wind...? As a weak and frail breeze? Or a brave and mighty gust...?" She turned back to her drink. "Farewell, then... May your future be bright..."

"She's the real deal." Pharos told me. "But she's right. I can't seem to predict the future much when it comes to you either…"

"Nice, Minato Kun!" Yuko slapped me across the back. "Never expected you to get us in!"

"Hey, I have skills." Which reminded me. "Oh, I looked into their diet for you."

"Really? What's it like?"

Some time before the exams, Yuko asked me to check out Yukari and Mitsuru's diet for her. She said that they were her best chance of finding a diet that would help you stay active and thin at the same time, since they were also in sports teams. I told her how much they eat about a day, and she was gobsmacked.

"Seriously? That much?" I just thought they could actually do with more. "Are they bulimic or something?"

"Nah, but they do put themselves through training from hell." Hey, Tartarus is Greek for Hell. Most people think its Hades, but that's just the person in charge of it. Common misconception.

"Wow… that actually makes me look good. Thanks!"

SMASH

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Strength Arcana..._

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I pulled Kazushi over to a table at one point during the night. Believe it or not, because of all the people we could have our conversation in private. I got him to tell me how the results of the exam went. From the look on his face, not well.

"I… I really don't want the others to know about this…"

"You look like you don't even want me to know about it."

"You deserve to know… and I'm gonna need your help…" Oh. If Kazushi was asking for help about this then it was serious. "I…" he sighed.

"My hamstring's being ripped apart." He told me, coming clean. "He… he told me that I put too much strain on it during practice… if it keeps up I… I won't ever be able to walk again…"

He looked like hell, and I understood why. An athlete who couldn't use his hamstring was like… like me without Persona. Still alive, but I couldn't do what made me live. If he destroyed it, then his life was over, but if he rested, had surgery and went through rehab, then he could still make it next year. I need to be careful about this. Especially since he thinks he's doing this for his nephew. Hell, how can I ask him to back out of a promise because he might suffer what his nephew already is suffering? How could I…

…That could work…

"You're gonna need to be careful then."

He looked up to me. "You need to find a way to let the hamstring rest. The sensible thing would be to back out of the promise and get it treated."

"Wha- What do you take me for!?" Kazushi was outraged.

"Someone who won't do the sensible thing." I answered with a sly grin. Kazushi caught it and sat back down, matching it. "The 'right' thing to do," I continued, "is destroy yourself and hope that it inspires your nephew to take the rehab. Which is probably won't."

Okay, good so far… but where to now...?

"Musashi managed to fight with an injured leg, if I remember correctly. Sent many men to their deaths."

Pharos liked to tell me what 'really' happened during the history exam, but this was actually good advice. I'd read that manga.

"Remember Miyamoto Musashi?" I told Kazushi.

"Well, duh, who hasn't?"

Most of the people outside of Japan for one. "Well, he fought for ages with a sliced hamstring while it healed, so all you need to do is figure out how he did it." Come on Minato… Think… THINK! Click. "He called that technique the circle of death right? He drew a circle in the ground and told his enemies that he wouldn't move, but if they entered the circle then they would die right?"

"What about it? Wait…" The penny dropped in Kazushi's head.

I smiled. "You look it up in the library; I'll try to develop it." I was as much of a genius in combat as I was musically. "We can do this."

Kazushi smiled. "Thanks man… I owe you one…"

SMASH!

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Chariot Arcana..._

"Hey kid!"

Kazushi and I turned around to see a drunken monk with a cigar in his mouth walking towards us. It was pretty surreal. He took a seat next to us. "That was some pretty fancy guitar playing there… but you're awfully young to be here." He said. He then turned to Kazushi and added "So are you. I'm surprised they didn't throw you out."

"Well, they said we could come in this once to thank Minato Kun for what he did."

"That explains a lot… they letting you drink?"

"Only soft drinks." I said. "Like you said, we're too young to actually be here."

"I thought so… so you're some no good kids who wanted a peek at adult life, eh?"

"We wouldn't drink anyways." Kazushi said. "And we're not 'No Good Kids'. We're athletes."

"Oh really? What sport?"

"Kendo." I told him.

"What, you?" He laughed at me. "Kid, if you're any kind of athlete, you're a swimmer, or a runner. Kendo Ain't for skinny kids like you."

Now, I admit, I was smaller than the other guys on the team, but skinny I was not. "Excuse me?" my muscles weren't big, but they were rock solid. By hell, they were they rock solid. I've broken hands with my abs.

"Dude, I'm the next captain, and he's better than me!" Kazushi told the old monk.

"Huh. You think it'll last?"

Kazushi was stunned. No surprise, considering the damage to his leg. "You seem optimistic about the future kid. Don't be. Because when you don't get what you hoped for outta life, it's gonna crush ya. Then you're gonna hafta drink and smoke just ta get through the day."

The monk stood up. "You're nothing like those punks I normally see around here; Always getting inta trouble with the police and at school. Can't say the same for my son though…" he looked at us. "I'm gonna remember your faces kids. Next time I see you in here, I'll get the bouncer to throw ya out." He turned away. "When you've had yer fill, go home. And don't come back." He walked off into the crowd.

SMASH.

Aww, what!

_Thou art I… and I am thou…_

You've gotta be kidding me…

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Tower Arcana..._

This just isn't fair… wait, Tower?

"Symbolising destruction, and your ideals falling in on you, Tower." Pharos added, smiling.

That explained a lot.

"What's up with him?" Kazushi asked, huffing.

"He probably doesn't want us getting into trouble."

"Sound more like he thought we were trouble to me."

"Remember what he said about his son?" I asked to Kazushi, leaning towards him. "I think he's trying to a parental figure to us because something happened between him and his son."

Kazushi looked at me like I was crazy. "Seriously? You think so?"

I nodded. "It's amazing what you find out when you listen and pay attention. Not many people actually do it."

Kazushi sighed. "I suppose…"

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I got back to the dorm at around half eleven, ready for bed.

"Where've you been?"

"With some friends," I told Akihiko. "Why?"

Then I looked at him. He was there with his arms folded, metal gauntlets covering his fists, wearing a bullet proof vest. Yukari and Junpei were kitted out for battle. "I've been out of action for over a month," Akihiko said, "And you didn't think that we were going to Tartarus first chance I got? I've gotta get back into shape! Besides…" He continued. "We've found another Persona user."

WHAT!?

"We did!?" Junpei asked. "Sweet! Is it a girl?"

"Actually, yeah, she is. Her name's Fuuka Yamagishi, she's in your year, on the other side. You know her?"

"Yamagishi…" Yukari began "Oh, that girl in 2-E? I heard she gets sick a lot, so I don't see her very often."

Akihiko nodded. "It's possible. I did meet her at the hospital after all. But…" Akihiko sighed. "Maybe she's not cut out for battle… I had an Evoker made for her too…"

"We're giving up on her already?" I asked.

"Shame…" Junpei said. "I was gonna offer her some private lessons…"

Yukari glared at Junpei. "What do you expect?" He said, trying to defend himself. "I'm a guy."

"Actually… Mitsuru would probably be a better option for private lessons…" I added, thinking to myself.

"Junpei's gotten a nosebleed." Thanks Pharos, I really needed to know that.

"Anyway, come on! We need to go!" Akihiko told me. "Mitsuru's already there. We've got about twenty minutes until the dark hour!"

I slammed my bag against the ground and pulled out my Evoker, ramming it into the back of my trousers. I got my gloves out of my pockets and tugged them onto my hands. "Let's go."

"Aren't you forgetting something?"

"I'll grab something when I'm there." I told Yukari. "I'm feeling lucky."

I was. If a bit tired.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Combat next chapter. Just need to work out what impact Pharos will have on Minato's fighting skills.

Wait, scratch that. I've figured it out just now. Grin. The beauty of it is that it is so believable.

And I just gasped when I realised just what I could do with this plan.

Those of you who have read 'Fall of Reach' will probably be able to guess what's going to happen. Just remember the insane Bell Course in the second half of the book. And now I am forced to do the badass quote.

"What are you going to do?"  
"I'm going to finish counting to ten."

But yeah. Studying for back to school, then back to school, so expect a decrease in pace in the future. If I upload a chapter tomorrow, tell me to get back to work. Four hours writing a chapter could be four hours studying.

Oh, while I remember. Yes, look up Smells like Teen Spirit by Eric Roche. Fantastic performance.

As for the Miyamoto Mushashi manga, it's called Vagabond and is insanely awesome.

As for Minato being a fan of Brotherhood, well right now Minato is a couple of months behind us, so Again is still the opening theme for the amazing anime, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. I like to think of it as an apology for the big mess that was the original anime.  
If you've read the original manga and compared it to the original anime, you'll know what I mean. If you don't, then watch Brotherhood. Prepare for your head to explode if you've only watch the basic anime.


	22. Chapter 22

Yay, new chapter after a few days. A few more reviews too. Now to answer them.

First, KrossWinter Sure, feel free to give the Reaper a personality, just remember to credit me for the idea. By the sounds of it, I think it's officially mine, since it looks like no one else has done that yet. Heck, he's not even listed as a character when I tried to make the secondary character of the story to Reaper. As for your other question, well Persona 3 gives you no option other than dating the girl if you want to max out her social link, and Minato will max out every social link in this story. My answer will not change on that subject, no matter how many times it's asked.

And Ravenwingcorps, let's just say it involves running.

KRP, way, way off, as you'll find out.

And thanks Doyd112, I am a fan of the two Eric's, Roche and Clapton.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

As we got into Tartarus, Akihiko asked me to lead the team. I agreed, but still asked why. He said that he wanted to focus on his training, and I was doing an amazing job already. Well, yeah. But I still needed to figure out how to adapt Akihiko into my battle strategies.

We teleported to the twenty-fifth floor and ran to the twenty-sixth.

"**There is a large source of power on the thirty-sixth floor. Four floors above is the barrier. Aim for there."**

"Thanks." I turned to my team. "Alright, usual routine. Akihiko, follow Junpei's lead until I think of how to use you."

"Got it."

"Alright. Secondary objective is to find me weapons and armour. Let's go!"

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

There were a large amount of Shadows on the next few floors, but nothing like last time. However, it was harder than before. Unfortunately, we didn't find any weapons other than a pouch of Kunai. I took it unwillingly, reasoning that as long as I only threw them, it was cool, since I didn't have much other choice.

Then we found a purple cluster of Shadows. What the hell?

"Those Shadows are stronger than the regular kind." Pharos told me. "Want my help?"

"I think this'll be stronger than usual." I said, "But we'll be fine." I'm good at speaking in code. "Ready?"

The other three nodded, and I pulled a Kunai out of the pouch and charged, throwing it deep into the cluster, and as it exploded it revealed some wrestler type Shadows. The others surrounded the Shadows, the Shadows surrounded me, so I put the Evoker to my head, surrounded.

"Pale Rid-GUH!" a fist the size of my shoulders smashed into me, sending me flying.

"Minato!"

"**Are… Are you alright?"**

"Yeah… Peachy…" I wiped the blood from my mouth. "Scan them, everyone else attack!"

Junpei and Akihiko charged forward, Yukari firing her arrows as she turned around the room towards me. Nothing was working. "Damnit…" I grunted, struggling to my feet.

"Here." I felt a hand grab my arm. Pharos. "Sure you don't want my help?"

"If we don't do it on our own power…" I mumbled, forcing myself up, "Then it's meaningless."

"Oh, I won't be interfering in that." Pharos smiled. "I'll only be helping you as much as Miss Kirijo is."

"**They're Steel Gigas! Use Zio on them!"**

"GARGH!"

"**AKIHIKO!"**

"SEMPAI!"

Damn… Akihiko was done. "Fine…" I looked at Yukari. "I'm Fine, take care of Akihiko!"

Yukari did so, and Pharos walked into me. It felt weird. I could see energy flow around a Gigas that was charging for Yukari, and I knew it was a Sukukaja, which would increase its speed

_That's the Eyes of the Reaper. _

'_Do I have to pay half of my lifespan?'_

I felt Pharos chuckle as I charged after Yukari. SMASH. "ZIONGA!"

Take Mikazuchi summoned a thunderbolt, striking an empty space that the Gigas ran right into. Falling down, I pulled a curse tag out of my pocket and stuck it onto a Kunai. I jumped over the fallen Shadow and threw it into its back. Black fire consumed it and it disappeared.

_Block to your left, now!_

I did as I was told but instead of feeling the impact, I diverted the charging Gigas into the wall. My reaction timing was perfect…

_That's me accounting for your reactions and making up the difference._

'_Thanks.'_

"Thanks Takeba."

Akihiko was up and healed, and now Yukari moved to me. "Akihiko! Help Junpei!"

"Got it!" Akihiko rushed over to fill the gap between the huge wrestler and the smaller swordsman. The Gigas that faceplanted the wall now pulled itself out of the wall, turning to face me.

_Want to know another trick?_

'_Sure.'_

Pharos told me.

Holy crap was he serious?

'_Let's do it.'_

I felt his presence leave my mind; since what I was trying to do was risky as it was without anything else in the way.

"It's coming!" Yukari loaded her bow.

I felt the power rush to my arm. "Alright!" I charged towards the Gigas with my right arm ready to deliver a haymaker.

"Minato!"

"**What are you doing? Are you out of your mind?"**

"RRARGH!" My fist collided with the Shadow's gigantic hammer of an arm. Then magic happened.

"BBZZTT---DAKOOM!" A shockwave blasted and the Gigas was knocked down. I looked at the blue sparks flashing around my hand. Holy crap.

"What!? Minato!"  
**"What..? How… How is that possible"  
**"What was that!?"  
"WHAT THE HELL!?"  
"I told you…"

Pharos's quiet words echoed much louder to me than my teammates cries did. Seeing my enemy struggling to get up, I pulled out my Leatherman and, flicking out the knife, jammed it into his chest.

Not a weapon. I dragged the blade down, making an incision.

Never a weapon. I jammed my two arms inside of it, failing to grab any organs.

Only as a tool. I grabbed my right wrist with my left hand. "CHIDORI!!"

A thunderbolt erupted from my arm, killing the wounded Shadow. Sorry, but I just couldn't resist it, the chance was just too good to pass up.

I got up, damned glad that I didn't bring my jacket. I was up to my elbows in Ichor, and my shirt was splattered in the black blood. My tie was ruined too, but it was worth it.

"Behind you."

I turned around to see the Gigas release an energy blast, knocking Junpei and Akihiko back. It charged at me, so I pulled out the Evoker and blasted my brains out, bringing the Gigas down with a Zionga.

Akihiko got up, charging. "I've been waiting for this!"

Junpei got up and followed him, followed by me and Yukari as we beat the Shadow down into oblivion.

Once it melted, Akihiko grabbed me. "Okay, what the hell was that?"

"An experiment." I replied. Technically true. "I just forced the energy of the Zio down my arm instead of summoning my Persona. It was weaker than it would have been if I summoned, but since the Gigas is weak to electricity, it knocked him back."

"And the Chidori?" Junpei asked me.

"Same thing, only I cast it instead of charging my fist with it. Just seemed right."

"Oh, sure, great!" Junpei complained flippantly. "So not only is our fearless leader able to use loads more Persona thus us, but now he can use MAGIC! How's that fair? OW!" He jumped as Akihiko poked him. "The hell?"

Akihiko opened his hand, revealing a small thunderstorm. "Seems to work, but I doubt I could use it in battle yet." He closed it back into a fist, the thunder disappearing. "You probably have such good control from being aware of the dark hour for so long."

"**I… I can't believe that we never realised Persona could be used this way…"**

"Actually, I got the idea a while ago when Yukari healed me without her summoning Io." I lied. "I just tried it out now."

"COME ON!! FIRE!!!"

Junpei was squeezing his wrist tight, clearly trying for a fireball. His face looked like those guys who pull buses on 'Worlds strongest man', it was hilarious. We all burst out laughing at him, except Junpei, who looked murderous.

"Come on man…" I slapped his hand. It hurt. "ow…"

I slipped off my glove. The skin underneath was all red, as if I'd just scalded it. "Okay, you're getting there…" Junpei looked satisfied. Yukari touched my hand and the skin healed. Yep, Yukari's the best at it out of us all.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Six floors later, and I was almost disappointed with the lack of Reaper.

"Are you scared of me now..?" I whispered to myself.

_**Not in the slightest**_

I jumped, gripping hatchet in my hand. "Everything alright?" Akihiko asked.

"Yeah… fine."

We'd found a few weapons along the way. I had a couple of sai held in my belt and a scimitar across my back. Pharos had been a big help two. Thanks to the Reapers Eyes, I could tell what skills Shadows were using, and could almost predict their moves. Picking out those cards were easier as well, but one part that was really helpful was the radar thingy I now had. While I couldn't tell the layout of rooms and corridors I hadn't seen yet, I could tell where nearby Shadows, Items or Teammates were, and I knew where I had been, so travel was easier. On top of that, I knew how much Spiritual Pressure my teammates had just by looking at them, which was a plus. I still relied on Mitsuru for the Shadows resistances and weaknesses, however, and Pharos only warned my in life threatening situation and even then, his timing wasn't always perfect, but it was still a big help. At this point, I was still the only one who could use Persona powers in battle without summoning, but not when Pharos is lending me the Eyes, so I still couldn't use it much.

Anyway, we found the stairs pretty quickly and made it to the thirty-sixth floor.

"**There isn't much of the dark hour left; you'll have to wait for next time to battle the enemy."**

"Alright then." I activated the teleporter. "Let's go."

_**Running away are we?**_

Once everyone else had gone I gave my answer.

"Mom's calling us in for teatime, we'll have to play with you later."

_**How cute**_

"It was a rather good comeback however."

"Thanks Pharos."

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I didn't do much on Sunday, other than work on the financial report for Tanaka and play some Innocent Sin. Maya complained about her life, but it was fine since I levelled up the Hermit social link. Pharos said that I knew Maya, which was interesting.

What was less interesting more What the Hell came Monday. You remember Monday? Results day? Well I went to the scoreboard during lunch to see how well I did. Junpei did alright, just, and Yukari did pretty well. I couldn't find my name though.

"Oh, wow! Is Minato that smart?"

"I don't believe it! That's so high!"

I looked around to see who had found my name.

"You're name's here." Pharos pointed to a separate sheet. The high scores. I looked at it, and was shocked at what I saw.

_1st place: Minato Arisoto. 95% Average._

THE HELL!?

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Of course you came first in the year." Ms. Toriumi told me. "Your test scores were magnificent!"

"But I wasn't that good before! I'm not that good!"

I made them show me the papers. Ah. I got 100% on Business, General, Maths, Lit, Physics, and English. I did alright in Japanese, and really well in History and Chemistry and Biology.

So the exams I didn't cheat on were the ones I did best on.

"Well, you would have gotten lower scores on them anyway."

Looking through the exams, Pharos was right. If it wasn't for him, I'd be second or third place, since it was only those exams that brought me down to 95%. Although, the English exam was probably a given, since my teacher assumes tha just because I'm from England I would ace an English exam so she just skipped it.

"Some of the other teachers were really impressed with your scores," Ms. Toriumi told me. "They said that some of your answers were at the professional level. Mr Ekoda was especially impressed, since apparently you slept through most of his lessons."

"All I did was read the book!" Actually, that was probably why I did so well. Since I ignored everything he told me and just wrote what I thought, then it seemed like I was putting in a really complex argument. Looking through Chemistry and Biology, some of the mistakes were from Pharos telling me what would happen in _practice_, instead of what would happen in _theory_. History, I got the dates wrong, and some stuff Pharos told me. Japanese was probably the only exam I did completely fairly. Course, I couldn't tell them the truth, since that would send me into a psyche ward, and telling them I cheated would get me kicked out of school. Both of them were unacceptable, so what choice did I have. "Alright then…"

"You know, most students would kill to have scores like that, and you sound almost like you don't want them."

I could see Ms. Toriumi's argument, and who wouldn't? "I just didn't think that I deserved them, and thought that there had been some kind of mistake, but yeah, this is my work, and it fits the mark scheme."

"Well, it's no a school record or anything, but it's still something to be proud of. It's much better than wasting your life on games or something…" Ms. Toriumi sighed, rubbing her head. Sign of stress.

"You alright miss? You seem concerned about something."

Ms. Toriumi was surprised, but seemed thankful. "It's alright Minato Kun. Thank you for your concern though."

I got up, hesitantly. "You sure?"

My teacher nodded. "Yes, I'm fine. You'd best be off before lunch is over."

I nodded and left the room.

SMASH!

Huh?

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to make a Persona of the Hermit Arcana._

"I did say you knew her."

Holy crap. Actually, I'm more surprised that I'm not surprised. Come to think about it, the clues were there, I just didn't pick up on them. I'm gonna have to brush up on my detective skills.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

We looked over the general studies exam that afternoon, and I found out why Ms. Toriumi was so stressed.

One question was about bullying, and she said that we got marked no matter what we put down, so long as it was bullying. We could even have written about bullying in the school. "Not that there is any bullying here however…" she said.

Remember that I can see hidden emotions flash on someone's face when they lie if I'm concentrating? Well, I was concentrating, and she was lying. The guilt, anger, and sadness were clear to me.

Someone was being bullied, and she was angry about it. Her eyes didn't flash to anyone in the room, so the sadness was probably because he student was out of her jurisdiction, but the students teacher wasn't doing anything about it, and she was disgusted. I shifted sitting position, now squatting on my seat. Which teachers did she complain about when she was online?

One teacher stuffed her chest… Mr E had an argument with her about something… something he was doing was wrong but he ignored her… he was my best bet… Mr E…

Mr. Ekoda. He taught class 2-F, the other second year class. So the person bullied was in his class.

I need to stop sleeping in his lessons.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

So, yeah. He's not Genius yet, but he is Intelligent.

Decent amount of combat and not combat here.

Now, just to clarify, MINATO CANNOT USE THE CHIDORI. He thought that it might look like one so he did it because he found it funny. I foreshadowed this in the second chapter, remember?

Yep, there will be similar jokes in future, but this is the last that you'll see from Chidori.

Also, return of the great detective. Response for him first time round means that now he does it often. As in once or twice a month in storyline, only when he needs to think detect things.

But yeah, I made Pharos Cortana. I told Ravenwingcorps this and he thought I was mental. Then I explained that I meant that Pharos was going to do a lot of Cortana's jobs for Minato, then he thought it was a good idea.

But yeah, I'm slowing down to updating about three or four times a week for both of the stories combined. Which is slower than I have done in more recent times, I admit, but still faster than other people. I do believe that smaller, more frequent updates are preferable to bigger updates with a larger gap between. Sure, it adds to the tension, and makes it read smoother, but that's only after a load of chapters have been uploaded and even then, you're stuck waiting for ages for the next update, whereas for me, you never know when I'll update other than soon. And when I say soon I mean soon.

Also, back to main deviation point. Yep, they can use weaker versions of their Personas abilities themselves. I foreshadowed this, and it's necessary for other plans I have for the story. Those that know those plans will also know to keep their mouths shut about it.

Time for a slight rant. Remember the show Freakazoid? I liked that show. What happened to it?

There. Rant over. Author notes over. Chapter over. Story over.

Until I next update. Which will be Soon.

Unless I'm kidnapped by CandleJack.


	23. Chapter 23

Hey, I'm back!

Yeah, sorry about my absence, but like I said, I will more than make it up to you. Hell, it's probably a good idea I took a break because I got some freaking awesome ideas for the story. For now, let us just say that it involves awesomeness.

I'm also considering doing an omake side story, where I randomly take a crack at doing a time period from another characters point of view. What do you guys think?

Speaking of what you guys think, thanks again for your reviews. Apologies to KRP, but looking back, the foreshadowing basically included Minato being a geek, and Yukari healing without summoning. So, yeah, that's none, so sorry. Also, Cortana is the hologram girl that helps Master Chief in Halo.

For the record, Ms. Toriumi won't find out that it is Minato until the end, of course. Unfortunately, I do not have a PSP, so I'm not getting Persona or Dissidia. Still, there is a manga of it, so expect references. Actually, I've already made one, since the Nanjo group (which the Kirijo group broke away from) is owned by one of the first Persona users. Yeah, I know. Wow.

Something that also makes me regret not having a PSP even more, however, is the announcement and release of the opening video for Persona 3 Portable. Yeah. Another expansion of P3, but this time events change slightly, and you get an alternate timeline where you play as a girl. Yep. Minato as a woman. So all the roles in the social links are flipped over, Elizabeth is a dude, the cutscenes change, but Ryoji is still a dude. Freaky, I know, but the focus of the game is the butterfly effect, so it's more than likely not going to go down the same.

Anyhoo, back to the story. Prepare for a timeskip, since I need to make up for lost time.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I watched Ekoda all week, and yep, He's hiding something. You can practically smell the fear coming out of him.

That's not all I noticed though, there's been talk of bullying all over the place. Rumours and rumours of rumours, but things are starting to fall into place.

And now it's the first of June, and we're wearing summer uniforms now. Which means shortsleeves, no jackets and no more ties. I kept my tie though, just because I like it.

Anyway back at the dorm, me and Akihiko were practicing our energy control. We were basically arm wrestling, only instead of pushing with our arms, we pushed with electricity. Junpei could set his hand on fire and Mitsuru could freeze stuff. Yukari was starting to use wind manipulation, but I'm having difficulty seeing how that could help.

And yes, I got the scrolls of armaments. They were a bit of a let down actually. I mean, yeah, they are awesome, but it's hard to open up the correct scroll, find the right section, and activate the seal in the heat of battle, so it's no bat belt.

"Man… I'm bored…"

"You're always bored Junpei." I reminded him.

"Yeah, but not when there's this much going on…" he turned around in his seat. "You know those rumours about the girl that was found outside of the school gate?" the one who was found unconscious? "Well, there's this one rumour that says that it was an angry ghost who did it…"

Ooh, ghost? I glanced at Pharos, who shrugged.

"H-hey, come on!" Yukari said, "No one believes that stuff…" she looked over to me an Akihiko. "R-right?"

Yeah, she was getting scared, clear as day.

"So. What's the ghost story about?" Mitsuru asked Junpei, walking into the room. Man, she has great timing.

"Wha-!?" Yukari exclaimed. "It-it's probably made up… so why bother!?" ooh, she's getting aggressive defensive now…

"This could be fun." My thoughts exactly Pharos.

"I'm interested." Akihiko stated, letting go of my hand and turning to face Junpei. "Go ahead and tell us."

Yukari looked around for support, but I shrugged. "Go on then Junpei." I wasn't that interested in the story, I just like to see people suffer. Not sadistically, just in situations like this when people are thrown out of their comfort zone.

Junpei leaned forward and pulled out a torch from somewhere. He turned it on and pointed the light under his face just as Mitsuru dimmed the lights. It felt like camping all over again.

"Good evening." He said, almost as if he was trying to imitate Igor. "Welcome to 'Junpei's Believe it, or Don't.'…  
"There are many strange things in this world… According to one story…if you get caught at school at night, you'll be devoured by a maniacal ghost that roams the halls!" That's true, except the Reaper probably wouldn't eat you.

"He's more likely to shoot you." Pharos told me. Thanks Pharos.

"The other day," Junpei continued, "A Friend of mine… Let's call him… Shu."

"It's Kenji isn't it?" I asked him.

"Perhaps… Perhaps not…" Yep, it's Kenji. "But Shu, he came up to me and said 'Junpei. I saw something strange...'  
"He sounded serious," he continued, "So I asked him what he'd seen. It was about the girl in 2-E. He, _Claims_ that he saw her go into school on the night of the incident…  
"I couldn't believe it… She's not the type of girl to be out at night." He shook his head. "But Shu was white as a sheet, he insisted that it was true! Then… It hit me…"

Junpei paused for suspense. "That ghost must've tried to make her its dinner! And that's why they found her lying on the ground by the gate! I felt a chill run down my spine, and I broke into a cold sweat... Yes, there are strange things in this world... Believe it... or don't..."

He turned the torch off and hit the light switch. Mitsuru hid a smirk as she glanced at Akihiko. "What do you think?"

Akihiko grinned. "I think it's worth investigating."

Junpei leaned back against the wall with a smirk. "Wow Yuka-Tan, I had no idea you were afraid of ghosts. I gotta say, that's kinda funny!"

Yukari glared at him and smacked the table with both hands. "Hey, Watch It!" She then got off the table and folded her arms. "Fine… then let's investigate…" She looked around at us. "We'll each ask around for the rest of the week." What? I'd been doing that all of _last_ week… "I'll prove to you that this story is just an urban legend!"

"I appreciate that." Mitsuru told her, ignoring Junpei's groan. "The story is a bit unnerving."

"Then I'll let you guys handle it." Akihiko stole my evil smile. "Just make sure you sleep with one eye open…"

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"So, what do you think?"

That was the first thing Pharos asked me once we got into my room. "Honestly?" I replied, "Story was close to my theory, but with a few key mistakes."

"Want to borrow a flashlight?"

"Nah, I'm fine." I sorted pieces of information in my head; what I'd heard from rumours, Junpei's stories, what I've learned through my bullying investigations, what Pharos had told me and what I already knew, then sprinkled a large portion of imagination. "I reckon that girl was up to something she shouldn't be, or got caught up in something she shouldn't have… possibly both…" I thought for a moment. "2-E is Ekoda's class right?" Pharos nodded. "He's the teacher who was hiding something about bullying, so either that girl was being bullied or she was a bully…" Something else came to mind. "She collapsed and has nothing wrong with her except unconciousness right? Does that make her one of the Lost?" Pharos smiled, as if he already knew the answer I was getting to. "But if she has Apathy Syndrome, then that means that the shadows are involved…" The penny dropped. "When's the next full moon?"

"One week from today."

"It's the Empress next right?"

"Most likely."

I reached for the Tarot guide and flicked to the correct page. Glancing at the text, I noted that "Empress symbolises Motherhood, Comfort, Pleasure, Health, Sensuality… so on… so if reversed, that makes a bad mothering, distress, pain, sickness…" I tried to think of the opposite of Sensuality, but I stopped. "Distress, Pain, Sickness…" they were the results of bullying… Bad mothering… "Abuse…"

Pharos smiled as I reached the conclusion. "So, what's your theory?"

I put the book down and shifted into a crouch. "Someone in class 2-E was, or is, being bullied. I don't think it's the girl who collapsed, but it's likely she was involved. Most likely as a bully… but if the girl was the bully then the victim is most likely a weaker female…"

"Got anyone in mind?"

"No, but bullying is different for girls. All we have to deal with is a few bruises and some torment, and even when it gets evil, it's still physical, since we're basically run on testosterone…" Come to think of it, isn't abuse of power the reverse of Emperor? "So since Emperor represents fatherhood, Reverse makes physical abuse… but since girls get attacked emotionally and mentally, it does more damage in the long term… making reverse Empress…" Getting there… "Most victims of female bullying tend to be quieter… more withdrawn… so bullying often goes unnoticed, and eventually the victim becomes the same to the students who aren't tormenting her…" Which means that… "So the girl would be someone you wouldn't necessarily know personally…" wait, that sound familiar…

"_Yamagishi…" Yukari began "Oh, that girl in 2-E? I heard she gets sick a lot, so I don't see her very often."_

CLICK

"Fuuka Yamagishi… She's got the potential, but we gave up on her since she wasn't cut out for battle…"

"So, she's a weaker female?" Pharos asked, paraphrasing what I'd said.

"Most likely… and sick a lot? More like faking it so she doesn't have to come into school…"

"You think she's the victim?"

"Most likely… I'll go see her tomorrow."

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Turns out, that was impossible. Ekoda said that she was sick, and he refused to tell me her home address. No one else in his class seemed to know where she lived either. I saw guilt and fear on a couple of girls faces, but when I asked them about it, they clammed shut and left.

"Um… M-Minato-San?"

I looked behind me. "Oh, Hey Chihiro San." She looked somewhat concerned. "Is… everything alright?"

"Um… Yeah… C-can we go to the rooftop? I-I need to speak with you…"

I agreed and went up with her. Whatever it was, it was most likely private and urgent, so I didn't ask about it until we were alone. When I did, I was surprised.

"Um… R-remember when you saved me from that creep, Minato-San?" I nodded. "W-well, from that day on… my health hasn't been so great…" Huh? Bit odd, but I chose to remain silent until she'd finished. "The doctor said I'm fine, but…"

Chihiro shighed. "I guess I'll tell you Minato-San… S-since you've been so nice to me… But don't think I'm weird, okay?"

I nodded. Yeah, I had seen her a couple of times over the last week, but I wasn't expecting what came next. "L-Last night, I… Um… You see, I had this…"

She stopped hesitating and blurted it out. "I have dreams about you every single night, Minato-San!"

WHAM.

"I… I dream about you every night…" She repeated, almost to confirm it to herself… "This has never happened to me before…"

This was getting serious. "I appreciate how nice you've been to me, Minato-San, but…" She looked down at the ground. "One of these days, I… I might want to be… more… than just your friend…"

SMASH

_Thou shalt have our blessing when though choosest to create a Persona of the Justice Arcana…_

She seemed to catch herself. "Oh! Sorry! I've been babbling like an idiot… I…" She turned away. "I just get so nervous when I'm around you… especially…" She glanced back at me, then her head snapped forward. "Especially when you look at me that way…" What, tired? She seemed almost ashamed. "…Sorry."

"Don't apologise."

"Well, I'm sorry for wasting your time… Oh!" She seemed shocked. "Sorry, I- I didn't mean to say…" She seemed to getting confused.

Chihiro held her head low and moved past me. "Sorry…"

I grabbed her hand just as she brushed past. "Wait…"

She snapped around, almost surprised at what I did. Was I accepting her as a girlfriend? Probably. "Oh… Minato-San…" She blushed and squeezed my hand. "It's so rough… and strong… and warm…" It felt like she'd never let go.

She didn't, as a matter of fact, until we were half way to the dorm and she had to turn off to her house. Again, she refused to let me walk all the way home with her, but ah well.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Next day afterschool I was with Yuko in Paulownia mall, since she needed to stock up on supplies for the team. "Hey, wait up!" she said behind me. "I'm not as tall as you, so I can't walk as fast!" I reached out my hand for hers. Bad move for someone with a girlfriend, I know but it seemed like the right thing to do.

"Hey, What!?"

I turned around. Yuko seemed surprised.

"Well, not that I mind, It's just…" Yuko blushed slightly. "I didn't think we were going out just yet…"

Wait what?

"She thinks you just confessed to her." Pharos told me. "Two girls at once eh? Not bad…" I was about to clear it up with her when suddenly she was talking to some kids.

"They live across the street from me." She explained to me, breaking out of her conversation with them temporarily. Turning back to them, she added "This is no place to be playing tag, you should be playing in the playground."

"We can't play there…" One kid told her. "Some bigger kids from our school are playing soccer there!"

"What?" Yuko replied. "Well, why don't you share?"

"We tried to…" Another kid said, "But they said that they'd move if we could beat them in a race, but they're too fast!" Ah, so she's reprimanding them for playing tig here… gotcha.

Yuko sighed. "Alright, come with me, just this once."

Why do they call it tag anyways? Tig is a much better name. And Soccer, why do they call it that?

"Minato!"

"Uh, Yeah?"

"Can you get the stuff for me?" Yuko asked, "I'll meet you up at the school."

"Yeah, okay!" That'll give me a chance to clear this up. The boyfriend girlfriend thing, not the sport names thing.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

When I got back to school, the kids were running around the running track. Well, I suppose that's what it's there for, but… Why?

"I just wanted them to have a place to play, but then I corrected one of the boys running styles, and, well, next thing I knew I'm coaching them so they can race against the sixth graders." Ah, okay. Yuko turned to me and asked "Am I doing the right thing, Minato-Kun?"

"That's really up to you." I'm currently in no place to be giving anyone ethical advice, not until I cleared this up.

Yuko seemed excited. "Then, what am I waiting for?" She smiled. "Once they called me Coach, well, I couldn't resist…"

"Who could?"

"Yeah… Hey…" Yuko seemed concerned slightly. "Is there any chance you'd be willing to help me train them?"

I didn't get chance to reply as she continued "I only know a little bit about racing, and, well, you're pretty athletic…" Well, yeah, but not sports athletic. "Please, I'd be really grateful… I'll be lonely teaching them all by myself…"

Wow, she really trusts me. "Sure." I answered, without thinking.

Wait, was that the right decision?

SMASH

Too late…

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Strength Arcana…_

"Well, there's no turning back now." Pharos told me. "Congratulations, you are now officially a two timing scumbag. You'll have those social links done in no time!"

Doesn't make me feel any better though…

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"Hey Minato."

"Hey Yukari…" I replied, trudging through the front door of the dorm.

"So, how's your investigation going?"

"Huh?"

"Don't tell me you forgot already?"

"No, I haven't." For a few hours I had. "It's going okay. I'm getting results."

"Well, keep them to yourself until Friday, okay?"

"Sure, okay." I trudged up to my room. I needed Sleep. Sleep would make it all better."

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Good Evening."

I was in some kind of blue jazz bar. It didn't seem to be open, since the only other people in there were Elizabeth and Igor. "Welcome, to the Velvet Room."

"Isn't that the Lift?"

Igor grinned his grin. "The Velvet Room takes many forms. However, a recent change has led to this one."

Change? "Is this about the two girls I'm currently dating?"

"That is why I summoned you here, yes…" I noted the lack of a Pharos. "What you are doing is extremely risky."

"I know… If one finds out about the other, They'll never trust me again, will they?"

"It may not be that severe, but you are thinking along the right lines." Igor looked right at me. "When something adversely affects the bond between two people, it is not uncommon for the Social Link to Reverse."

"Reverse? Like the Shadows?"

"Indeed." Igor looked serious for once. "A Reversed Social Link cannot progress forward, until the problem is rectified."

"So, if they find out about each other and reverse, I can still save it?"

"Not quite." Igor took a drink from the glass in front of him. "If the damage is repaired, then the Reversed Social Link will be rectified. However, this would in turn damage the other Social Link, thus Breaking it."

I gulped. "Breaking it?"

"A Broken Social Link is next to irreparable. If you made any move to repair one of the Reversed Social Links in your scenario, then the other would inevitably be Broken." That's not good.

"Will the path you have chosen produce a sour melody of pain and jealousy?" Igor asked me, "Or a sweet nocturne of blissful ignorance?" Igor looked right into my eyes. "Nonetheless, whichever path you choose, you have our full support."

"That only makes me feel worse."

"Well, then perhaps we will be listening to the Blues tonight. I hope you visit us again soon, but until then," Igor lifted his glass in a toast, "Farewell."

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Hey, you asked for it, you got it. Minato is now juggling multiple women at once!

And yes, I have decided how this is going to end. Post your theories though, unless you already know.

And current cookie contest goes to guessing what made the Velvet Room Change. When you find out, heads will explode.

Actually, I currently have, let me count, one… two… three… four… five… six… seven… many… lots of points in this story that will make heads explode with awesome. You're going to have to wait for them though.

And I've noticed that Pharos has changed without me knowing. I will now try to weasel out of that. Erm… Minato changed so so should Pharos. Yes, that'll do…

Now, start requests for Social Link Scenes you want to see. If you don't request, it'll probably get skipped. Unless it's a biggie, in which case you'd better ask just to be safe.

Bit of a shameless plug here. Go read One Eye of the Demon by Ravenwingcorps, and tell me what you think of the fight scenes in chapter 14, and 15 when it goes up. I wrote them, and I'd like your opinion on them.

Going to update Oblivion next, and it's gonna be _good_, though I'm going to be switching back to third person in that one for the time being. Until then, farewell.


	24. Chapter 24

Yay, New chapter.

Alright, I'm back to school, got my timetable, did a bit of mathematics, and by the looks of things, I'll be able to do one chapter every two or three school days, weekends I'll either get to write or I won't, depending on my luck. This is also variable on whether or not I fall behind on my coursework, which hopefully I won't. Also, it's also my policy to drop whatever I'm doing and work on One Eye of the Demon whenever I get given a new chapter to edit, but that only takes a couple of hours, so it shouldn't delay me long.

Remember, Reviews are Author Fuel. I don't know who said it, but now I agree. I likes to gets them. Grin.

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I walked to school with Yukari on Thursday. Risky move, I know, but I wanted to drill her for information on Fuuka. She refused to talk about it though, other than the fact that yes, we were both making progress. Sigh. Junpei refused to talk about it flat out, and Akihiko and Mitsuru assumed I was asking for help. So what choice did I have?

I took Hidetoshi investigating. He was working on trying to find out who was smoking in the bathroom, and he told me that he was considering going into the alleys behind port island station afterschool, where all the bad kids hung out. I went with him. A, because I was doing my own investigation, B, Social link, and C, I knew the lingo.

"What you want?"

"Just bored, mate." I answered, slapping his hand. "Can't stand all the self-righteous pricks at gecko high!"

I could feel Hidetoshi's surprise as the two guys there laughed. "Damn, what's going down there now?"

"The teachers are in uproar over some cigarette butt found in the crapper."

I felt Hidetoshi's penny drop as he asked "Honestly… Who's be that stupid?" Thankfully, I'd gotten him to pocket the disciplinary committee armband before hand, which he saw as common sense. Why interrogate someone when you can ask nicely?

"Seriously!?" the guy laughed. "Ah man… don't those kids know how to flush?"

Guy knew nothing. "That's what I thought. Since the teachers are all tight, it's ruined it for the rest of us, innit?"

"Hey, come here if ever you wanna smoke!"

"It's cool." I said, lifting up a sleeve. I'd stuck a round sticker there earlier, looked just like a nicotine patch. "Don't wanna overdo it."

"Come on, live a little!"

"Plan to." I said. "You hear anything good?"

"Yep. Quiet!" he laughed.

"Couple of girls started hanging around here, going on and on about some girl called Fuuka."

Ears perked. "Yeah?"

"Only they've stopped coming lately, hopefully for good!"

Hidetoshi caught on here. "One of them a green haired girl called Miki?"

"Yeah, actually…" the guy I was sitting next to leaned forward to look at him. "You know her?"

"Not really." I shook my head. "Girl found unconscious outside school gate few days ago."

"Woah, seriously?"

Hidetoshi nodded. "She hasn't woken up since."

"Man…" Said the other. "What about the other girls?"

"Dunno." I said, standing up. "I'll have to get back to ya on that one." I walked away from them. "Later!"

"See ya!"

"Adios!"

"So, you investigating into that so called 'ghost story'?" Hidetoshi asked once we'd climbed the stairs into the train station.

"Nope." I answered, pulling off my 'nicotine' patch. "Actually investigating some bullying, looks like the ghost story's related."

Hidetoshi nodded. "I'll get you the names of any other girls who've been absent lately, just in case."

"Thanks." I said, grabbing his shoulder. "Shame we didn't get the same luck for your smoker."

"Yeah… well, that suggests that the smoker isn't open about it, nor is he a proper 'bad ass', as it were." He looked at me. "Thanks Minato Kun."

SMASH

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Emperor Arcana_

Now, there's one that doesn't sound foreboding.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Hidetoshi was good on his word, and he texted me the names of the other girls during Friday lunch. Surprising. Since last Friday, seven girls have been reported absent, one of them Fuuka, Miki, and other girls in 2-E. How the hell had this happened without anyone else putting two and two together?

Yukari's not gonna like this.

Speak of the devil…

"Well, today's Friday!" She looked happy. "Did you two ask around, like I asked?"

"Huh?" Junpei asked. "We had something planned for today?" Yukari gave him an evil glare amongst evil glares. "I'm just kidding!" He flinched. "Sheesh… you have such a short temper…"

"Then we'll meet in the dorm after school." She declared. "Don't forget!"

"Yes Ma'am…" Junpei groaned.

"Yes Haruhi…" I mumbled, earning myself a punch in the shoulder. "Ow!"

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Okay, as we agreed on Monday, We'll now hold a meeting to discuss what we learned."

Junpei whistled. "Wow, you're really getting into this…"

"Of course!" Yukari beamed. "I've got lots of good info. Turns out, no angry ghost was involved."

I raised my hand. "Sorry, I'm gonna have to stop you there."

"Huh?" Yukari snapped to attention. "What makes you sure."

"Want me to just tell you why or shall I explain everything I found in a manner that makes sense."

"Just get it over with now Minato." Junpei said, vaulting the back of the couch and laying down on it.

I got into a crouch on the armchair, but Yukari remained standing. "Welcome," I said, "To Minato's Believe it, Or Don't!"

"Ugh, not this again…"

"Fine then…" I stood up normally. I was looking forward to that too. "Turns out that the girl was eaten by an angry ghost."

"WHAT!?" Yukari was enraged.

"Nice one man!" Junpei found it hilarious.

"Take this seriously, why don't you!" Yukari was fuming.

"I am." I didn't even have to try to keep a straight face. "That girl, amongst others, have fallen victim to an angry ghost, which is why the rumour spread so fast." Yukari was getting really mad now. "For now, we'll code name the ghost 'Shadow.'"

Yukari calmed down quickly. "Wait, does that mean—"

"It's just a code name, don't jump to conclusions." There's still a 0.0031 percent chance that Empress wasn't behind this, but I'm not supposed to know that yet. "Anyway. This girl, and others, are showing symptoms of Apathy Syndrome, but since the others fell victim at home, Miki was the only one widely known about."

"Miki?" Junpei asked.

"The girl found outside the school gates." I explained. "But that's not all. These girls all shared a particular hobby. Can you guess what it is?"

"Hanging around behind the train station…" Yukari seemed impressed.

"Close, but that's only where they discussed their hobby." Yukari was surprised. "You didn't go there and ask, did you?"

"No, I was gonna suggest we do that tomorrow night…"

"The HELL!?" Junpei leaped to his feet. "Are you Freaking INSANE!?"

"I went there yesterday afternoon." I told him. "They're alright, so long as you know how to deal with them."

"Alright? ALRIGHT!?" Junpei was getting into a panic. "I don't know if you realise this, since you're not from around here, but bad kids in Japan carry Bat's. AND KNIVES!"

"Bad kids in England carry Spiked Bats, Knives, Guns, Explosives and Flamethrowers."

"Eh—Wha—Dude, that's just messed…" Junpei slouched back onto the couch. "How the hell do you even get flamethrowers' anyways!?"

"Oh, it's easy." I explained. "You get a can of deodorant and—"

"Minato!"

"Huh? Oh, right, ghost story." Back on topic. "They went there to talk about the things they did to one Fuuka"

"Fuuka? Fuuka Yamagishi."

"I think so." I replied, nodding, "But that was only two witnesses. I want to go back there on Saturday night for confirmation."

"Great!" Yukari replied. I'll come too."

"What!?" Junpei came back up. "You're out of your minds!"

"Come on Junpei." I encouraged him. "It's nothing to Tartarus."

"Huurrrgh. When you put it like that, I don't have a choice do I?"

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

"I still don't get how you can be afraid of ghosts, but not this!"

"A lot of people are afraid of things they can't see."

"I'm not afraid of the dark." I noted.

"You're probably afraid of the ninjas hiding in the dark" She's close.

"We're here. Remember, act natural." I'd made sure that we got changed out of our school uniforms before coming. Something I mentioned in the meeting last night, they don't like Gekkoukan High, but they've nothing against Gekkoukan high students who hate the school. However, this meant that they'd change out of their uniforms as soon as they got home. I for one was wearing one of Junpei's baseball caps with a black hoodie over it. Add my hair, and you could barely see my face. Yukari had gone for something stylish, and Junpei was wearing a coat over a vest. Yep. We look in no way suspicious at all.

Everyone turned to look at us as we walked down the alley. "…The hell?" One guy asked. I didn't see either of my two 'mates' from Thursday.

"Oh, man…" Junpei moaned to himself. "This is worse than I thought…"

"Hey, You!" A couple of guys approached us. "I think you're in the wrong place."

"Uh… Why… Well…" I kept my head down.

"You don't belong here… Get it?" One guy threatened. "Beat it Goatee."

"G-Goatee?" Junpei stumbled, "Oh, Y-You mean me…" Dammit Junpei! Don't submit to their authority, but don't challenge it either. That's the key to dealing with people like this diplomatically. Level ground…

"We don't need your permission to be here."

Ah, crap.

"H-hey, are you nuts!?" Junpei whispered to her. "Take a look around you!"

"I'm not blind, ya know." Yukari said loud and clear. "Come on, don't be intimidated by these scum!"

Aaaannd the Darwin award for survival of the fittest goes to…

"What was that?"

Drum roll please.

"She just called us Scum!"

Dumdumdumdumdumdumdumdumdumdumdumdumdumdumdumdumdumdumdumdumdumdumdumdumdumdum…

"Let's get 'em!"

D-dish!

"We'll post some pictures that will make her daddy cry! She'll wish she had never been born!"

Yukari Take- wait, last minute contestant…

"Hahahahahahaha!! Oh, that's so clever…"

"Ugh, these guys are the worst…"

"You oughta shut your trap of yours!" It was close, but the prize goes to… "I feel sorry for you man… That wench is a pain in the ass!" And he punched Junpei in the stomach.

"Guh!" He fell to his knees.

"Junpe!" Yukari cried.

"Hey pretty boy!" He turned on me. "I don't like your face either!" THAT GUY! "Got anything to say before I—"

SMASH! Hands in my hoodie pockets, I kneed him in the chin. Blood flew, and I stepped on his oversized belt buckle so I could shove my other kneecap there too. CRACK! Oooh, I like that sound. I rested my raised leg onto his collarbone and pushed him to the ground like a skateboard. BANG! Oh, he's out cold. I drew myself to full height.

"Bit overkill," Pharos said, "But impressive. I'll give you an eight for effort." Only an eight? I'll have to do backflips when fighting the next guy.

"That's enough."

Oh crap… It's Shinji.

"They didn't know what they were getting into." He said. "I'll make sure they leave, alright?"

"Who do you think you are, dumbass!?" wow, the guy who said that is stupid.

"Was I talking to you?" Wait, what?

"That's it!" the other guy shouted, "You're going down!" he flicked out a knife and charged at Shinji.

SMASH. Dude, did he just headbutt that guy?

"See Minato?" Pharos pointed out. "_He_ gets a ten out of ten for awesome, and he didn't even have to put any effort into it."

Quiet, you…

"Damn you Shinjiro…" Another guy growled. "I thought you were one of us!"

Shinji tilted his head. "What gave you that idea? I don't remember swearing a blood oath."

"And now it's eleven." Pharos commented. "You just got outdone." Grr…

"You Sunova… You just crossed the line! You think you're getting home alive!?"

"Sure do." Shinji added, getting into a stance with his hands _still_ in his pocket. "Wanna give it a try?"

"Now it's Twelve." Stop counting, dammit! He's awesome, I get it!"

The guy rubbing his head got off the ground. "S-Screw this!" He began to run for it.

"Wait." I said. Stepping off the unconscious guy, I added, "You forgot something."

"You were trying to look cool, so it doesn't count." Damnit.

"Hahaha," said those girls. "What a loser!" they walked away as the two other guys carried their unconscious friend, presumably to hospital, since I think I broke his jaw.

Once we were alone, Junpei stood up. "Oh, man, Senpai, that was awesome!" Did everyone forget just what I did? I was matrix level for crying out loud!

"YOU IDIOT'S!" Hey, Shinji agrees with me—oh, plural. "Get out of here, This place isn't for you!"

"Wait!" Yukari shouted as he turned to leave. "We came here for a reason!"

Shinji stopped and turned back. "You guys… you were at the hospital…" I pulled off my hood and hat. "Yeah, I remember you… Did Aki tell you to come?"

Aki? They sound close. "No. He didn't. I did."

"That's right, you're running the operations now, aren't you?" Yukari and Junpei had no idea, but I wasn't surprised. "So what do you want to know, about that ghost story?"

"Uh, Yeah…" Yukari said. "How'd you know?" she asked, as Shinji moved towards some steps.

"It's a rumour…" He said, sitting down. "Those girls who wound up at the hospital were down here talking about stuff they'd done to some girl called Fuuka."

"Told you they were picking on her." said.

Shinji nodded. "That's why they're saying that it's Fuuka's spirit that did it." Wait, what? "I hear it's all over the net too."

"Fuuka's sprit?" Yukari asked. "What do you mean by that?"

"You guys don't know?" Shinji stood up. "This Fuuka girl might be dead."

Wait, what?

"She hasn't been home in over a week. Don't you guys go to school? How do you not know this?"

How did we not know this?

"You serious? I thought she was sick!" Junpei said, "But… She's missing?"

And those girls were registered as absent, not hospital bound… wait,

"So much for the ghost story…" Yukari said. "Mr. Ekoda is the home room teacher for 2-E right?" The one who was hiding fear related to bullying? Wait… "Does he know about this?"

"I bet he's covering it up."

That got everyone's attention, even Shinji. "Those girls weren't marked down as hospitalised, and he's been hiding fear all week."

"When you rule out the impossible," Pharos said, "Then whatever is left, no matter how improbable, is the most probable." That doesn't really fit in this situation though Pharos.

"I get it Aki…" Shinji said to himself. "Still trying to make up for the past… It's you who can't let go…" He suddenly noticed us. "Nothing… That's all I know." He glared. "Satisfied?"

"Y-Yeah!" Junpei bowed. "Thanks Senpai! Come on," He said to me and Yukari. "Show some appreciation!"

"Thanks! You totally helped us out!" Yukari bowed. "You're very kind!"

"Huh?"

"I- Um…" Yukari shook her head. "Nevermind…"

"Tch…" Shinji started to walk away.

"Wait!" I ran after him, stepping in front of him.

"What do you want?" Shinji asked, staring me down.

I stared right back at him. Checking I was out of earshot for Junpei and Yukari, I said in a low voice, "I want you to reconsider leaving S.E.E.S."

If he was surprised, he didn't show it, choosing to push me aside instead. "Don't ever come here again…" And he walked away.

Well, that failed. I'll see Igor tomorrow, things are gonna go down Monday morning.

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Shorter chapter, but hey, two chapters in one day! Sure, not for the same story, but hey, I got an unexpected amount of free time today at home. Now to do some housework.


	25. Chapter 25

Alright, we're finally getting to the end of the Fuuka arc! Should be over in a couple of chapters.

Now, just to make sure you all get this, you should be expecting a new chapter of this a week MINIMUM, so you should probably check every day, because you never know when, other than I'm more likely to update during the week than at the weekend.

I'd just like to mention here that I was originally going to do a pure humour comic for this, based on Tartarus Theater. I gave up on that, but I always liked the idea of an English Minato, which is why I decided to write this story.

Now for a plug. KrossWinter has started an awesome Persona story called Wild Card, well worth checking out.

Thanks for your review, LesserNinja. Hope you enjoy the rest of the series just as much!

Anyway, on with the show.

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I went into the Velvet Room on Sunday, and was greeted by Elizabeth, who was carrying a tray of drinks.

"Welcome to the Velvet Room," she said. "Would you like your regular table?"

"Yeah, Sure."

"Right this way, Sir." Elizabeth led me through all the empty tables and chairs in the club.

"So, who is everybody?" I asked, looking at a grey haired young man cleaning a glass behind the bar.

"The Barman is Edward, my Brother." Ah, that's why. Does that make her and Elizabeth my Anima and Animus? Probably. "On the stage is Belladonna." There was a big, but not unattractive woman in a dress singing the mournful melody of the Velvet Room, Kinda like Aretha Franklin. "And playing Piano is William." The man in question had slicked back black hair, with one lock coming down in front of his cool shades. I liked his white grand piano. "And here is the master." Elizabeth said, pulling up a seat at Igor's table for me.

"Thank you." I said, sitting there. Elizabeth laid a menu in front of my place, but instead of drinks, it had a selection of Personae from the Compendium.

"Please let me know if you wish to place an order." She said, placing the glasses on the table. Igor had a wide glass of an amber liquid, probably scotch, while I had—

"Orange juice? Seriously?"

"You are underage you know." Igor reminded me. Well, can't argue with that. "So how may I be of assistance to you today?"

"I was wondering if you could give me a hand with what's going to happen tomorrow." I asked, taking a sip out of my glass.

"Ah yes, it is the Full Moon, isn't it?" He remarked. "And you will be performing an interrogation?"

"Most likely. Any advice you have for me?"

"Well, if you were to study your menu, you might find something of interest."

Okay? I looked at it. Nothing was new… wait, go back.

"Orpheus wasn't that strong, was it?" It had Agilao, for one thing, and much higher stats.

"That is a stronger version of your original Persona. To go with the change in your Velvet Room." I'd long ago given up Orpheus.

"I'll have that one please."

"Very well." Elizabeth said, "I'll be right back with your order." She said, walking to the bar.

"Order?" I asked Igor.

"Things work differently now."

"Here you are sir." Elizabeth placed a simple glass with a clear liquid inside. "Please drink it."

Okay? I gulped it on one go.

_Thou art I… And I am Thou…  
From the sea of the soul, I returneth._

That was… Odd…

"It may take some time to get used to this." Igor told me. "But I'm sure you will prefer this arrangement overall."

I placed some money on the table, paying for my 'Drink'. "Thank you. See you later!"

"Farewell." Igor said.

"Have a pleasant day." Elizabeth added.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Oh! I'm sorry sir…"

When I left the Velvet Room I saw a young police officer. Magician Arcana.

"Erm… Is there a problem officer?" I asked, shifting into Pale Rider.

He practically flinched as I spoke. Wow, he's pathetic. "Erm… well… I'm trying to gather details about an incident last night."

"Last night?"

"Yeah, a young man was hospitalised with a broken jaw, his friend claims he was attacked behind port island station, do you know anything about it?"

Honesty is the best policy. "Yes. I did it."

The man jumped out of his skin. "What? Really?"

"Yes." I said nodding. "Did the man also mention that he first assaulted my friend, insulted another friend, and that I only retaliated after those had happened AND he was about to punch me in the face?"

"No, he did not…" He scratched his head with a pencil. "What were you doing back there anyways?"

"A girl in my school has gone missing." I replied. "Fuuka Yamagishi. We were trying to gather information on where she was, but unfortunately…"

"I see…" The police officer scribbled something onto his notepad. "Thank you very much for this. I'll have to take your name and address in case the young man presses charges, you understand, right?"

"Of course." Nice chap, bit spineless. "Minato Arisoto." I gave him the Dorm's address.

"Thank you very much." He touched his cap. "Have a nice day!"

I thanked him and walked off.

"He's looking into the alley." Pharos told me as I pulled out my phone.

"Probably just wondering what I was doing in there." I said, looking for the entire world like I was on the phone.

"Good trick you've got there."

"Thanks."

"Just hope the phone doesn't ring or else you're gonna look really stupid."

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Next day, lunchtime, I went to the teachers lounge with Junpei and Yukari. Mitsuru was already talking to Mr Ekoda, who appeared to be talking to some ginger girl. I didn't know you got those in Japan, but apparently you do.

"Hold on Mitsuru," Ekoda said, "This isn't an interrogation." I walked around to see his face better, as he turned to the girl. "Natsuki. You don't have to say anything if you don't want to. You wouldn't want to give her the wrong idea."

"Ooh, now that's interesting." I said, cutting in.

"What is, Arisoto?"

"Well, you know I can see Micro Expressions when I concentrate on someone's face?"

"No."

"Well, I can. They're the true emotions that flash on someone's face when they lie."

"What are you suggesting Mr. Arisoto?" Ekoda glared.

"That you scared of Natsuki-San here saying something that will turn out badly for you, and that you flashed contempt when you talked about Mitsuru Senpai." I crouched into a wheelie chair, spinning around to face him. "Do you not respect Mitsuru's authority as a representative of the school then?"

"Wha-I don't have to hear this!" He said. He looked pretty outraged. "I am a Teacher. You are all my students. I am in authority here, You do not accuse me of anything!"

"I wasn't" I said, keeping a straight face. "Why would we be accusing you, Mr Ekoda? Have you done something wrong?"

"Wha-I—!"

"Shame, Fear, your eyes keep flashing for an exit. You're trying to exert dominance over me, but you know I'm right, your behaviour seems to be withdrawing." I leaned closer to him. "Do you fear my Authority, Mr Ekoda?"

"Arisoto! This is not why we are here!"

"Right, Sorry Mitsuru Senpai." I swivelled around to Natsuki. Temperance, that's interesting. She's nothing like Bebe from what I can tell. SMASH! I Switched from Orpheus to Genbu, and shifted into a cross legged position. "Hey, Natsuki-San, right?" I smiled warmly. "I'm Minato Arisoto." She looked at me, and I didn't even need micro expressions to see the fear on her face, but I did to see that she felt serious shame and sadness. Good thing I went for the friendly approach, because this girl's already broken. "I'm not going to lie to you Natsuki-San." I told her calmly. "I want to help find Fuuka. And I know that you've done something with her." That terrified her, need to calm her down, fast, "But I also know that you're ashamed of what you've done to her, and that you want to make things right." She nodded, good, her breathing's starting to become more steady. "But to do that, you need to tell us what you did, so we can find her and make this right, okay?" She sobbed, and nodded. "Alright. Whenever you're ready."

"Damn," Pharos said. "That was smooth." I kept my eyes on Natsuki, but I could tell that everyone else in the room was impressed.

"Fuuka… She…" Natsuki took a deep breath. "She always looked so frazzled whenever I gave her a hard time… Then, I realised…she's and honour student, but… but deep inside, she was just like us…" oh, that's some deep shame. "I knew exactly which buttons to push. We were just messing around with her that day too!"

"It's okay…" I said. I couldn't blame her. Once you know what buttons to push, people are so fun to manipulate. "Which day?"

"May 29th…We took Fuuka to the gym… then… we locked the door from the outside…"

"What!" Junpei exclaimed, but I put my hand up to silence him. "You locked her in!"

Natsuki nodded. "That night… Maki went back to school alone… she was afraid that we'd get into trouble if Fuuka committed suicide… But… she never came back… and… the next morning…"

"She was found lying on the ground outside the school gate…" Yukari finished. Ah, so I had her name wrong the whole time.

"I went to the gym to let Fuuka out, but the door was still locked… so, I opened the door to look inside… and she wasn't there…"

Wait, what? "We all freaked out…" Natsuki continued, "Starting that night, we all went looking for her… but each time…"

"You all ended up like Maki…" I said. "And now you're all alone…" Natsuki nodded, bursting into tears. I got out of my chair and gave her a hug. "It's alright… thank you for telling us…" Trying to calm her down. Mitsuru, meanwhile, turned on Ekoda.

"All this time… you've attributed Fuuka's absence as 'illness', but in reality, she was missing. You must have known this." I turned to look at him, still holding a sobbing Natsuki. "What was your intention?"

"I was thinking of the students of course!" Oh, I want to slap that liars face. "You children may not understand, but we have to consider the future of everyone affected.

"You mean, you chose not to report this to the police for 'the good of the class'?"

"It, it was in her best interest!" I'd let go of Natsuki now that she'd calmed down, and was rising to full height. "I- I wouldn't want her records stained by something like this!" He said in a panic as I walked out the door.

Closing it behind me, I took a deep breath. Calm down Minato…

"I say you kick his ass."

"I can't. I'm a student, I'll get kicked out."

"Minato Arisoto can't." Pharos grinned evilly. "But Orpheus Mikazuchi isn't a student of this school is he?"

Oh that sly sonuva… I ran into the bathroom and combed my hair back. I swapped ties, put on a spare jacket, not a school one. Putting on a set of sunglasses, I walked back in there.

"Minato?" Yukari asked, Natsuki was talking to Mitsuru.

"Sorry?" I said. "I don't know him." I flashed my Tanaka Corp ID. "I'm Orpheus Mikazuchi; I have some business with Mr. Ekoda."

"Look, Minato," Junpei told me. "I wanna kick his ass just as much as you do, but you 'ain't foolin' anybody."

"Ah well." I brushed my hair forward with my fingers, taking off my glasses. "It was worth a shot."

Mitsuru walked over to us. "Arisoto was right. It's them, no doubt about it."

"Oh man…" Junpei said.

"Senpai…" Yukari began. "Does this mean?"

Mitsuru nodded. "Until now, there was no way of knowing who was going to be active during the Dark Hour, but it's the voice." Wait, did I miss something important? "It draws them in. It's not just a random phenomenon. This whole thing made me realise…"

"They're specifically targeting humans?"

"Precisely Arisoto." Mitsuru nodded. "Shadows are the enemy of mankind." She turned to Natsuki. "Stay at our dorm tonight." She said. "It's the safest place." Natsuki nodded, and Mitsuru continued, "If you hear the voice, tell us immediately. And don't leave the room, no matter what. If you can do that much, you should be okay. ...Don't worry; Yamagishi should be alright as well."

Mitsuru turned back to us. "We'll meet after school in the student council room to discuss tonight's operation."

"Tonight!?" Junpei asked.

"We're gonna rescue Yamagishi." She said. "If my guess is right, she's still inside the school."

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

During class that after noon, Junpei passed me a note.

_What's going on? What's Mitsuru mean by Fuuka's still in the school?_

Sighing, I scribbled my answer on the back.

_Fuuka was locked in the school overnight. At night, school turns to Tartarus, so she's trapped inside. It's been ten days for us, so she'll have been there for ten hours by the time we find her. Hopefully, if she's managed to avoid combat and has climbed the stairs whenever Reaper approached, she'll still be alive. We'll probably try to sneak into the school tonight, try to enter the way she did._

I slipped the paper into Junpei's pocket. He slipped it out and read it. Once he'd finished, he smiled evilly.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I hit the nail on the head. We discussed everything and came to the exact same conclusion as I did without me even having to say a word. Junpei said that he knew exactly what to do. I hope that he does.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

That evening, as we walked to school in the evening, Mitsuru was trying to call Ikutsuki. We were wearing casual clothes for this operation, just to avoid attracting attention, and I was carrying the weapons and armour. "I can't get a hold of the chairman." Mitsuru complained closing her phone shut.

"I guess we'll have to handle it ourselves then." Akihiko smiled.

"One problem." Mitsuru said. "Without the chairman's help, I'm not sure how we can get into the school."

"No need to worry." Junpei chuckled. "I've got it all set to go."

"Set to go…" Mitsuru asked. "An explosive?"

Oh, hell yeah!

"Very well." Mitsuru said, smiling. "I'll let you handle it." She picked up the pace.

"An explosive?" Yukari hissed into Junpei's ear. "For real?"

"Nah." Dammit, Junpei. "All I did was unlock a door." Well, I could have done that when we got there!

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Once we got in, I spent ages trying to explain to Junpei that Trey Ben was, in fact, not English, and that Mitsuru was saying Tres Bien, which was French.

"But if that's the case, then why is she saying Three Good?"

"Because the French are silly like that." Yes, I'm English. We don't like the French. Or the Welsh, for that matter. They were like the English, only without any balls. The Scottish, on the other hand, are like us, but with no survival instinct. Best stop insulting other cultures and get back to the task at hand.

"Um… Can we turn on the lights?" Yukari asked, once we were inside a classroom.

"Aww, you scared? OW!" Junpei said. "Who hit me?"

"Akihiko!" I shouted. "That was so inappropriate!"

"I'm over here." Akihiko said. A good ten feet away from Junpei. Nine feet away from me.

You can guess who Junpei went for.

"Quiet." Akihiko said. "It's better if we leave them off. They cut the power at night anyway."

Yukari touched her elbow defensively. "I don't like sneaking around…" Holy crap, my night vision is immense!

'_Actually, that's me helping you.'_ Oh, well, thanks Pharos.

"First, we need to find the key to the gym." Mitsuru said. "Akihiko and I will check the Janitor's room. You three check the Faculty office."

"Faculty office…" Junpei grinned. "Maybe we'll find some test questions, heheheh…"

Akihiko perked to attention. "Maybe I should go to the Faculty office too… it sounds interesting…"

"Are you planning something unscrupulous under my supervision?" Mitsuru asked. "If so, then expect to be severely punished!"

GAH! Scary!

"I-it was a joke…I-I'd never do something like that!" Junpei laughed nervously.

"Come on Mitsuru." Akihiko sighed. "Lighten up."

"Fine." Mitsuru said. Then let's proceed to the Janitor's room. Iori, you're coming with us!"

Sorry Junpei, maybe next time.

Yukari turned to me after the others left. "Alright, let's get this over with!"

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Now, I actually needed the toilet, but I really didn't think it was appropriate, so I held it in as we passed the bathroom. All went well until we got to the lobby, when we heard footsteps. "You hear that?" Yukari asked. The footsteps came closer. "There's someone else here?" Yukari hissed.

Years of watching the Bourne Trilogy took over as I clamped her mouth shut and hid behind the nearest pillar. I relaxed my grip as the torch beam passed from our right to our left, not revealing our location. "Sorry…" I whispered into her ear as the security guard left.

"It's okay…" Yukari said, gasping for breath.

"Really? You look like you're hyperventilating."

"Do you blame me?" She snapped. "I mean, we did break into the school in the middle of the night. Wait a minute..." A penny dropped in her head. "That could've been one of the others… Haha, there's nothing to be afraid of, right? Hahaha... Why am I laughing?"

Because you just realised how stupid you're acting? Then her mobile rang. "My cell phone!? Why now!?" Better question, why was it not on silent? "Figures… its spam…" Wait, you get spam on phones? Oh, O2 text me all the time, Yeah, I guess you do kinda. "Sorry about that." Yukari apologized. "It took me by surprise!"

"You were so cute." I said with a polite smile.

"Huh?" Yukari blushed. "I-It's not funny!"

'_Oh, she wants you man.'_ Pharos told me as he rushed to the Faculty office.

_'Shut up!'_ I thought furiously. _'I'm stuck juggling two girls as it is!'_

'_Yeah. If only you had a bit more spine, then they'd only be friends, allowing you to pursue the social link and Yukari.'_

'_Shut it.'_ I thought. Pharos was actually starting to annoy me at times lately. Still, it could be worse, and he is more of a help than a hindrance. In general.

Yukari tried to open the door to the Faculties office. "It's locked!"

"Well, that leaves us with two choices." I said. "One, we could walk back to the lobby, meet up with the others, hope they found the Gym key."

"We can't just give up!"

"Two, we bray the door down."

"What!?" I'm sure she guessed what I was suggesting. "W-we can't damage school property!"

"Then that leaves three." I said, getting down on one knee and pulling out my Leatherman. Selecting a tool, I poked it into the lock.

"What are you doing?"

"Picking the lock." The lock clicked open. "Part of the Custom tools I requested." I waved it in front of her with a smile on my face. "Picks almost any basic lock! Great, huh?"

Yukari wasn't as impressed as she should have been. "You had that the whole time."

"Yeah…"

"And you never thought to mention it until now?"

"Yeah…"

"Even though it could have saved us a lot more trouble just to pick the lock of the Gym door with that _Instead_ of stealing the key?"

… Oh.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Silly Minato is Silly. And I happen to be part welsh, so I can take stabs at them.


	26. Chapter 26

Hey, Thanks for all your reviews since last time. Now to answer them.

First, I know that Tres is Spanish. Junpei doesn't.

Second, why would I mock the Irish? Apart from the whole drinking thing, they're badass. Ever hear of the IRA? They called the police themselves whenever they planted a bomb. I don't support what they did, but I admit that that took balls.

And Dead Someone? Well, you'll just have to find out.

I also had an interesting idea recently. What would Twilight have been like if they were Darren Shann vampires, instead of Twilight Vampires? For one thing, Edward Cullen would be really, really tanned instead of pale, but what do you think? I think that I'd probably have to read the book first before writing a story, but feel free to use the idea if you get round to it first.

Now, onto the next chapter.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Dude, I can't believe you didn't mention that you had a lock pick earlier."

"Shut up Junpei…" I grunted.

"He's right though." Akihiko noted. "It would have saved us a lot of time and effort."

"Yeah, whatever." Yukari had ended up staying behind with Mitsuru, while us three hung around in the Gym until it was time for the Dark Hour. We had a Situp race to pass the time, Junpei had dropped out, so it was me and Akihiko grunting our way past three hundred when the dark hour struck.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Okay, I am never, _Ever_ doing that again.

Apart from the whole 'knocking you out thing', that was downright traumatising. Remember how freaky it was when the school turned to Tartarus? Well imagine that, only inside out and upside down. And don't even get me started as to what happened to the sandbag. That was just plain nasty.

I sat up, squeezing my bladder in the process. "Everyone alright?" I have got to find a toilet soon.

_**They are not here**_

Craps? I opened my eyes to see the Reaper.

"Oh, bugger me…"

_**Not tonight, human**_

Huh? I looked around. Oh sweet biscuit cakes, I'm in the stair room. Safe. "How long was I out?"

_**It is seven minutes past the hour**_

Seven minutes huh? I tried contacting Mitsuru, but all I got was static. Must be why we never detected Fuuka earlier, she was out of range. Come to think of it, Mitsuru has had problems scanning the higher floors closer to the latest barrier. I tried to get as much out of the Reaper as I could "Do you know where my friends are?"

_**They are above**_

"Right." I stood up. "Is Fuuka Yamagishi still alive?"

_**Whom?**_

"She entered here ten day- ten hours ago?"

_**I know not of whom you speak**_

That was either good, or really bad.

_~Who are you… Are you Human?~_

That looked like a good sign. "Thanks for your help." I said to the Reaper. "Later!" I jogged for the stairs.

_**Indeed**_ the Reaper said. _**Later**_

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"_There's something else I have to tell you."_

What is it, Pharos? I dodged around the Emperor Maya.

"_Tonight, there is more than one Ordeal that you must face."_

Aw, what!? "So I have to fight the Emperor too?"

"_Most likely. You must press on and find your friends."_

I just hoped nothing pressed on me; I was bursting for the loo.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I found Junpei and Akihiko on the next floor.

"Hey, here he is!" Junpei shouted, running towards me. "Man, we were worried about you!"

"I don't think we should enter Tartarus this way again…" Akihiko suggested. Thanks, captain obvious.

"Oh yeah!" Junpei said, "Did you hear a voice while you were coming up here? Kinda like…"

"Who is this..? Are you human?" Holy Crap Junpei does impressions! AND he's a ventriloquist!

"Th-That's it! That's the voice" Aaand he blew any chance of fooling us that he was. "It sounded like it was coming from behind us…"

We all looked behind Junpei. A blue haired girl popped her head around the corner, almost comically.

"Are you Fuuka Yamagishi?" Akihiko asked. Come to think of it, it was funny. The girl ran towards us.

"Wow, you're alive!" Junpei said. "That's Awesome!" He grinned and posed. "Never fear, Junpei is here!"

"Good." I said, walking into a corner. "Because I need a wiz."

"Err… A what?" Junpei asked, cocking his head.

"A Wiz." Zip. "Also known as a Wee, Pee, Slash, Answering natures call, Urinating, or Relieving oneself." Ah, that felt good.

"What!?" Junpei turned away. "Dude, here and now?"

"Well we found her, so now we can go!?" Hey, I'm going right into the faces mouth! Well, there's always a time to be immature.

"Whatever…" Akihiko said, turning to Fuuka. "I'm glad you're okay… come with us."

"Thank you so much…" Fuuka said. "…I…I…"

"Looks like we made the right decision" Akihiko said. Wow, I was really going! "I'll see if I can contact Mitsuru."

"Where are we?" Fuuka asked Junpei. "I was at school, and then…"

"Well, it's a long story." Junpei said. Ah, there we go! Zip. "I'll explain after we get out of here."

"And I'll explain any mistakes he makes." I said, walking over to them.

"Dude, not cool…" Junpei looking into the corner. "Oh, that's hilarious!"

I turned to him. "Grow up Junpei. You don't just do toilet humour in front of a lady!" In the privacy of your own mind, however, you do it all you want. Though it looked like Fuuka found it slightly funny. Akihiko, however, has having trouble with the transceiver.

"O-oh yeah, are ya hurt?" Junpei asked Fuuka, trying to regain his standing as a mature and responsible young man. "Have you run into any monsters?"

"So there ARE strange creatures in here, then…" Fuuka said, looking surprised. "I've managed to avoid them so far…"

That got peoples attention. "Are you serious!?" Akihiko asked, "How is that possible!?"

"Umm... It's sorta hard to describe, but…" Fuuka looked a bit uncomfortable. "I can sort of tell where they are…"

"Whaddya mean? Are you Psychic?" Way to jump to the wrong conclusion, Stupei.

"She has the same power as Mitsuru…" Akihiko got it in one. "Maybe even stronger, since Mitsuru's Persona is more battle orientated…" He reached into his pocket and pulled out a spare Evoker. "Hang on to this." He said, passing it to Fuuka, who gasped as she took it.

"But… But this is…" She protested.

"Think of it as a lucky charm." Akihiko told her. "It's not a real gun." He turned us. "Come on, let's get out of here." He began walking down one corridor.

"Um… wait!" Fuuka said, "There's something down there!"

"Sweet!" I ran down the corridor, pulling out my Evoker. There was another one of those Emperor Maya's. "ORPHEUS!"

BAM! Orpheus flew out of my head, strumming a quick melody that exploded the Shadow's head. "Clear!" I shouted.

"Wha-what was that?" Fuuka asked.

"Persona." I told her. "That's how we fight them." I turned to everyone else. "Come on, we gotta leave the floor before the Reaper comes."

_**I'm already here**_

Crap. "Too late!" I said, looking for an exit while Fuuka began clutching her head.

"S-something's coming!"

Damn! I pulled out the weapons scroll and browsed it until I found… "HERE!" I pulled it out.

"What is that?" Akihiko asked.

"C-4. It should slow him down." I responded as I began strapping it to the walls. Adding the trip wire, I ordered everyone to "Hurry! He can't get us if we get to the stairs!"

We ran like hell, especially after we heard the _very_ satisfying KABOOM behind us. Once we saw the stairs, we sprinted, and I looked back to see a rather bloody Reaper respawn a new left arm. So he isn't invincible, just crazy strong. I threw a grenade at it. "FASTER!"

The Reaper shot the grenade, so it exploded harmlessly just as we crossed the threshold of the stair room. Gasping for breath, we panted as it stopped just outside of the doorway.

"Wh-what is that?" Fuuka asked, almost panicking.

"The Reaper." I told her, since I was the first to get my breath back. "It gets you if you stay on a floor for too long."

_**I did not pursue her**_

"Though I'm guessing that it didn't come after you since you're still here." I added. "Come on, there should be an access point on the next floor." We nodded, and climbed the stairs looking for the warp panel.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

With Fuuka's help, we managed to avoid any Shadows on the next floor. We did, however, find the first window I'd seen since I'd gotten into Tartarus, a huge, corridor long hole that opened the tower up to the naked night sky. "Woah…" Junpei said, as we leaned against the railings between the pillars. I had to admit, it was beautiful in its own messed up nightmare fuel way. "Check out the moon!" He added, "I've never seen it so bright!"

"Some research indicates that the Shadows are affected by the phases of the moon." Akihiko told us, leaning on the railing. Laughing, he added that "Of course, the same can be said for humans."

Junpei nodded. "That explains Yuka-Tan's mood swings."

"Junpei?"

"Yeah Minato?"

"Pay more attention in Biology next time we're discussing the menstrual cycle, please?" Akihiko and Fuuka both laughed embarrassedly.

Quickly changing the subject, Junpei asked "Hey, wasn't it a full moon the night we went to the monorail?"

Akihiko started. "…Was it?"

"I think so…" Junpei was concerned. "…Why?"

Akihiko turned to me. "Hey, was it a full moon that time we were attacked at the dorm, back in April?"

I'd completely forgotten Pharos's warning, what with finding Fuuka and the Reaper. I nodded. "Yeah, it was."

Silently cursing, Akihiko tried to use the transceiver again. "Mitsuru! Mitsuru, do you hear me!?"

"**---^v---Akihiko---^v---Shadow's---^v---"**

"HEY!" Akihiko shouted into his Mic. "Mitsuru! Come In!"

"**---^v---Be careful---^v---"**

Akihiko kept shouting, and Fuuka fell to her knees. "What is this thing?" she asked. "It's much bigger than the others… And it's attacking someone!"

"Bigger than the Reaper?" I asked her, sweating. I only had one block left.

"No… but much more malevolent…" Okay, it's only evil, but not deadly. I rolled the scroll back up, but something caught my eye.

I haven't bought any bows. Yet there it was. I don't recognise that sword either…

Wait, that's Mitsuru's… so that bow's Yukari's… Yeah, I put them in here to transport them…

And I gave Junpei and Akihiko their weapons and Evokers when we were in the gym… wait, Evokers?

I quickly checked the third scroll, the one for tools. I kept a couple of spare Evokers in there just in case…

There were four. Yukari and Mitsuru's.

Crap. "We need to move fast." I said. "Where's the Access point?" Pharos told me, and I started walking fast in that direction.

"Mitsuru can take care of herself." Akihiko told me catching up with me as I rolled up the scrolls.

"Not without these she can't." I replied, passing him an Evoker. "It's one of the big ones. If we're both right…"

"They come every full moon…" Akihiko replied. "Let's hurry!"

"Hey!" Junpei shouted, running after with Fuuka. "Wait for us!"

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

When we got down, Mitsuru's bike was smashed, and Yukari was on the ground. I ran to her checked she was alright, then looked at the Shadows.

"What in the world!?" Fuuka shouted.

She was right to shout. Empress was some huge blue fat woman thing with a pointy stick, and the Emperor was a huge, cumbersome suit of armour holding a huge claymore in one hand and an angry Mitsuru in the other.

"There's Two!?" Akihiko shouted. "MITSURU!"

"Ah… Ugh…" Mitsuru groaned. It almost looked like the Emperor was crushing her _slowly_.

"What's going on!?" Yukari asked, clutching an Evoker. Wait, how did she have an Evoker? I looked at the smashed Bike. Ah, like how Cloud's bike has swords… I looked back at the Shadows. Aaand now they've noticed me.

Then they noticed Natsuki. "Why the hell is she here!?"

She looked like a zombie. "F-Fuuka…" She fell to her knees.

"Moriyama-San?" Fuuka ran to her.

"_That's how you look when you're alone."_ Time and place Pharos, this is neither.

"Wait!" Akihiko shouted. "What are you doing!?"

Fuuka knelt down in front of the girl who bullied her. "Please, get out of here!" She pleaded, "It's dangerous!" Holy crap, can someone actually be that forgiving?

"I…I wanted to tell you…" Natsuki stammered, "I'm sorry…"

Fuuka was surprised. Emperor, on the other hand, moved in to attack. Fuuka stood up and cocked her Evoker.

"Wait!" Akihiko warned. "That's not a weapon!"

_~I know…~_ Fuuka's voice didn't come in through my ears, but the gunshot from her Evoker did, just as the Emperor swung its blade.

Her Persona looked like a woman in a huge ball gown. Its head was bandaged, her face red. Fuuka and Natsuki were inside the ball gown itself, which looked like it was filled with water. What really surprised me was how easily it deflected the huge weapon, so much that it sent the Emperor flying back into the Empress, dropping the sword and Mitsuru, who was caught by Akihiko.

"I'm alright…" Mitsuru said, pushing herself off him. "Be careful, normal attacks won't work on these Shadows… and all of our instruments have been destroyed…"

"Just stay still!" Akihiko warned her. "Besides…"

_~I can see…~_

"Is that the voice?" Mitsuru asked.

_~I… I can see these monster's weaknesses, somehow…~_ Fuuka told us telepathically. Her voice wasn't tinny, like Mitsuru's was over the communications device. It sounded like she was underwater, and it went straight into my brain.

I pulled out my ear piece and tore off my mic as Junpei expressed his disbelief.

"Mitsuru!" Akihiko said, grinning. "Let her take your place."

"I get it now…" She said. "Yamagishi, can you assist the others?"

_~I'll do my best!~_

"Stay back." I said, standing up while pocketing Yukari's Evoker so she couldn't get involved in her state. "We'll handle this."

_~I'll try and find out the enemy's weaknesses.~_ Fuuka told us as Me, Junpei and Akihiko ran forward. _~Just let me know when!~_

"How's now?" I dragged a couple of scimitars from the scroll and shoved them in my belt behind me, then tossed the scroll behind me as I pulled out a warscythe.

_~On It.~_ Fuuka told me as the Shadow's got to their feet.

"_You love weaponised overkill don't you?"_

Who doesn't? I glanced to my left to see Akihiko, then looked right to see Junpei. Thunder filled Akihiko's fists, and flames rang up Junpei's sword. Switching to Pale Rider, I charged my Warscythe with darkness for an instant kill.

_~That won't work.~_ Fuuka told me. _~The Empress can only be hurt by physical attacks, and only elemental skills will work on the Emperor. Light or Dark won't work on either, but you can't use both magic and weapons on either of them!~_

_Can you feel life moving through your mind?_

"Thanks Fuuka. You guys Magic the hell out Emperor!" I ordered, charging for the Empress.

_Ooh, looks like you came back for more!_

It swung its wand as I jumped up to stab my lance into the lock in its chest

_Can you feel time slipping down your spine?_

It stuck, so I swung round on it and kicked it in the fleshy chest above its iron armour

_Ooh, you trying to try to ignore! _

It fell down to the ground with the Emperor. _~Great work, guys!~_

_But you can hardly swallow!_

I kicked the warscythe, breaking the lock.

_Your pleas in vain!_

I was knocked off her by the surge of fat.

_When you can't help but follow!_

I got up to my feet, spinning the scimitars in hand.

_And puts you right back where you ca-ame!_

I stabbed down into its stomach.

_Live and Learn!_

It screamed.

_Hanging on the edge of tomorrow!_

I twisted to widen the wound.

_Live and Learn!_

It didn't work.

_On the words of yesterday!_

The fat had already closed around the blades.

_Live and Learn!_

It rose to its feet, knocking me back.

_If you beg or if you borrow,_

I charged my fist with a Getsu-ei

_Live and Learn!_

Plunging it into the Empresses belly;

_You may never find your way!_

It exploded in a mass of Ichor.

"Alright!" Junpei shouted. I looked over to see him Hi-five Akihiko over a ripped to pieces Emperor. "We kicked ass!"

"Too right!" he shouted.

_~Look out!_ Fuuka warned us. _~They're changing their weaknesses!~_ Oh, what? I groaned as the Emperor groaned to its feet, glowing slightly.

WHAM! I was knocked flying. The Empress just flung me aside as it crawled for the Emperor.

Wait, do the Arcana Shadow's have feelings?

The Empress shoved its head into the Emperor's broken armour. The Emperor began to scream and flung around wildly, but the Empress just ignored it.

_~It's eating it! The Empress is eating the Emperor!~_ Guess not then.

"What!?" Junpei shouted, scrambling to his feet. "Okay, we are so gonna kill that—" WHAM! The Empress charged straight through him and scrambled up the stairs. For a fat thing, it could run.

"Come on!" I shouted, running after it.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A few floors into Thebel, I'd lost it.

_~Behind you!~_ Fuuka shouted. I twisted around, Evoker to my head as it crawled around the corner.

"What's it weak against?"

_~It isn't!~_ Fuuka said. _~Neither physical nor magic attacks will work! It must be because it ate the other one!~_

Crap. I need a plan.

…

Okay, I need a new plan. Men in Black did not end pretty.

"_Do you have a choice?"_

I have a Megido gem. That'll work.

"_It won't kill it though."_

Damn… I twisted around the corner to see it slumped on the stairs.

Eating Mayas.

New plan arrived.

I grabbed a Cowardly Maya and ran straight at the Empress. Shoving the Megido gem into the Maya's hands, I threw it at the obese Shadow.

Empress ignored it, jumping straight for me, grabbing me and lifting me up in the air.

Not good.

I still had my Evoker, but since my arm was clamped to my sides… yeah.

It ate me.

Great.

…

Just lovely.

So, now I'm covered in ick, in the pitch black, slowly getting digested. This is worse than that time when… when…

I scratched my head. My hand was oversized and gray. Oh, so my soul is being digested and I'll be crapped out as a Shadow?

I am not having that. Click. Point.

BOOM!!! Genbu got me out of there faster than anything other than a turtle bigger than the stomach it was inside could. It must have looked awesome from the outside.

For the record, getting backstage seats to a gut busting explosion is not a good idea. You get covered is so much ew it's unreal.

"_scree…_" Holy crap, it's still alive? I grabbed the Megido gem from the floor and held it towards the writhing head.

"This time." I said, smashing it in my fist, "Stay down."

There was a gorgeous Purple-gold explosion, much nicer than the black and red one I was just in. It eradicated any trace of the Shadow that wasn't on me or the walls. Great. Now to find a Shower Gem.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I trudged through the clock face after checking my itinerary. My Leatherman was thankfully okay, and the scroll casings were waterproof, so they were okay. My Evoker, on the other hand, was shot, most likely my MP3 player was too. I didn't bring my phone either, which was a good decision. Other than that, I looked like a melting Shadow version of me, so I wiped my face and took off my Jacket so I at least resembled human. I'm not sure I had to bother though, because when I got down, everyone was focused on Natsuki, who was sobbing over an unconscious Fuuka. "I'm so sorry…" She kept saying. I think she's had sufficient punishment.

Like I said, female bullying is psychological and emotional. She must have been through hell this past week in that manner.

Looking down at Fuuka though, I'm surprised that she was of so much help. She gave responses much faster than Mitsuru did, and even gave decent tactical advice. She was someone who took information, thought it through, and gave us what we needed. She will be a big help knocking down monsters.

Yes, Will. From the way she carried herself tonight, I have no doubt that she would hesitate to help us.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yep, Fuuka arc now done. I based Minato's difficulty in this fight on the difficulty I had. At least for the music fic section, the last bit I added just because of what the Empress Arcana actually entails. Her behaviour is not unlike a spider eating her mates and young, which is where I got the idea.

Yep, another attempt at setting a fight to music. It's not as good as the last one, but it still works, in my opinion. Not by best chapter, but not my worst either. I like it; it's been one I've been looking forward to doing.

So… Yeah. As always, Review and tell me what you think. Gonna write a new KH next, then gonna get back to this on Monday, maybe Tuesday. For those reading this on the night I upload this, you will realise that I'm being fast with these.


	27. Chapter 27

Hey, told you I'd be fast.

KRP brought something to my attention in his last review, which at first confused me, but upon further inspection I had failed to clarify my  
intention concerning what he pointed out. Rather than go back and rewrite my previous chapter, I'm going to roll with it, and pretend that I  
intended it all along, effectively fooling anyone who doesn't read the author notes at the top of the document. So, nobody. Yeah.

So, for those who are wondering why I started writing this before uploading the newest chapter of Kingdom Hearts Oblivion, don't worry; it has been written. However, I recently got an editor for that story, so updates will be slightly slower, but I'll still be writing them at the same pace so don't be surprised if updates get irregular in the near future.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I woke up in the middle of the night with a hand covering my mouth. THE HELL!?

"Quiet!" A man hissed at me.

"It's alright." Said Elizabeth. "We're here to help you."

I nodded, and the guy took his hand off my mouth. Oh, Edward. I looked around. It wasn't the dark hour, I was in my room, and there was  
no Pharos. "What's going on?"

Edward grabbed my left wrist and pulled the sleeve up. "It's worse than we thought…" He said.

"What is?" I looked at my blackened arm. That Shadow juice really stained my flesh there.

"Your arm is changing into a Shadow." Elizabeth said with urgency. What, what? "Thankfully, we got here fast enough so we can save your  
life." How, I wondered, as Edward pinned me down.

"What's the plan?" I asked.

"We need to destroy your arm."

...What?

"You look awfully calm about it." Edward noted.

"Calm? Calm? How the hell can I be calm!?" I protested, but I couldn't fight him off; he was way stronger than I was.

Then he headbutted me.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I woke up with a sweat, panting for breath. I felt exhausted, must be because of that nightmare.

"It wasn't a nightmare." Pharos asked. He looked even worse than I felt.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"You went to sleep with a shirt on, remember?"

I looked down at my bare torso. Suspicious. I looked at my left arm. Phew it was there, normal skin colour. Everything fine…

Wait, no it isn't. I do not have a tattoo on my left arm.

It circled around the middle of my bicep and around the triceps. It looked kinda like a smaller version of Scar's arm tattoo, only slightly less evil, but just as weird. Actually, on closer inspection…

"It's a seal." Pharos told me. Man, he really looked out of it. "They put that on you before chopping your arm off above the infection. Then they Hama'd the hell out of the arm and did something to regrow it."

"You alright Pharos?" I asked, getting concerned. "You look knackered."

He nodded. "Yeah… it's just that they then purged you for any further infection… they said that they couldn't get any more out of you than they did, but there may be side affects…"

"Did it get you?"

"I'm okay…" Pharos repeated. "It's just that… I'm…"

"Tired?" Pharos nodded. "Me too." I looked at the Tattoo again. It was only a couple of centimetres thick, but I'm still not happy about it. "I'll ask Igor about it this afternoon."

"What, you're not going to school?"

"Need sleep."

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Both Junpei and Yukari came in to try to get me out of bed, but I just rolled over again in my covers. They eventually got the hint, and let me skive. Hey, I more than deserved it.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Ramen for breakfast is great. Especially if breakfast is at one in the afternoon and you're skiving off school. I went into the Velvet room in casual clothes.

Hey, if you're skiving for the whole day, you do not do it in school uniform. Especially if said uniform is covered in monster blood.

"Welcome to the Velvet Room." An older blonde woman said to me as I entered.

"Where's Elizabeth?"

"She's unavailable today. My name is Margret. Right this way, sir." She led me to Igor. I sat down opposite him.

"It's good to see you again." He told me. "I trust you are pleased with your recent victory?"

Cutting to the chase, I rolled up my sleeve and plonked my left arm on the table. "What is this?"

Glancing at it, Igor smiled. "Ah yes. Unfortunately, while you were inside the Empress, it appears you picked up something unwanted." Igor looked at me. "That is why I sent Elizabeth and Edward to assist you."

"Assist me? The chopped off my arm!"

"I understand your dismay, but it had to be done." Igor shook his head. "What happened there was not a result of your prerogative. However, it would have slowly consumed your mind, inhibiting your ability to make decisions, and would have ultimately prevented you from accomplishing your goal." Igor waved his hand slightly. "There may still be a few effects, but that seal is what allowed you to remain alive during the operation, and to prevent the Shadow's influence from reaching your mind."

"So, do I still need it, or can I get this lasered?" having a badass tattoo was not always good when you didn't ask for it.

"I… would not recommend it." Igor replied. "Unfortunately, some of the Shadow's Ichor has reached your bloodstream. While we did remove most of it, there are still a few drops of the fluid, diluting your blood as we speak."

"…that's not good…"

"Indeed it is not. However, that seal will weaken its affect as it flows through your body, protecting you mentally, and physically."

"I see." I sighed. Looks like I'm gonna have to buy some elbow length T-shirts then if I want to hide this… Probably violates some school rules or something. "Thanks Igor."

"Anytime." He said. "But until then…"

"Farewell." I said, stealing the words from his mouth as I rose from my seat. I heard him chuckle as I left the room.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"So, what is it?"

"Some kind of seal that's stopping me from turning evil or something." I told Pharos. "While I'm here, I might as well visit the shop again."

When I walked into the police department, there was some police guy on the desk. Suddenly I recognised him as the officer from the other day.

"Hey, just thought we'd let you know that Yamagishi has showed up." He told me.

"That's great!" I said.

"Yeah, but shouldn't you be in school?"

"I felt ill this morning." I said. "By noon I felt fine, but if I go into school now, they'll just assume I was skiving."

The officer laughed. "Yeah, teachers are assholes like that. So," He asked, "Anything you want?"

"Yeah, is Officer Kurosawa here?"

"Hold on," He replied, "I'll go check." He ran into the back. A minute or so later, Kurosawa showed up.

"Hey, what do you need?"

I checked my list. "I need some more C-4."

"What, you used it already?"

I nodded. "It was really useful, but I need more. I also broke the Warscythe I bought."

He sighed. "Well, I'll drop it off at the dorm later. Anything else?"

I was about to say no, but then I got a thought. "Got any under armour?"

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Few minutes and a few grand later, I was walking out of there wearing an army issue power vest thingy. It was basically a T-shirt that clung to you like a wetsuit, only it protected against small calibre bullets, heat, cold, electricity, glancing knife blows, and other stuff. Best of all? The shoulders didn't flap, and it looked like a normal, if tight, T-shirt. I bought four.

When I got back to the dorm, it was still empty, so I made myself useful and tried to fix the surveillance system that Mitsuru kept going on about.

By the time Junpei and Yukari got home, I'd fixed it. I'd fixed it good. There was some glitch that made random segments of video footage save files onto the unit, but I couldn't fix that, so I locked it off instead. Mind you, the footage of Ikutsuki actually sitting down to write jokes was worth watching, so I made a back door. You know, just in case anything else shows up.

Hey, I just got my arm cut off and regrew it in one night. After getting eaten. I deserve this. Hell, it's probably the universes way of compensating for the crap I went through last night. Karma, that's it.

"Hey, there you are!" Yukari said as she poked through the door. "How're you feeling?"

"Fine." I said, swivelling away from the monitor. "I got bored, so I fixed that glitch Mitsuru was going on about."

"Oh, that's good." Yukari seemed relieved. "Anyway, Mitsuru Senpai and Akihiko Senpai went to the hospital to see Fuuka today."

"That's good." I replied. "I hope she's doing okay."

"Yeah…" Yukari asked, sitting down on the couch. Something was on her mind. "Hey, I was thinking…" She began. "Do you think Mitsuru Senpai saved Fuuka because it was the right thing to do?" she asked, "Or was it because she's a Persona user and we need her?"

Tough question. I didn't answer it, choosing to look at the carpet instead. Hey, I never noticed that there's a swirl pattern in this!

"You think so too?" Yukari asked, taking my silence as an answer, "Well, whether she joins or not is up to her…" She looked at the carpet as well. "Sorry to bring this up out of the blue."

"Anytime." I told her, smiling.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Wednesday I helped Yuko train those kids again. I had to admit, they were improving. I was more concerned about Fuuka though. She and Natsuki were still in the hospital. I'm still damned sure that Natsuki won't revert back to how she was, but from what I can gather, she'll probably lose her memories of Fuuka saving her. What I want to know is whether or not her emotions from that time will remain…

If Yuko noticed my attention was elsewhere, she didn't say anything.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Thursday was my first actual 'date' with Chihiro. Naturally, we went to Bookworms. While she was distracted by the books, Bunkichi collared me.

"I've got some good news for you Minato Chan!" He told me. "It's about a customer who came by earlier. Guess who it was!"

"You gotta give me a hint."

"I was going to." Bunkichi laughed. "It's 'Signature'."

"One of my many fans?" I asked.

Bunkichi chuckled. "No, it's—"

"One of your many fans?"

Bunkichi laughed. "I wish! It was actually one of the organisers for the campaign to save the tree!"

That's great! "That's wonderful!"

Bunkichi nodded. "He said, 'let's protect the tree together!', AND he'd gotten lots of signatures from students who were in my son's class!"

"Sweet!" I said, keeping my voice low. "So, what now?"

"What do you think?" Bunkichi chuckled. "I'm going to the school to tell my son the good news!"

"I'll stay here." I told him.

Bunkichi shook his head. "This was all your doing, Minato Chan, you _have_ to come!"

I gestured behind me to Chihiro and mouthed the words _Date._

Bunkichi looked behind me and smiled. "Ooh, that's a nice girl you got there, Minato Chan." He winked, then whispered into my ear conspiratorially "And a very nice behind too."

I slapped him on the shoulder jokingly, and Bunkichi hooted. "Well, you look after her. I'm to see my son. Make sure you say hi next time you get the chance!"

I nodded. "Will do."

SMASH

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Hierophant Arcana_

I smiled as Bunkichi hobbled out of the door. Then I walked back to Chihiro. "Find anything good?"

She span round. "I've been dying to read this!" Woah, her eyes were sparkly. "This is a collection of illustrations from the Shoujo Manga I read! It even has short stories inside!" She looked around. "I never expected it to be here… maybe the shop owner made a mistake."

"That sounds like Bunkichi…" I agreed. The old man was as senile as a duck, bless him.

Chihiro looked at her find. "They have all three volumes… this is amazing! But each volume is 6000 yen, so that means…" He voice trailed off.

"18000 yen?" I offered.

Her heart sank. "What do I do..?"

I remembered that she didn't have much money, but she'd probably be insulted if I offered to buy it for her. "Is it good?" I asked instead.

"Of course!" She almost squealed. "All three volumes are really great! The characters look so real, it's like they really exist!" She sighed. "But my monthly allowance is 5000 yen… so even if I used my lunch money… No!" She had a determined look on her face. "I'll get them no matter what! By next month… wait… by the time I graduate!"

"Fair enough." I took the books off her and took them to the desk. "Mitsuko, please can you reserve these for Chihiro San for me? Just so nobody buys them while she's saving up?"

Mitsuko smiled. "Of course dearie." In a lower voice, she added "That was surprisingly gentleman like of you. Most men would have just bought it for her."

"What," I whispered, "After she's just decided to save up herself? That would just ruin it for her."

"You're a good one, Minato Chan." She smiled. Looking at Chihiro, she added. "Just let me know when you want these!"

"Um… Thank you!" She said, bowing as I walked up to her.

SMASH!

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Justice Arcana._

My phone started buzzing. Opening it, I got a text message from Akihiko.

_Fuuka is being released from the hospital. We'll talk to her this evening, come to the command room as soon as you get back._

I had prepared for this, but preparations had to be made. "Erm… I gotta go." I explained to Chihiro. "Akihiko Senpai is organising something back at the dorm, and he needs my help."

"Oh… okay…" She seemed a bit down. "See you, Minato San!"

I waved goodbye to her and ran home.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A few hours later, Fuuka was in the command room. I was keeping a close eye on the time. I needed to time this just right. Once the introductions had been made, Ikutsuki started the debriefing.

"Everyone, you did an excellent job uncovering the truth. I also wanted you to know…" Ikutsuki paused for suspense. "All three girls have regained consciousness."

Fuuka sighed with relief. "What a relief." She said.

Ikutsuki nodded. "From what I understand, they each came to school around midnight and waited for the security guard to leave. They were attacked by Shadows near the gate, as the dark hour began…" Ikutsuki looked at us from over his glasses. "However. The facts became twisted because of rumours concerning a ghost story." He said.

Yukari looked smug. "I knew right from the beginning that it wasn't a ghost."

Fuuka, however, looked… ashamed? "This is my fault…" She said.

"Are you kidding?" Yukari was as a surprised as I was. "You were the victim!"

"But, I made everyone worry!"

"Hey, don't think like that…" Yukari told her. My phone buzzed as Mitsuru stood up.

"Excuse me." I said, rushing out the door, turning off the alarm. I closed the door behind me and I ran down the stairs to the kitchen.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I was back up the stairs within two minutes, carrying my load. I put my ear to the door to hear what was going on.

"We'll have the school talk to your parents to resolve any issues." Mitsuru said gratefully.

"Thank you." Fuuka sounded happy, and it appears that she was joining us. I pushed the door open with my backside.

"This calls for cake!" I said, holding up a freshly baked Quadruple Chocolate Cake I'd spent all afternoon making.

Everyone looked at me in sheer disbelief as I put the cake onto the table next to the steel briefcase. "What?" I asked. "Not a good time?" I cut a slice and put it on a plate, offering it to anybody who wanted it. "But every time is a good time for cake!"

"Eeeyoink!" Junpei shouted, swiping it out of my hands, biting into it happily. "MMM! Ris ish rud!" He said happily through a mouthful of cake. That got everyone laughing, so I got back to work dishing it up. Never underestimate the power of QCC.

"Now then." Ikutsuki announced once everyone was enjoying their cake. "Those special Shadows came around again… We still don't know where they're coming from, But Akihiko and Minato are right about one thing." The light hit his glasses, making him look all mysterious. "Their appearance seems to coincide with the full moon. We'll take that into consideration for now."

"So…" Junpei began, chocolate all over his face, "They're kinda like werewolves then?"

"It's a big advantage for us to know when to expect them." Akihiko said over the top of him. "Now, on the day of the fight, we'll be ready to get into the ring!"

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Um… Minato-Kun?"

"Just call me Minato." I told her as I escorted her home afterwards. "I'm from England, so I don't mind."

"Oh!" Fuuka seemed surprised. "Um… Well, please, if it's not too much trouble…" I looked at her expectantly. "Erm... may… I have the… recipe? For the cake?"

That's it? "Hey, if you're going to move in with us, I might as well teach you how to do it myself!" I smiled at her. "Course it isn't any trouble! I'd be happy to!"

"Oh! Um… Thank you… Minato… Um… Do you enjoy cooking then?"

"Love it." I did, so long as it was Man cooking. "You?" All focus goes into the taste; we don't care about making food look pretty, so long as it looks edible.

"Oh… I'm learning… but… it's not going so well…"

"I'll teach you then!" I smiled at her. "I like to cook my own meals as it is, so I might as well help a friend out along the way!"

Fuuka looked surprised. "Thank You Minato."

SMASH!

Wait, what?

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Priestess Arcana…_

"This is my house…" Fuuka said. "I'll see you later!" She said, waving as she climbed the stairs.

"Yeah, see you…" I just managed to make those words I was so shocked.

I can make Social Links with other Persona Users?

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

There you go. Two chapters in two days. Three if you include Kingdom Hearts, but that's still undergoing editing. I deserve a medal!

Still considering if the Tattoo should be a major plot device. I doubt it, but it'll do some stuff in the future, that's for sure.

And you asked for more scenes with Chihiro, so you got it. Though I'm surprised at how few people are asking for Yuko, which is interesting.

And Margret appears! However, I'd be lying if I said that she was the first P4 character to appear in the story. It's there if you look hard enough.


	28. Chapter 28

Hey, new chapter. For those of you who are wondering, Kingdom Hearts 16 and 17 have been written and are awaiting editing. You'll like 17. it's shorter than the others, but I got Jack Sparrow's personality, speech, and mannerisms down Perfectly! I pulled it off with Rafiki too.

Yeah, I've kind of given away what the next two worlds that Sora's gonna visit now, haven't I? Well, whatever. Something to look forward to if you read those.

Back to Persona. I'll be honest once again to KRP's point, and say that I honestly forgot about Akihiko's thing with text messages, so I'll just say that Minato had a go at him over it at one point. And as for the P4 character? That character has shown up more than once already in the story. Pay attention in the future and you might get it. When you do, I can guarantee that you will exclaim profanities, at least in your head.

To Viktor, the southern Irish are in general cool about the English, as long as we don't mention the queen or the fact that we are English. Northern Irish peoples are generally split into those that like being British, those that don't like the English, and those who don't care.

And Snakeeater? The sonic half of Sonic Unleashed is decent, as is Sonic Rush, for DS. But you're right; the Genesis games were the best. Especially Sonic 3 & Knuckles. Can you say HYPER SONIC!?

Anyhoo, now for the main event. Ladies and Gentlemen, the chapter we've all been waiting for… may I present… Chapter… TWENTY EIGHT!

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I was sitting in my room doing my report for Tanaka when my phone rang. Yukari. Sweet, I picked it up. "Hey." I said.

"_Uh, hello?"_

"Hey." I repeated.

"_Wait, what's the meaning of this!?"_

Woah, she sounded mad. "The… meaning of what?"

"_I was just talking to Fuuka in the lounge about Sunday plans, when she mentioned how she was going to do her best cooking with you!"_

"Is that… So..?" I was confused as to what I'd done wrong, but I kept my voice uncertain, just to be safe.

"_You specifically promised that we were going out on Sunday, didn't you?"_ Wait, what? _"But if you were going out with Fuuka… no-one would say anything… right?"_

"Wait, this is-"

"_So who was tricked?"_ Yukari stabbed. _"Fuuka? Or me?"_ I was shocked. _"And more importantly, how am I supposed to face Fuuka now?"_

Oh crap, I could really feel the disgust in her voice. _"Of all things… two timing in this dorm…"_

"Wait, I can-"

"_I won't listen to any of your excuses!" _Yukari shouted. _"In fact… I don't even want to see you any more…"_

"Wait, YUKARI!" She hung up. What the hell? I felt awful. Then my phone rang again. Fuuka? Oh great… is this gonna be more of the same?

I didn't have much choice. I answered it. "…Hello?"

"_Um… It's… SNIFF… Ya-Yamagishi…"_ Oh crap, is she crying?

"Hey, are you alright?"

"_Um… It's… it's about Sunday…"_ Oh hell… _"Maybe… we should cook together… another day…"_

Huh?

"_It's… just that… I was…Kirijo Senpai…" Wait, what does Mitsuru have to do with this? "She… She was saying how… she was… SNIFF… looking forward to watching a… movie with you… on Sunday…"_

Wait, WHAT!? _"Kirijo Senpai… she…" _Fuuka continued. _"She looked really happy…"_ Oh man… no wonder Fuuka sounded so heartbroken… wait, why was she heartbroken? Disappointed, sure, but Heartbroken?

"_It's alright."_ Fuuka said to my astonished silence. _"I… I won't tell Senpai so…" _I could feel Fuuka smile through her tears on the other side of the phone, _"Have a great time… Really."_

"Wait, Fuuka!"

"_It's okay…" _Fuuka got in the way of my voice. _"I'm fine… really… I… I just hope that… Senpai… won't… feel the way I do right now!"_ She hung up, crying.

Bollocks… I didn't think I could even feel this bad. I snapped out of it when the phone rang again. Mitsuru. Bugger…

"He-Hello..?"

"_It is me." _Mitsuru said simply_. "__**EXECUTION!**__" _I jumped, almost dropping the phone._ "That is all…"_

"Wait, WHAT!?" I shouted, fumbling the phone back into position.

"_How else do you propose I deliver your punishment?"_ Mitsuru accused. _"IS DEATH NOT GOOD ENOUGH!?"_

"Ah, No! I- I Just-!"

"_Allow me to explain your crimes. As I was speaking to Chihiro about Sunday plans…"_ Oh damn and blast _"She mentioned how she was going to go shopping for books with you on Sunday. THIS Sunday, in fact."_ She told me, anger rising in her calm voice. _"This special Sunday that we have been waiting for for weeks now…  
"Apparently seeing a movie with me was at the same level of importance to you as buying a train ticket."_

"N-NO! I- I-!"

"_Don't misunderstand. I did not call you to listen to your excuses. I only came to inform you about your sentence. Sit and think upon your crimes."_ She said. _"That is my only condition."_

"Wait, MITSURU!" She hung up. Dammit, if Chihiro calls about Yuko now, I'll…

KNOCK KNOCK. Huh?

"It is Aegis." Who the hell is Aegis? She came in; she was some blonde girl with huge headphones on. Now why the hell did she look so familiar?

"I have just been monitoring the emotional levels of members in the dorm." She raised a finger. "It was a scene of carnage!" She pointed said finger at me. "The expected amount of damage that you will cause in human relationships is not good. Therefore!" She pointed all of her fingers at me.

Her fingertips opened up to show gun muzzles. Wait, is she--?

"I WILL REMOVE YOU!" She fired.

BULLETS ARE FLYING AT MY FACE!!!

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"AH!" I shot up in my bed, covered in sweat. I checked my phone for the last numbers to call me. Akihiko… Chihiro… Akihiko… Yukari… Good, it was a dream… I flopped back onto the bed. Just… a dream.

I shot up again. Who the hell was that gun girl? Some sort of robot? She did talk like a machine… but where did I know her from?

Unless it was a vision into the future.

In which case I'm buggered.

Crap… I opened up my laptop to check my Emails, try to get my mind off it, and I saw the report I was writing for Tanaka.

It was the same report I was writing in my dream.

Which means that either it was just a dream, or things are gonna change very rapidly from now until I hand this in on Sunday.

Today's Friday, so that gives me… today and tomorrow to ruin my life.

…

Meh, I'll be fine.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I ended up walking to School with Yukari. Hey, we live together, so even if I get caught, I can easily explain my way out of it without hurting either party. "So… what do you think of Fuuka?" She asked me.

"She's extremely helpful." I said. "As a Persona user, she'll be an invaluable asset in battle. The way she gave support, she…" I shrugged. "She's leagues ahead of Mitsuru. Though I'm guessing you were asking what I thought of her as a person?"

Yukari smiled. "That too."

I took a swig of my orange juice. "She's got no self esteem. From what I can gather from talking to her and how willing she was to move in with us, she's got trouble at home. Oh, not abuse or anything!" I added, noticing Yukari's expression, "But I do think something's not right. It doesn't fit with divorce…" I ran a few simulations in my head. "So I'm guessing either loveless marriage or her parents have an inferiority complex or something similar."

"You think so?" Yukari was surprised. I nodded.

"School finishes in July back in England, so I had 8 months to use before coming here." I explained. "I used it to learn some analytical psychology. Done all the coursework, but not the exam." I explained. "Anyway," I changed the subject back to our original topic. "What ever it was, Fuuka developed some kind personality issue, which gave Natsuki and her friends an opening to finish the job."

"You don't like bullying, do you?" She pointed out.

I shook my head. "I hate it. It goes more than just tormenting someone, but it even goes as far as to strip them of the will to fight back." I scowled. "Whether the bully's angry, jealous, racist, or just a plain jerkass, the fact remains that all your doing is treating people like crap, to the extent that they start treating themselves as crap."

Yukari nodded. "I never thought of it that far, but you're right. Bullying's just wrong."

"Oh, schoolyard punchups are one thing." I responded. "Teasing, backbiting, tormenting, it's all an important part of school life." Seeing Yukari's astonishment, I reminded her that "It's when they cross the line from building character to destroying it, that's when I usually step in."

"Hey, Minato!"

Yukari looked behind us, so did I. "Hey Yuko!"

Okay, don't show any shame, fear or any hint that I'm trying to hide anything. Wait, why bother? Keep my hands in my pocket and my mouth shut and no-one knows what I'm thinking. I did that, after saying "Hey." As she caught up.

"So… why're you guys walking together?" She asked, looking slightly suspicious.

"We live together." Yukari explained. "Well, in the same dorm. Since there's no archery club today, why not?"

Yuko nodded. "So, what're you talking about?"

Aaand time to steer. "You know Fuuka Yamagishi?" she nodded in confirmation. "She's moving into the dorm."

"Seriously?" Yuko was surprised. "But she lives in the city with her parents, doesn't she?"

"She said that she wanted to focus on her studies." I lied. "Since of what happened recently…"

"Oh yeah…" Yuko nodded. "So, what happened with that?"

"I'm not sure." I kept talking, prevent Yukari from saying anything. "I'll ask Mitsuru Senpai next time I see her at student council." I'm a much better liar than her. Shame that she has to find out, but we can't have anyone getting suspicious about S.E.E.S.

That would be one of the things that would send my life down the slippery slope to hell.

"Hey, how is that going?" Yuko asked. Yep, I know that Yukari was getting excluded from this conversation, but this is getting dangerous.

"Alright. Hidetoshi is trying to find some guy who dropped a cigarette butt in the boys bathroom, and I volunteered to help him. However, I have no idea when I'll get dragged off on one of his escapades." I laughed, scratching the back of his head.

Yuko and Yukari laughed as well. "Yeah. That's true." Yukari added. "Junpei's been complaining about him. He's been accused about five times!"

"I'm more accurate." I pointed out, shrugging. "But he's dedicated. It's kinda like playing good cop bad cop."

Yuko laughed a bit harder than Yukari, grabbing my shoulder. "Ah well." Yuko said. "You're still coming over on Wednesday, right?"

"Coming over?" Yukari asked.

"Yeah, wanna come?" I offered.

I started to explain about the kids, but I was drowned out by a

"NOOOOOO!!!! IT'S! NOT! POSSIBLE!!!"

Rather distraught young chap. I'm gonna have to have a word with him at some point. Hey, he has a bike now.

CRASH!

Well, _Had _a bike.

"I'll go help him." I said. "See you later!" I said, getting out of there as fast as I could "You alright?" I asked him. Magician Arcana. SMASH.

"Ow…" The guy had brown hair that needed cutting. "Yeah, I'm fine…" He seemed to notice me then stand up, looking angry. "I don't need your help!" He picked up his bike and ran off, jumping on it as he gained speed. Bit of a prick, I thought, but he most likely just has something against me. Well, on to school.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I hung out with Bebe in the fashion club after school. I haven't introduced him to you yet, but he's a French guy who thinks his a samurai, with a passion for fashion. I think he might be gay, but it's probably the English prejudice against those French pansies who can't even defend their own city in the middle of a war.

See what I mean?

I can't help it, I just consider all French people to be either pansies, hot maids, or badass butlers.

Hm, hot maids. Now there's a nice image.

"OW!" Bebe shoved his finger into his mouth. There was blood on the sewing machine needle and the fabric he was sewing.

He never did that.

"You alright?" I asked

"Oui…" He said, "It's just a pin prick…"

"That's not what I meant."

Bebe looked at me as I turned off my machine. "Something's bothering you." Looking at his face, I could see all the sadness he was hiding. How the hell had I missed that?

Oh, right. French maids.

Hm… Hot maids…

NO! Deep breath, do not get sucked in by your imagination's incredible sexiness! Focus on the task at hand! "What's wrong?" I asked him,

"You can tell somezing eez wrong!?" No, I am not translating a French accent. We were actually speaking in English. In our conversations, we tend to fluctuate randomly between English, French and Japanese. I'm telling you, since I started hanging out with Bebe, my transitions between the three languages have become much smoother. It's like trading in a Gear box car for an Automatic. Easier, but I don't get as much control over which language I'm speaking. On the bright side, my French is improving. Yay. Now if only I could find a German kid…

"Ja." I said. Wait, crap! "Yes." I said. Dammit Minato, focus and don't tempt fate…

Hm… Hot maids…

DAMMIT!

"Le vielle au soir…" Bebe said, now speaking in French. "My Dear Aunt…"

The Aunt who supported and paid for your exchange scholarship to Japan? "What happened?" I asked.

"She… was taken away by ze angnes…" Agnes… Angels… taken away by the angels… What!?

"H-how did it happen?"

"She… she 'ad a stroke… in her sleep…" Bebe began to cry. "Ze doctors said zat she went peacefully, but…"

"I'm so sorry…" I said.

Bebe shook his head, drying his face. "Sorry, Gomenasai… I…" He took a deep breath, slipping into Japanese. "She was ze reason I was able to come to Japan…" He said. "And now… She 'as been taken away…" He stood up, steadying himself on the workbench. "She 'as helped me so much and I… I could not do anyzing for 'er!"

"Come here…" I said, slipping him into a hug. Yeah, it's not the manliest thing in the world, but the poor guy needed one.

"I was 'olding zis inside…" he sobbed, "Because… I… SNIFF… I now zat crying will not 'elp!" no, it won't, but it'll make you feel better. It's the woman's version of digging a grave for her. "But… seeing ze look on your face… Minato-sama… I…" Man, he's well and truly devastated.

SMASH!

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Temperance Arcana. _

"Gomenasai… Sorry…" Bebe pushed away from me, slipping into English, "I can't work today…" He grabbed his bag and walked towards the door. "Sayonara…" He said as he left.

I cleaned up everything and left to go back to the dorm.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"'Sup dude?" Junpei greeted me when I returned. The lounge was empty.

"Where is everyone?" I asked.

"Oh, they're getting Fuuka's room ready on the third floor." Second floor, dammit, we're on the ground floor right now! "No guys allowed," He explained. "It's cool though. I'm just glad she's coming."

"Me too." I said.

"Yeah, well, she'll be here tomorrow." Junpei replied as I walked towards the stairs. "I got dibs."

I stopped. Then I turned around. "Junpei. You can't call dibs on another human being."

"Ooh, so you want a piece of Fuuka too?"

"No, but I'm pretty sure that she's not after a piece of Junpei either."

"That's for sure." Yukari came down the stairs in an apron. She had yellow paint on her face and her hair was in a ponytail. Damn, that looks hot. "Yuko seems pretty into you." Yukari commented to me. Dammit!

"Err, yeah, I guess." Phew, not committing myself to anything, not denying anything either. Safe in the gray! "Well, I'm off to bed. Night!"

"Night!" Yukari replied.

"Later dude!"

I grabbed a Japanese version of a Fanta from the vending machine along the way. I opened it and took a decent gulp before I got to my room when Pharos started talking.

"You want her, don't you?

"Bit of an odd question." I noted, unlocking my door. "What makes you say that?"

Pharos smiled. "It's obvious to anyone with eyes, especially if they're always watching you."

I grabbed my post up from the floor. "How so?"

"Please. You're more comfortable and honest with her than anyone except me, and perhaps those in the Velvet Room." I sat down on the bed, looking through my letters. "You don't try to steer her as you do with the people in your social links, you think of her first in a crisis," Bank statement, phone bill, pay check, letter from Escapade? "And when the Empress attacked earlier this week, she was the first one you ran to."

I froze, halfway through opening the envelope. "Is that so?"

Pharos nodded. "Speaking of which, you prevailed against her quite impressively." Pharos giggled. "But it's funny…"

"What is?" I asked, putting down the envelope.

"It doesn't seem so certain, considering the vast potential within you…" Pharos swivelled on the chair. "As a matter of fact, your power seems to have change quite a bit since we first met."

Actually, looking back, I've gone from just being able to access the dark hour, to being able to use Persona's to help control my emotions to best suit whoever I'm mani-talking to, I can use weakened versions of Persona skills without summoning, I'm gaining almost superhuman strength and agility through all the dark hour training and my Persona synchronisation, I've got eyes of the shinigami, and, most recently, I've now got this shadow blood thing, whatever that's gonna be like.

"Yeah… Yeah it has."

Pharos nodded. "I'm very curious about it. I have seen people with the Wild Card before, but you… you are something else…"

"You've seen people with the Wild Card before?" I asked.

"Yes… I can't remember how, or who, or even where or when, but I do remember the existence of other people, gifted with the Wild Card. I remember all of them having vast potential, but you…" Pharos looked right at me. "It's almost like comparing a mere sea to sheer empty blackness of the heavens."

Woah, that was saying something.

SMASH

_Thou shalt have out blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Death Arcana_

"It's getting late." Pharos noted. "I'll leave you to get to sleep. See you tomorrow!" He said, walking through the door.

After a moment, I remembered myself and moved the letters to my bedside table. It'd been a long day. I'll read them tomorrow.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Woo, I liked this. Yep, there's my explanation for Minato getting better with multiple languages. And a glimpse into his perverted side.

You can probably guess what the main pairing for this story is gonna be. I'm not going to change the main character description though, simply because Minato is the main character, and that isn't going to change.

Also, Commu Break! Yay! And before you say anything, Minato has met Aegis already. In passing. A very important passing. I won't spoil it for anyone who hasn't completed the game though.

Still keep an eye out for that P4 character, The hints have been there from the first appearance, you just need to look, and I'm being fair with them this time, they're just hidden at a LOST level, so you really need to pay attention.

Also, major plot point before Minato got to school. Let's see who can find it.


	29. Chapter 29

Hey, there was a timetable collapse at school today, so that _should_ give me all day to write, right?

Wrong. I forgot my USB drive.

Thankfully, I made a backup copy of the general story notes, Orpheus telos guide and the original script on my school account, so I should be able to do some writing today.

Now, to answer fan mail / reviews.

I take it you all liked the dream sequence ending, but one thing that gets me is how you all jumped to the conclusion that Yukari's fanboy was Yosuke. Why? Plenty of people in Japan have brown hair, it's either that or black hair. Just because he crashed a bike like Yosuke did means nothing. In fact, if you did the math, Yosuke would be in his last year of middle school right about now, so he can't possibly be a Yukari fanboy.

No, I did not do the math just for that. Rise Kujikawa and Seta Shouji will be making an appearance later in the story, possibly alongside Naoto Shirogane, since the first and last have been to Port island previously, Rise referencing the Hermit Shadow's interference, and Naoto working on a case there previously, and Seta moved home a lot, so it's more than possible that he'd run into Minato at one point.

So, yeah. Yosuke is not the p4 character. I did say that I was fair with the clues, and well, there was no hint before yesterday that Yukari fanboy was for anything other than humour. Now, he'll probably have a chapter revolving around him at one point, but not until much later in the story. If you still can't guess who it is, don't worry. Minato will meet the p4 character seven more times before learning his name.

Now for the specific reviews. General Generic, chapter 27 is a pretty important chapter. Especially if you like looking for secret p4 characters.

Snakeeater? No, Pharos is not talking about Shouji. He's talking about Maya, Tayuya, Nanjo, the Persona users from the previous games.

KRP, If he was writing a report that he would have handed in at the end of that week during a dream sequence/vision, then that would assume that the vision would take place before that report was handed in. Just saying. To clarify, I'm gonna spell Aigis as Aegis, since that's the spelling used on Megami Tensei Wiki, last chapter excluded.

And yes and no. My plan for this is not vague, but rather malleable. I do have specific scenes in mind that I know how they're gonna go down exactly (For future examples, Lovers1, Lovers10, Justice10, Strength10, p4 character appearances, Arcana fights, so on), but I like to incorporate flashes of inspiration into my story, since some of the best scenes (Junpei training, Surgery, Minato being hired by Tanaka, discovering Maya is Ms. Toriumi, L impression, so on) were made up on the spot. In fact, I was just looking through some of the past reviews with a friend who is considering reading when one of Naru-chan's posts caught my eye, suggesting an Idea that I originally rejected, but I'm now considering using. I like to make things up as I go along, while keeping it to a general guide. It's something I'm good at, which was how I got hired by Ravenwingcorps. Hell, I could probably do an epic story based of the first Sonic game, but I won't. At least for now, since I want both of my stories completed within the year.

Anyway. I have no idea how I'm going to start this chapter, but we'll see what happens.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Saturday morning. Post. I read Escapade's letter first, that seemed interesting.

Ooh, they want me to perform for them on Sunday evening. That's tomorrow? I'll drop by afterschool and tell them yeah.

Other stuff was pretty boring. Uncle Amos sent me an Email asking me when the summer holidays were. I replied, saying that I couldn't come over since stuff was happening over here, but we had a break from the19th of July to the 23rd, then another one from the 26th of July to the first of September. He must have been online at the time, because he replied within a minute, asking me how I was doing over there.

I told him the truth. I've always been pretty open with Uncle Amos, so I told him that I was doing well at school (very well), I was making friends (for great power), I'd gotten myself a part time job (earning more than he did per year), I wasn't getting into fights (three fights in three months is a record for me. Battles to the death with Shadows don't count), and I was keeping myself busy.

He mailed back quickly, asking me if I'd gotten around to getting myself a girlfriend yet.

Good question. I wasn't that outgoing back home, and was left alone due to my combined reputation of being awesome in a fight, decent in school, and generally weird. Mind you, I had to learn how to smile all by myself, only getting it right recently, so I can pass for normal now.

Anyway, I never really got into relationships before coming to Japan, and now I'm stuck dating two girls, when I actually want to go out with someone else, who's friends with one of the girls I've some how ended up dating, and knows about that one girl, but not the other.

Yes, I admit it, Pharos hit the nail on the head. Cookie for him.

Anyway, Amos was usually pretty decent about it, so I Emailed him about it, asking for advice, hoping none of my cousins saw that.

Yeah, I have cousins. Anne and Amos have four kids: a daughter my age, a younger son, and two nine year old twins: a boy and a girl.

Heh, little Mark and Emma were your standard little hell raisers from hell.

I got his reply. -_Enjoy it while you can. XD. But seriously, get the hell out of that ASAP_- Easier said than done. -_If you don't have the balls to do it now, then they'll tear off what little scrotum you keep in your short trousers later_- Amos always did have a certain way with words. -_Your old man learnt that the hard way, from what I heard at the wedding_-

That raises an interesting point. –_Who was the best man? I'll look him up_- I clicked send.

KNOCK KNOCK. "Arisoto, can I speak with you?"

-_GTG­- _"Sure Senpai." I closed the laptop and opened the door.

"I thought that you might have set off already." She said. "But regardless. Yamagishi will be living in the dorm with us, and starting tonight, she will be providing support for us in battle. So," Mitsuru flicked her hair. "I can rejoin the front line."

"I'm guessing that you still want me to lead?"

"You've been doing an excellent job so far." Mitsuru replied. "However, are you insinuating that I am unreliable?"

"Um… No?"

"You'll regret saying that." Mitsuru stated. It wasn't a threat, more of a promise. "Even though I am a bit out of practice, I will soon return to my prior form." With that, she left.

Sighing, I grabbed my bag from my room and went to the kitchen to grab my lunch.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

After school I went straight to Escapade. "Hey, I'm here about the offer to let me on stage tomorrow?"

The bar wasn't open yet, but he let me in. "Great to see you." The manager said. "We're doing an instrumentalist night, and thought that you'd be interested."

"So, basically you want me to get on stage and show off?"

"Yes." He nodded. "We've also invited several other skilled guitarists from the area. The audience are hoping for some impressive guitar battles."

Wait, those actually happen? "How do those work?"

"It varies. Sometimes it works like Horse, but you only get one letter, sometimes you switch doing an incredible hard song, but normally the two guitarists just try to one up each other in improvised solo's. How good are you at that?"

I flashed a grin. "I spent a whole month learning how to do that perfectly. I'm in!"

"Great!" the manager pulled out a clip board. "Any stage name you want to use?"

I looked at the list. Kitsune, Sakaboto, KAOS, Kurikinton Fox… wait, I know that last one.

"I'll go for Orpheus." I said. I liked that name.

"Alright. See you tomorrow!"

"See ya!"

When I walked out of the club I heard a familiar voice. "I look forward to seeing you perform."

Twist. "Elizabeth?"

"At your service." She looked around. "You know, ever since I came to your room, I've been curious about this world." She smiled. "I wonder if you could perhaps show me around this… mall?"

I checked the time. Well, school would be well and truly closed by now, so, why not?

"Alright." I put my hands in my pockets. "What first?"

"Well, I am quite interested in this fountain…" she walked over to the central fountain. I walked after her. "It's said that you can purchase the fountain spirits favour by giving a monetary offering, in order to gain a wish…" She looked at me. "I assume that it works in a similar way to in the Velvet Room? The greater the wish, the higher the offering must be?"

"I… suppose so."

"Very well. Best play it on the safe side." She pulled out a bulging purse, opened it, and TIPPED THE ENTIRE CONTENTS INTO THE FOUNTAIN!

Holy crap that's a lot of money.

Holy crap that's a lot of money.

Holy crap that's a lot of money.

Holy crap, how much money is in that little purse?

She pulled the purse back and closed it. "There. One million of your one yen pieces." Holy crap that's six and a half grand. Eleven grand if you're American. "That should suffice." She gasped.

"What is it?"

"In all the excitement, I forgot to make a wish!"

…

Facepalm.

"I'm sorry." Elizabeth told me. "I will be more careful next time." She looked back at the fountain. "But it is a magnificent display of Man's arrogance."

"Whatcha mean?"

"Water is the elixir of life." Elizabeth explained. "Without it, plants would wither, animals would thirst, and aqueous beings would suffocate. Yet here, it is turned into a plaything for Man's amusement." Huh. I never thought of it that way. Feels like Pale Rider all over again. Actually, SMASH.

"No need to change Persona for me." Elizabeth said. "I am not one of your social links to manipulate so you can get closer to my heart."

"I wasn't trying to." I defended myself. "Just though I'd be able to see the world more through your eyes that way."

"Well, I suppose what is so fresh and new and… exciting for me may seem dull and mundane for you… I apologise."

"Not at all." I didn't even bother making facial expressions in front of someone from the Velvet room. I didn't need to.

"Oh! Another fountain!" Elizabeth ran into the corner, and started pouring money in again. I hope for her sake that she remembers to make a wish.

"Oh! Another fountain!" Elizabeth abandoned her current fountain and ran towards the one at the other side of the entrance. Wow, she has a short attention span. I walked after her to hear her say "A holy trinity of water spirits… could this mall actually be some kind of shrine?"

"If you're Dan Brown, maybe." Da Vinchi code was fairly silly in my opinion. "I reckon that they just did it because three fountains look nice."

"Well, I suppose so." Elizabeth said, pocketing her purse. "Well, at least I remembered to make a wish this time."

Yay. "What was it?"

"I wished… to try Pheromone Coffee!"

…

Facepalm.

"Is something the matter?"

"No… it's just…" I pocketed my hands again and looked at her. "You could have just asked me if you wanted to try that."

"Oh." Elizabeth said. "But I'm sure that the fountain spirits would also help me in my wish, and I so wanted to try out the ritual."

…

Sigh.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"See? My wish was granted."

We were sat in Chaghalls drinking coffee. While she was distracted, I got to business. "So, what's with this Seal on my arm?"

"I believe my master already explained that?"

"Not very well."

"Very well. If the occasion should rise that the influence of Shadow's try to infiltrate your mind, then the seal will suppress their power within you. However, the harder it works to rid their influence, it may cause a burning sensation on your skin as it heats up."

"Won't that hurt?"

"My master says that the pain will only make it easier for you to regain control of yourself." She sipped her coffee. "My. I feel more attractive already." She stood up. "Well, I must be off now. I will see you soon, I hope?"

"Sure." I walked her out of the café and towards the Alley where the entrance of the Velvet Room was.

"By the way." Elizabeth turned to me. "I'm sure that you'll be interested to know that a certain barricade that was blocking your path in Tartarus, has now been removed." She turned down the alley. "That was my original message. I hope that you have a safe journey."

Wait, so that's why I spent all afternoon with her?

Dammit, I'd figured that out already!

…

Ah well, I went back to the dorm.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Akihiko, I want you to stay here to look after Fuuka."

"Huh? Why?"

It was in the Dark Hour, in Tartarus's lobby. "Because I want someone to stay here with Fuuka in case anything happens like last time." I reasoned. "I'm leading, Yukari didn't get to come last time, Mitsuru didn't get to come in ages, and I don't trust Junpei with her."

"Hey, come on man!"

"Not for her first day." I replied.

"Um… It's fine… really."

"No…" Akihiko sighed. "No, he's right. I'll keep you company Fuuka." He looked at me. "But I hope that we're taking shifts as we go up, I don't want to be falling behind!"

"Well, how's this?" Yukari offered. "Minato leads, so he chooses the team that goes up. We come back down every time we find a new transport point, and whoever's the most tired switches with whoever's down here?"

"Good plan." I said. "That okay with you Fuuka?"

"Yes." She said, confidently. She seems more comfortable here than she does outside of Tartarus. Probably because it's something she can lose herself in.

"Alright then." I tugged on my new SAP gloves. They were like my old ones, only with metal power inside of the leather instead of just metal plates, so it protects my hand more and makes punch faster and harder due to the added mass. Sweet, I know, and then I pulled a Macana out from the scroll. Think a stick with broken glass in it, and you're half way there. Actually, think an Aztec sword, and you've got it dead on. "Let's go."

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

You're gonna laugh when I say this, but remember when I said that I thought I broke my Evoker inside the Empress?

Well, it is.

And I never asked for a replacement.

And I left the tools scroll at home for some bizarre reason unknown to me.

"_Because you're a retard?"_

Shut up, Pharos.

Anyway, I wasn't totally screwed. I'd just focus on Melee and rely on the others until we got to the next transporter. Let's see… we were on floor forty-two now, and the next transporter is at…

_~Floor forty seven~_

"Thanks Fuuka." I turned to the others. "See? Only five more floors without an Evoker, and then I can steal someone else's!"

They looked at me like I was mad. I probably am, but so are they. "Come on." I encouraged. "Before the Reaper decides that this is a golden opportunity!"

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

He did.

_~It's the Reaper! He'll be on the floor in thirty seconds!~_

Wow, that's plenty of warning. "GO!" I ordered. "I'll deal with this!" I shouted, pulling out the scroll.

"Without an Evoker!?" Junpei shouted, as I got about setting my trap.

"Good point!" I started setting my trap. "You stay here Junpei. You're my back-up!"

"Back up?" Junpei gulped as Yukari and Mitsuru began running, grudgingly. "We're not gonna fight that thing are we?"

"Better." I explained my plan quickly. "Now keep quiet about it once he gets here, or it won't work."

_**What won't work?**_

_~It's here! The Reaper is coming your way!~_

I laid the trip wire at head height, where he was sure to get it. "Come on!" I shouted, running for my life.

_**I'm not falling for that again**_

We saw the Reaper shoot straight through the trip wire, activating the explosion early. He floated through the dust unscathed.

"NOW!" I shouted at Junpei, as we skidded to a halt.

"RRAGH!" He pulled the trigger, summoning Hermes, who launched a fireball at the wall near the Reaper, igniting the small amount of Gasoline I'd sprayed there. The explosion wasn't much, but it was enough to interest the larger amount of Explosives I'd strapped behind the wall supports, where the Reaper couldn't see.

KABOOM!!!

That got him. "GO!" I shouted, pushing him towards the stairs, where Yukari and Mitsuru were waiting for us. Once inside the stair room, we both clutched our knees, panting for breath.

"Man…" Junpei panted, gulping air down into his lungs. "I am never… EVER… doing that again!"

"Let's hope we don't have to." I replied, standing up. "Come on, a just a few floors left."

We climbed the stairs and retraced out steps to see the chasm. The previous three floors had big holes in them, as did this one. Looking down, I saw the biggest corpse I had ever seen.

"Is it dead?" Yukari asked.

_~Yes…~_ Fuuka said. _~I'm not sensing any signs of life from it. You did it! You beat Death!~_

_**Good Game**_

THE HELL!?

_**I look forward to playing you again. You are the first to use cunning, instead of simply attempting to overpower me**_

Oh hell… not good.

_**I will not fall for such a trap next time we meet**_

Whelp. I'm well and truly buggered now. I saw Junpei leaning over out of the corner of my eye.

Wait, is he gonna… HE IS!

"DON'T YOU DARE!" I shouted, grabbing him. "DON'T SPIT ON HIS CORPSE!"

"Well, Okay..?" Junpei said. "I just felt like it, ya know? Since… ya know… he's… dead? And all?"

"What if he comes back?" I asked.

I honestly wouldn't be surprised if everyone in the team shat themselves at the prospect.

"You serious?" Junpei asked me, pale and sweating. I nodded.

"What makes you think that Arisoto?"

I turned to Yukari and Mitsuru. "Ever since I taunted the Reaper, He's been taunting me from time to time when we were in Tartarus."

That surprised everyone. "Just now, he said 'Good Game. I look forward to playing you again.'"

"Good game?" Yukari repeated in disbelief. "Playing you again?"

I nodded. "Yeah, it's a game to him. I don't think he has anything to do with the Shadow's." I noted, "More likely he keeps the place in check. Since he usually appears if we stay on one floor for too long, I think he steps in when he gets bored."

"Oh man…" Junpei said, panic rising in his voice.

_~So, you think that the Reaper will return?~_

"I don't think he'll be back tonight," I answered, "But we're gonna need more explosives in future."

"Absolutely not."

I turned to Mitsuru, who continued, "If the Reaper thinks that this is a game, then we simply won't play." She looked right at me like an angry teacher. "Tomorrow, you will go to the antique shop in Paulownia mall and stock up on Traesto Gems."

"Eh? Why?"

"That shop is run by a previous researcher for Kirijo Corp." Mitsuru explained. "She re-opened recently, so you should see her wares. She can replicate many of the gems we've found in Tartarus, and she has recently returned from doing some intensive research into Personas. But from now on, if we encounter the Reaper, we will use a Traesto Gem to escape. Understood?"

I sighed. "Understood…"

"Good." She said. "Now let's move to the next floor. Unfortunately for Akihiko, we're going to leave it here for tonight."

Crap…

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yep, Minato's in trouble.

And SHOCK! Minato beat the Reaper! Through CHEATING!

Don't worry. Minato won't listen to Mitsuru _All_ the time. But he is going to stop using bombs to do his dirty work.

And can anybody forsee the Nihil weapons? I can. GRIN.

And those who like Kurikinton Fox? Good. Still debating whether or not he should get into a Guitar Battle with Minato. Your views?

And be quick about them. I might upload a new chapter today, simple because of the timetable collapse.


	30. Chapter 30

Yep, two chapters in one day. And not lumped, just finished one chapter, uploaded it, and started writing another one simply because I was bored. Some of my earlier reviewers, the names DMM, JRS74 and Ranmyaku Arashi come to mind, are probably gonna freak if they're still reading this, since I haven't heard from them in a while. By which I mean about two weeks, and ten chapters. Am I updating too fast? Is that possible?

Possibly. I'm gonna try to slow down now and get back to other stuff I should be doing.

Also, turns out that Edwards real name is Theodore. I'm gonna stick with Edward.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Uncle Amos said that he couldn't remember the guy's name, but he was a decent guy. Some scientist my dad went to University with. Well, I decided to ask Tanaka when I got to work.

"Hayate's best man?" Tanaka said to me as I handed him my report. "Haven't got a clue, but one of the guys in Finance might know…" Tanaka rubbed his forehead.

"Hey, are you alright?" I asked him.

"Huh? Oh, sure." Tanaka told me. "It's just that I can't concentrate." Tanaka grunted. "I just get so worked up when I picture that assholes face!"

"Who're you talking about?" I asked calmly, helping myself to a seat.

"Oh… sorry…" Tanaka calmed down. "One of my employees… I guess I should have seen it coming…"

Tanaka turned to face me, hands held together like they were praying. "There was a young man who was working for me. He was a good kid, came from a great university… but this month, he didn't make his sales quota, so I docked his pay."

"That common?" I asked.

"It's in the contract." He replied. "Doesn't happen often, but it's not rare. His manager told the kid that. But for some reason, after that, his self confidence just went down the drain. Then… he just stopped coming to work."

"How long ago did he stop coming?"

"Earlier this week. He's been getting worse since the start of the Month." So this started two weeks ago then…

"Do you have his address?" I asked him. "I'll go talk to him, see if I can get his back up to scratch."

"You're not paid to do that." Tanaka reminded me.

"Yeah, but if you're losing money because a good employee is falling behind, I'd try to fix the problem so he can start making me money again."

Tanaka smiled. "You think you can do that, kid?"

I nodded. "Do it all the time. In fact, I did it just now."

Confused. "What do you…?" Tanaka realised the mood he was in. "…Hey, you are good. Alright then." He printed the young mans details off from the sheet. "Here you go. There'll be a nice bonus if you manage it."

SMASH

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou createst a Persona of the Devil Arcana._

"Thanks." I said, taking the sheet away from him. "I'll get right on it."

I looked at the sheet as I left. Naoya Toudou, huh?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I knocked on the guy's door. "Hello? Toudou-San?"

A young man with black hair opened the door. Emperor. Whoa, he looked like crap. He didn't seem that happy to let me in. "Um, My name is Orpheus Mikazuchi, may I come in?"

"What do you want?"

Okay, change tack. I switched to Take Mikazuchi. The guy immediately opened the door wider. "Sorry, I'm just not feeling that good. Come in."

"Thank you." I walked into the room. Man, this place is a mess; he really did fall down bad. He closed the door behind him with a smile on his face. Eh? How the hell did he cheer up so fast?

"Philemon still up to his old tricks then?" he asked, walking over to the fridge.

"Err… who?"

"Philemon." He said, tossing me a beer. "You know, the butterfly guy?" I put down the can as he walked over opening his own. "Gives you the power of Persona?" He hinted, jumping onto the couch.

Wait, what?

"You know about Persona?"

"Sure do!" Naoya laughed. "Man, seeing you change Arcana took me back… I've got the Wild Card too."

"Seriously!?" I sat down on the opposite couch. "I thought I was the only one!"

"Really?" He sat up. "There were a bunch of us back in the day!"

"No way!"

"Yeah!" he said, laughing. "You the only Persona user this time round then?"

I shook my head. "No, there are a few others, but I'm the only wild card."

"Man, that must be rough." Naoya shook his head. "I mean, doesn't give you much to work with, right? You only have a couple of Arcana to work with as it is."

"Err… what?"

"You know." Naoya circled his hand around in front of him. "I mean, you only have Death, Emperor, and a couple of others, right?"

I stared blankly. "On me? I've got Fool, Sun, Temperance, Justice, Magician, Hierophant, Strength, and Chariot."

He stared. "That many!?"

"Um, yeah?" I was a bit confused. "I've also used Priestess, Fortune, Devil, Lovers, Hanged Man, Devil, Moon, and Hermit"

Naoya stared at my with an expression that said everything. I call it 'Holy Crap!'. Then the penny dropped.

"How many Arcana can you use?"

"Four." He said. "I'm best with Emperor, but apart from that I've only got Star, Sword and Judgement."

"Woah, you serious?"

"Yeah…" he said. Now I knew what Pharos meant by comparing the sea to deep space. "How many did Igor say that you'd get?" he asked me.

I thought for a moment. Igor had mentioned it at some point. "I think it was… two hundred or so? Something like that?"

Naoya dropped his can of beer. "You are freaking kidding me, aren't you?"

"No, why? How many did you get?"

"Damn…" He put his head in his hands. "I was the strongest of us all… I could use the most Personae, and yet…" He sighed and leaned back. "Damn… I could only use thirty four…"

Woah! I've probably used that many already! "You serious?"

"Yeah, the others got around thirty at most…" He seemed crushed. "Two hundred Persona… We probably only had a hundred or so between us!"

Damn, I'm more powerful than I thought… "So, if you guys have Persona, then why don't you help fight the Shadows in Tartarus?" I asked.

"Tartarus? What the hells that? Sounds like toothpaste."

"That's what Junpei said." I laughed. "Tartarus is that huge tower that appears during the Dark Hour?"

"Dark Hour?"

"You know, that hour at midnight when the world turns green, everyone turns to coffins, and you have no idea what I'm talking about, do you?"

"Nope." Naoya admitted. "We fought Shadows at hospitals, graveyards, alleyways, wherever Nyarlathotep sent his Shadow Sides."

"Ah." So not all Persona Users had access to the dark hour. "And how do you summon them?"

"Like this." A blue burning card appeared in his hand as he opened it. "PERSONA!" He threw it into the corner of the room. In blue flames appeared a green guy in white spandex, holding a small staff and had a fancy hat. "That's Amon-Ra." He said. "That's my ultimate Persona."

"Woah." I said as the Persona disappeared. "We have to use Evokers." I pulled my spare one out of my bag, deciding to have one on me at all times. I put it to my head and changed Persona.

"Hey, wait a second!" Naoya shouted as I pulled the trigger.

BOOM! Orpheus appeared, floating next to me.

"That's my initial Persona." I explained to Naoya. "Don't know why we have to shoot ourselves in the head with these things, but, we do."

"Nice…" Naoya said, nodding his head as Orpheus vanished. "So, basically, you fight Shadows by shooting yourself in the head, in a tower that appears in a time no one knows about because they all turn to coffins?"

"Yep." I said, pocketing the Evoker.

"Man. Makes our adventure about deities manipulating humans because they were bored sound believable."

Wait, that reminds me… "You ever hear about the Reaper?"

"That thing's still out there!?"

"I killed it last night."

He shook his head. "He'll be back."

"I know." I said. "Sorry if I'm rushing things, I just wanna get some answers."

"Shoot." He said, grabbing my unopened beer.

"You ever do Social Links."

"Never heard of them. What are they?"

"Bonds with people you make that strengthen the power of our Personas of the same Arcana as them."

"We never had as many Arcana as you do, so that's probably why."

"Right. Next Question, you ever go the Velvet Room?"

"Yeah, the nightclub Igor works at, right?"

"Same here, though it was a lift earlier." That raised his eyebrows as he drank. "You ever hear of Elizabeth or Edward?"

"Nope. You ever hear of Philemon?"

"Fair point. Elizabeth and Edward are Igor's assistants."

"Philemon is Igor's boss."

The hell!? "Igor has a boss?"

"Well, might not anymore. I thought that he'd died after we killed Nyarlathotep."

"I'll ask him. So, were you told that you had one year to save the future by a blue butterfly?"

"No, but Philemon liked to turn himself into a blue butterfly when he visited this world."

"I'll definitely ask Igor what happened to him then." I replied. "Last question."

"Go on."

"You coming back to work any time soon?"

He sat up. "How did you know about that?"

I smiled. "Tanaka's one of my Social Links. I'm his financial advisor."

"Bit young for a college graduate aren't you?"

"Still in high school" I replied. "I'm just damned good at what I do." I stood up. "I'll tell him that you'll be back in on Monday, okay?"

"Sure." Naoya replied, scratching his chin. "He's gonna dock may pay again, isn't he?"

"Not if you can meet your quota within two weeks." I told him, seeing myself out. "Later."

CRACK!

Wait, what?

Crack crack….

Time's stopped, but what the hell!?

Crackcrack… crackcrackcrackcrackcrack… SMASH!!!

_Hoowooooohooohhooooowowooowowohohoooooohooohohowowowowo_

What the hell!? An Arcana card appeared in front of me, only without a number or a picture. No, wait, there is a picture, it's a bullet hole in a glass window against a black background. The hell!?

_THOU ART I_

GAH that's loud!

_AND I ART THOU_

This feels wrong… what the hell have I just done!?

_THOU HAST UNLEASHED THE POWER OF THE HOLLOW ARCANA_

The what? The Hollow Arcana? Why does it have a picture of broken glass?

_THOU HAST OUR BLESSING, SHOULD THOU CHOOSEST TO SHARE OUR MADNESS_

Time started again, and I was afraid. Very, very afraid.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"I am very impressed, young man." Igor told me with a smile. "You are the first Wild Card to gain that power."

"Well what the hell is it!?"

I was in the Velvet Room interrogating Igor. He wasn't giving me much.

"Who can say? I myself know very little about that particular Arcana." Igor smiled wider. "But you must admit it does look very familiar."

Familiar? Actually, yeah. Sometimes when I'm in Shuffle Time I get to Double Up, and that card appears. First time I got that card, I lost all the other cards from that Shuffle time. "Wait, does this mean I'm gonna lose my Personas? Or my Social Links?"

"Relax." Igor calmed me. "I can assure you that that will not be the case. However, I cannot say for certain what abilities the Hollow Arcana entails." I calmed down, taking a swig of his drink. I hope he doesn't backwash.

Woah, I can't hold my drink. The rooms already spinning slightly.

"You can keep that." Igor told me with a smile. "Now, is there anything else you would like to ask me?"

"Yeah actually." I said, shaking myself back into sobriety. "Who is Philemon, and what happened to him?"

"Philemon was my master in previous times." Igor answered. "However, thou he has completed his mission, there are still Wild Cards like yourself that need my assistance. So," Igor shrugged, "He is no longer my master."

"I see." I mentioned "And what about the previous Wild Cards?"

"They were only granted the power to change Persona within certain Arcana." He said. "There has never been a Wild Card before you who could use as many Arcana as you, now that you have found the Hollow Arcana."

"Naoya said that he could use the Sword? That's one of the minor Arcana, right?"

"Indeed. You may even find yourself able to call upon the power of Those Arcana, thus proving my estimation of your power incorrect, yet again."

"Again?" I asked.

"I never considered the possibility of you finding the Hollow Arcana, for one. Nor did I expect you to learn how to steal your Persona's abilities for your own use. You are quite extraordinary, even as a Wild Card."

"Any other firsts that I should know about?"

"You are also the first Persona user to be able to summon two Personae simultaneously, and the first to harness the power of a Shadow itself."

"I can't use the Shadow blood. Yet." I reminded him.

Igor smiled. "But of course. Now, may I be of any other assistance?" he asked me.

"Not that I can think of." I told Igor. "Thanks."

"Anytime." He said, smiling. "Farewell."

"Yeah, you too."

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Before you ask, I don't know anything more about that Hollow Arcana than you do." Pharos told me as I left the Velvet Room.

"Thought not." I replied. "Now, was there anything else I was supposed to do here?"

"Visit the Antique shop and play a gig?" Pharos reminded me.

"Oh yeah." I headed into the antique shop first, since I had a few hours since 'Orpheus' needed to show.

"Hi." I introduced myself to the lady behind the counter. "I'm Minato Arisoto, Mitsuru Kirijo told me to come by?"

She looked at me over her glasses. "You look familiar… any relation to Hayate Arisoto?"

"Yeah." I told her. Wow, my dad was famous. "He was my dad."

"Oh!" She said. "I'm sorry about what happened."

"It's okay." I said. "So, how did you know him?" Oh, I was gonna look for my Dad's best man today! Damn, forgot.

"We went to University together." She said, smiling. "We weren't taking the same subjects, but we all knew him. Lovely man." She said. "And how can I help you?"

"Erm, I wanted to know about Traesto gems?"

"Ah yes. Now, if you bring me gemstones from Tartarus, I can convert them into tools to fight the Shadows with."

Alright then. I grabbed the Tool scroll and pulled out a briefcase. The woman was surprised, but hid it fairly well. I put it on the desk and opened it. "Will these do?"

It wasn't filled massively, but there was a decent amount. "I can make a decent amount of tools for you from these." She said "I'll have them delivered to the dorm, I presume?"

"Thanks." I said.

"You're welcome." She said, putting the case under her table. "Are you the young man who can host multiple Personae?"

"Yes." I replied. "Why?"

"Well, I can create special weapons for you from your Persona."

…what?

"Yes. If you bring me Nihil Weapons such as this." She placed a black shape that looked kinda like a shortsword, "And one of your Persona, then I can create a powerful weapon for you."

"Okay, but how do you get them out of my head?"

"By you summoning them, of course!"

Well, I do have the compendium, so I guess I can regain any Persona I lose, but best be safe and use one I don't use much. "Shiisha!" I announced, shooting myself with the Evoker.

The woman pulled out some hoofer gun thing and sucked the Persona into a conical flask, where it turned to a lilac liquid. She then put the flask into some machine which… distilled it? I hadn't a clue what was going on.

"I'll have the weapon delivered tomorrow." She said. "You can go, this may take some time."

"Wait, no charge?"

"I'm a scientist." She said. "Just seeing what will happen is payment enough for me."

Wow, thanks. "Thank you." I said, rushing back to the Velvet Room for a drink.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

This crept me out slightly, but when I ordered a Shiisha, it was the exact same colour as the Liquefied Persona. Creepy.

Still, I was happy enough as I walked back to the dorm to get changed and pick up my guitar. I'd activated a scary as hell social link, learnt loads more about my power, and met a nice lady who used Ghostbusters equipment to turn Personas into weapons. All in all, I need a sleep. But, I have a concert to do.

Hey, all rock stars get up on stage drunk, right? So I'm in a better situation than them anyway.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Whoo, two chapters in one day, and this one's a biggee. Yay.

Yeah, I need a brain break now. Well, going to Muai Thai tonight, so maybe some senseless violence will help. Yay.

And yeah, give you time to decide how concert should go down.


	31. Chapter 31

Woah, decent amount of reviews since last time. And now I'm updating again.

I'll be fair. I actually planned on writing in the Hollow Arcana for a while, but I still have no idea what it does exactly, but I still have a general plan. As always.

I'll be honest, I haven't played p1 or either of the p2 games either, which is why I made up their arcana's. Any information I use comes from the p1 manga, megami tensei wiki, and my own head, so sorry if it's a bit untrue to the games.

I made the Hollow Arcana up, but consider it a Joker in a pack of cards. For now, at any rate.

Now, the reason why the previous persona users can't access the dark hour is the same reason the p3 persona users can't walk into TV's; they never needed to. In P1 and P2, they were pawns for Philemon and the baddie, I can't be bothered spelling his name right now. In P3, they awoke to their powers to fight Nyx, and thus why the dark hour. In p4, they gained Persona in the TV world, which is why they can enter TV's once they get Persona.

Now, similarities I found between the Persona users so far: in general, they're all only child's, and have had a messed up past, and are running from it. They all go through their little 'journey of the fool' during the game, but the S.E.E.S. team have the most natural Personas of them all, since they awoke on their own, everyone else needing a trigger of some sort.

And just for that, General Generic, Minato is going to start wearing glasses for no reason.

Also, I've been requested to increase the lost amount of Britishness in the story by a close friend of mine, so okay.

And now, to see how much I can annoy you by building up to something and not giving it to you before you lynch me… TIMESKIP!

Just a little one.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"I still don't think that should be possible." Yukari said as we walked to school on Monday.

"Neither did I…" I replied, clutching my bandaged left hand. Yes, I played so hard last night that I sliced my fingertips open. I kept playing, so they ended up all getting cut open. Down to the bone. I was eventually disqualified and sent to hospital for rocking too hard. That damn monk just laughed his arse off.

"Well, you still got your right hand, right?"

"It doesn't matter." I answered. "Ambidextrous."

"Seriously?" Yukari was surprised. I nodded.

Yukari looked a bit uncomfortable as a thought crossed her mind. "What's up?", I asked.

"Oh, well, what do you think of Mitsuru Senpai?" she asked.

"uh…"

"Don't you think she sort of pushed Fuuka into joining?" She continued. "I mean, it's good having her around and all, especially in battle, but..." she sighed. "It just feels… wrong…"

"Emotionally, Mitsuru didn't leave Fuuka much of an option." I replied. "However, I have no doubt that Fuuka wanted this."

"You think so?" She asked, so I nodded again. She seemed a bit relieved, but still not one hundred percent happy.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I heard something interesting on Wednesday. Apparently, now the culture clubs wanted new members. Art, Photography, and Music. Now, I'm into all of them, but since my hand had healed (Dia rocks!), I think you know which one I wanted to check out.

"Hello?" I asked, sliding the door to the music room open. It was devoid of life, empty except for some chairs, cupboards and a grand piano. Not as grand as the one in the Velvet Room, but still pretty grand.

I walked over and sat on the bench, pushing a middle E note experimentally. I played a couple of scales. The piano had a good, melancholic yet hopeful sound. Dusting my hand over the top, I recognised the feel of the instrument.

I don't want to get spiritual or anything, but instruments, machines and weapons have some kind of spirit. Not a soul, they're not alive, but an experienced guitarist can pick up a guitar that had just come out of its case for the first time in years, play a few notes, and will always wince, because they feel the guitars neglect. Not misused, but _unused._ This piano was used, of course, but it begged for a skilled master.

"Alright then." I said quietly, tapping the side of the wooden casing of the piano. Thinking for a moment, I began to play a soft, melodic introduction that sounded perfect on this instrument. After playing it a few times, I began to sing along.

"_Put on my blue suede shoes, and I… boarded the plane…" _I took a breath, _"Touched down, in the land, of the delta blues…"_

I shook my head. _"In the middle of the pouring rain…_ no good?" I asked the piano. It sounded right, but it just didn't fit… the piano was asking for something different. It wanted to let out some pain, show some determination.

I made it up on the spot.

A slow, mournful melody to begin with, slowly picking up volume and tempo. Then I hit the chord.

Dum DUM dum dum dun-insta-a-al! Oh, wait; this is an anime theme tune. Well, it worked as I finished the line. I did it a gain, sighing the song name this time, _"Uh-oh-wo-uninsta-al!"_

I hit the verse. Faster, increasing the determination and the pain. Bokurano, dum, dedadadadedumdedadadedum, fast bit, CHORD!

Now for the bridge, slightly more optimistic, but even more painful.

Quick riff aaand.. UnInSTALL! UninstaLL! Happy sadness, this just sounds perfect. I played the chorus again. _"Will forever, be one!"_ I hummed the English translation of the lyrics, _"Uninstall…"_

I played the whole thing a second time, only slightly angrier. Just the slight change in how you touch the keys, the force, the speed, the angle and distance, all affect the sound oh so subtly. Once mastered, the piano can be such a beautiful instrument…

Let's break it down now in an afterverse, then stop.

Slowly now… bring it back in…

Un In STALL! UninSTALL! Chorus, beautiful.

I shook my head slowly as I played the outro. This piano better be satisfied because I damn well am! I played the final note, then a quick scale just to put a ribbon on the song, when I heard quiet, slow clapping behind me.

I turned around to see a slightly older kid in glasses walking towards me. "That was beautiful…" He said. "What was it?"

"Uninstall." I said, getting away from the piano. "Erm… sorry for intruding, but…"

"Oh, not at all!" The boy said. "Did you come to join?"

"Well, yeah, actually."

"Then welcome!" He exclaimed. "I'm the club president, Keisuke." He said, offering his hand. "Kisuke Hiraga."

"Minato Arisoto." I replied, taking his hand. "Nice to meet you."

"Oh, Fuuka mentioned you!" wait, she's in this club too? "She said that you were supposed to by musically talented, but she never said that you were _that_ good!" He seemed impressed. "I hope you enjoy being our pianist!"

Pianist? "Oh, I actually came to ask about any guitarist positions?" I said.

He was surprised. "You play that too?"

I nodded. "Better than Piano."

"Wow!" Keisuke was impressed. "Well, I'm very pleased to have you join the club!" he smiled

"He should be pleased that you let him in, Keisuke Senpai." Another club member said, coming in. "You are the club president you know."

"R-right!" Keisuke smiled nervously. "Sorry, I forget."

I heard Fuuka chuckle. "He's always like this… Oh!" She noticed me. "Hello Minato Kun, what are you doing here?"

"Oh, he just joined the club!" Keisuke told her with a smile.

"Really?" Fuuka beamed. "That's wonderful!"

"Yeah, I guess so." I smiled at Fuuka. "Great to be part of the team."

SMASH!

_Thou art I… And I am thou…_

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Fortune Arcana_

SMASH!

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Priestess Arcana_

Behold my skillage.

"Erm… you don't need to come to every meeting…" Keisuke told me, "Since no one else does."

"That's okay." I said. "Where do you want me to sit?"

"Oh, I'm not letting you touch an instrument when you're like that!" Keisuke exclaimed.

I flashed a puzzled look, hoping for an answer, which came from the pianist. "Holy…! There's blood on the keys!"

I looked at my left hand. I'd cut my fingers open again somehow while playing… dammit, must not have healed properly. "Sorry…" I said, "I'll go see the nurse."

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Heheh, you do like to put your passion into your art."

Now, I'd been brought up to be tactful, and lately I'd been learning to be increasingly accepting of people, but the school nurse just freaks me the hell out. For one thing, he's a dude, which breaks every law of hot nursedom. Secondly, he started filling in for Mr. Whatsisface in general studies, which he spends his time teaching us magic. Not Harry Potter magic, or the real stuff we were doing, but the good old 'sit in front of a mirror chanting to a picture of a tree' stuff. I actually had him earlier today, and it was all about the origins of magic in Shamanism. I don't believe a word of it.

"Well, these are interesting, kekeke…"

"What is sir?" I asked nervously as he looked at my hand.

"Well, I read your palm as I bandaged your hand."

Oookay, creepy? "…And?"

"I couldn't." He said simply. "My divination skills are quite impressive, but you are the first young man in quite some time whose palm I could not read…"

"Really?" I asked dryly.

"Oh yes, kekeke… but that is not all." He looked right at me from behind those glasses of his. "I cannot read any of your true intentions either."

Yawhat? "What do you mean sir?"

"You fake facial expressions incredibly well, but I cannot see any honesty behind those emotions in your eyes." He told me, looking at me intently. "However, I cannot see any signs of deception in your face either."

"What are you implying sir?"

"Do you ever smile unintentionally?" He asked me, "Or frown when someone displeases you but you don't want to?"

"What are you-?"

"Answer the question, young man." He seemed different from his usual crazy self.

"Erm…" I looked over his shoulder at Pharos. Do I?

Pharos shook his head. "Never." He told me. "Even when you look angry, it looks forced to me."

"I don't think so…" I said, and he scribbled in his notes. He then picked up one of those torches and lifted my hair to shine it in my eyes. Seriously, what is with medical people and what do they think they can find in my eye?

"Tell me about that scar." He asked professionally.

I had a small scar just below my hairline. I actually started growing my hair to cover it, but it looked silly so I went the full whack. "I got it in the car accident my parents died in, ten years ago."

He dropped my hair and flicked through my notes. "kukuku…" He chuckled to himself.

"What?" This was staring to worry me.

"This accident was when you were diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome due to your sudden lack of emotion?"

"I have emotions!" I told him, starting to get angry.

"But they don't show on your face?" Smirked Edogawa.

That… was a very good point. Edogawa sighed and continued; "My theory is that since the conditions were right and they matched your symptoms, you were incorrectly diagnosed when you were merely on mourning for your parents."

"Incorrectly?" I asked. "What the hell are you on about?"

"Have you come to terms with your parent's death?"

"Yes." I told him.

"And you have recovered from your subsequent loss of emotion?"

"Yes!" I was getting angrier here. What was he getting at?

"But you fake your emotions habitually, which prevented anyone from picking up on this before." He stated, grabbing a form of his desk, starting to fill it in.

"Eh?" The penny should be dropping, but apparently it's stuck behind my ear. "Picking up on what?"

"I want you," Edogawa handed me the form, "To take tomorrow morning absent from school, and go to the Tatsumi Hospital at this appointed time."

I looked at the form. CAT scan? "What are the doctors looking for?"

Edogawa looked at me with all seriousness. "Brain damage."

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I didn't believe him, but I went to the hospital anyway. The next day.

You'll never guess what they found.

No, seriously. Guess.

You can't, can you?

Go on then, I'll tell you.

Brain Damage.

Turns out one of the nervous lobes in the front of my head, the one responsible for linking emotion to the face, right?

Dead.

So my facial muscles work fine, more expressive than most peoples, as it happens,

And the lobes and glands in my brain that control emotions are also perfectly functional.

But the nerves that put two and two together? Dead as a doornail.

Meaning, all those smiles, glares, angry looks I've given people? All fake. Turns out I've only been doing them because I thought I should be. I didn't believe him, until one of his mates stabbed me with a needle when I was looking in a mirror.

Turns out, the face I get when I'm most emotional is one of complete boredom.

That nurse knows his stuff.

"You going to tell anyone?" Pharos asked me as I got on the train back to school, since I wasn't excused from the afternoon.

"Only the nurse." I said. "Apart from that, I've got patient confidentiality. No-one else needs to know."

"Wise decision." Pharos told me.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

When I got into the school entrance, I saw Chihiro getting grilled by two students. When I went to listen what was going on, while keeping hidden, I was pretty surprised at what was being said.

"That means you were the last one who saw that money!" the girl said.

"Huh?" Chihiro protested. "N-no! I gave that to the teacher!"

"You're the treasurer right?" The dude jabbed her with his finger. "Why are you in that position if you don't even know how to handle money properly?"

"Hey Pharos?" I asked, as Chihiro's interrogation continued.

"Yeah Minato?"

"Wanna do something bang out of order?"

Pharos sighed. "Go on then." He said smiling. He stepped into my head, learning the plan.

"The teachers are in the office right now!" The dude shouted. "So why don't you go fess up and apologise!?"

WHAM! I ax-kicked his arm down, not bothering to hide my emotions.

In other words, I looked completely uninterested in what was going on as I turned around and picked him up by his collar, lifting him up in the air.

His shirt ripped and he fell to his knees. Dammit, that never happens in the movies! Damn Americans again!

"_Go with it."_ Pharos advised me, so I threw the torn shirt into his face.

"I don't like your tone." I told him. "Who do you think you are, accusing people like that?"

"I…I…" Oh, angry is scary, but plain bored is just terrifying!

I bent over so my face was inches from his. "Only Hidetoshi gets to do that." I warned. "Now get out."

The little bugger couldn't scramble away fast enough. I turned to his friend, still looking bored, by the way, and she practically jumped out of her skin.

"Boo." It was too good an opportunity to miss. I haven't seen anyone over the age of four react that much to those three letters before. Nice!

I turned to Chihiro, putting on a concerned face. "You alright?"

"Y-Yeah…" She said, catching her breath for some reason.

"_I know why…"_ Pharos smirked. Shut up Pharos.

"Th-those guys think I stole money from the school funds…" Woah, not good. "I-I couldn't stand up to them… but… I… I didn't take anything!"

"I know." I told her, scanning her face for deception leakage just to be sure. "We have to do something." I said, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"R-right…" She said. "I-I have to prove to everyone that it wasn't me!" She got some energy back. "I… I never expected this to happen…" She said. "Minato San… what should I do?"

SMASH!

_Thou shalt have out blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Justice Arcana._

"Um… Sorry…" She said, "This is my problem… I'll try to take care of it…" Wait, by herself?

Wait, this is starting to make sense… "I'll see you later, Minato San." She said, walking down the corridor.

I wish I was wearing glasses right now.

"_Why?"_

Because I can see the ending.

"_You sad little person."_

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

WOO! Bet you didn't see that coming did you?

The Brain damage, and, also the professional nurse, not the social links and World Only God Knows reference. They were fairly obvious.

If you want to listen to the piano version I based Minato's piano piece from, go on youtube and search "Uninstall Piano Dan888", it'll come up, and totally blow you away.

Slight spoiler. Minato is not Keima. He cannot see the ending. If he could, then… well… it probably wouldn't happen. I'll leave it at that.

TTFN, Ta Ta For Now!


	32. Chapter 32

Hey guys, thanks again for the reviews. Once more, it's time to answer them.

First off, no, my chapters aren't shortening. On the contrary, they're getting longer. At the start, the average word count per chapter was 2000, but now its 3500. Granted, I'm answering to reviews now, but the Empress chapter was a one off on sheer bigitty.

Dr. Tempo, that was one of the more original suggestions I've heard in a while. Unfortunately, it isn't, but he may make an appearance in the future now. Thanks!

Snakeeater, The Answer is well worth playing, simply because of all the answers you get. And you can shoot shadows. Yay!

And I wasn't going to have Minato wear glasses full time, only when he wants to look like a Badass Bookworm. Yes, I go on I recommend you do as well, but it _will_ ruin your life.

Also, yay! Ranmyaku!

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I really did not like how that nurse was so happy how I got brain damage. Normally it's a bad thing to have brain damage. It's like one of the taboo words that simply uttering causes panic. That's why Monty Python's Brain Specialist sketch was so brilliant. It wasn't even one of their better ones, but come on! "Yes, I am the brain specialist. How can I help?" "MY BRAIN HURTS!"

Ah, the flying circus. And yet, no one over here had even heard of it.

I need to find someone awesome.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"HEY! It's the coach and her boyfriend!"

I was taking Yuko out to dinner to apologise for not helping out yesterday. I tried to explain that I'd slashed my fingers open on a piano, showing her the bandages to prove it, but I still had to pay. The kids had improved so much; she'd decided to let them race the older kids.

Now that's where she and I differed. She was honourable, liked to play by the rules of her opponents game, and beating them at it.

Me? I'd have taught those kids to kick their arseholes from here to Birmingham. And believe me, you need to kick someone hard for them to land on the other side of the Himalayas. Although that would be awesome.

"Coach!" cried one of the kids as we walked into one of the restaurants at Iwatodai station. "We raced one on one, and we won two of the races!"

"We lost the other two though." One of the girls added, "but since it was a tie, they're gonna let us use the playground now!"

"We even became friends!" one of the boys declared.

"They said that we were pretty fast for first graders!" The other girl declared, "And told us that we could play with them some time!"

"I knew you could do it!" Yuko was beaming. "I-I wasn't worried at all, because you trained so hard!"

"Thanks!" The second boy shouted. "Um… Big sis…"

"You guys don't have to call me that if you don't want to." Yuko told them. "Just call me coach!" Yuko was delighted.

"Okay…" One if the boys said. "One… Two… Three!"

"GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR BOYFRIEND!" The kids shouted in unison before running away.

Great. I am not gonna get out of this am I?

Yuko blushed, but then sighed. "Why does this seem like… the end of some cheesy made-for-TV movie?"

I shrugged. "Well, there you go. Are you relieved?"

"Of course!" She told me. "I'd be the one to get busted if they found out they were using the practice field!" she seemed full of energy. "Too be honest, I was almost too lazy to help them, but with them not around, it feels…"

"Lonely?" I finished her sentence. She nodded.

"Yeah, but I didn't want to give them the impression that I've been slacking off as a team manager… But teaching those kids to race…it was the first time I really put my heart into something…"

"First time I really put my heart into something was when I carved my first Bokuto when I was nine."

She looked at me, and then laughed. "I can actually see that… you with such a serious look on your face carving wood with a knife…"

Actually, that wasn't the look on my face at the time at all. My Uncle kept asking me if I was bored.

"Maybe I wanna take care of people…" She said to herself. "By the way, thank you, Minato Kun."

"No problem."

"Hey, we should celebrate!" she turned to me. "You know, to throw a little party for our first attempt at coaching!"

"Sure." I replied, smiling.

"I restaurant would be a little expensive…" She said, "And I'd rather not have it at the dorm with all those people around…" fair enough.

"Hey," She asked, "How 'bout we have it at my house?"

SMASH

Oh snap.

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Strength Arcana_

Yeah, but I'm not liking where this is going.

"You should be." Pharos suggested.

Yeah, but I want to leave this with my status as an honest human being intact. I'm so gonna get screwed over this one way or another…

Baad choice of words.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

She said that she'd tell me when we were having the party at some point later. I think I'm gonna have to go underground for a while.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

And underground I went. I avoided people majestically.

Going straight back to the dorm on Saturday, I found Yukari and Fuuka playing with this EPIC wolfhound. I mean, seriously! Think a white husky with blood red eyes filled with awesome, and you're there! It's the very sort of beast you would call bane, or fury, or…

"Koro-chan, give me your paw!"

Koro-chan… what, what!? The epic wolfhound obediently gave his paw to Fuuka. "Oh, good dog!" Yukari shouted, rubbing his back. Looking up, she noticed me. "Oh, hey! You're back!"

"Koro Chan." I said dryly. "Really?"

"His name's Koromaru." Fuuka said, slightly annoyed. "I've seen him sitting by the steps of the shrine."

"Oh, Koromaru's a decent name. Come here boy!" I said, slapping my thighs. The dog looked at Fuuka and Yukari,

"It's okay." Fuuka told him. "Go say hi!"

The dog walked over to me and sat patiently. Strength. The dog seemed extremely intelligent.

Wait, Strength?

I looked again.

The hell.

Koromaru barked. This warranted further testing.

"Wanna go for a run?" I asked, putting my bag down by the steps.

"Minato, you just got back from school!" Yukari said.

"Fine," I told her as Koromaru nodded. "I'll take the bag with me." I threw it over my shoulders and set off at a run. Koromaru ran after me.

"There's no doubt about it." Pharos said. "That dog…"

"Has a Persona." I agreed. How the hell that came about I have no idea.

"So, where you going?" He asked me.

"Where do you think?" I said. "Somewhere I can get answers!"

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

When I ran past the train station, however, I stopped, and started jogging backwards to the young man I had just passed. He was a college student, by the looks of things, with longish brown hair. However, when Koromaru passed him his face screamed 'Holy of Holies, that dog has a Persona!'.

"Excuse me." I asked him as I stepped in front of him. Sun. I switched from Orpheus to Yatagarasu, matching his Arcana. SMASH.

Now his face said 'In the name of all that is Holy and Crappy, that kid has the Wild Card!'

I said goodbye to Koromaru, he could wait. "I think I owe you a drink." I told the guy. "Wanna go to the Velvet Room?"

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

We ended up going to Escapade instead, since he couldn't see the Velvet Door. His name was Tatsuya Shou, and by the sounds of it, he was the Wild Card before me. He was of the Sun Arcana, and he could switch between the four minor Arcana as well as having a couple of Persona from all the major Arcana up to Judgement. Since he finished his 'adventure', or so he says, a few years ago, we both reckoned that he was my predecessor. However, when I told him about the extent of my Wild Card, he was shocked, but in a very different way to Naoya.

"You poor bastard."

"Eh? Why?"

"The Wild Card goes against the laws of the universe." He told me. "The power to change yourSelf to such an extent is not right. The Innocent Sin of the Wild Card comes with an Eternal Punishment."

"What punishment?"

"It's different for each person." He told me, "But it varies on your power. The stronger your power, the greater your punishment."

…Oh.

"See, my Wild Card was stronger than the others." He told me, "Who were limited to only having about ten in a single Arcana. Since I had a wider spread of strong Personae than they did, I got the worst Punishment."

"Which was?"

"They lost their memories of the battles, and me." Tatsuya told me. "Not only that, but all my Social Links forgot about me as well!" He looked at me, slightly angry. "That douche Philemon stole every friend I ever had, and made it impossible for me to get them back." He sighed. "Well, he tried."

Tried? "What did you do?"

He took a swig of his drink. "I gave Cthulhu the finger. Screw the gods, I took back what was mine by my own hands, shifted the Punishment onto the real sinner."

"Who?" I was dead interested, which probably meant I looked bored. "What did you do?"

"I punched out Philemon."

…eh?

"Yeah, I knocked that damn, pretentious mask of his damn face, then I killed him." He downed the rest of his drink. "Let me give you some advice. If any of those divine beings or whatever try to offer you some thanks, tell them to bugger off and leave you alone, that's the best thanks you can ask for."

I was pretty shocked by this guy. "What about Igor?"

"Oh, Igor's alright." Tatsuya nodded. "That's why I gave him Philemon's power and made him the master of Psyche. Though, he wasn't too happy about it." He turned to the barman. "Another one, please." He ordered, putting the money down.

I took a swig of my Sprite. "So, basically, he'd be looking for a way to get rid of it."

"Probably. If he ever tries to offer it to you…"

"I'll refuse." I nodded. Pulling up my sleeve, I showed him the tattoo. "Know about this?"

He looked at it. "Looks like a Shadow's seal to me. Why've you got that?"

I rolled my sleeve back down. "Got eaten by one, then started turning. Had to amputate the arm itself."

"Good thing for Dia, am I right?"

"Too right." My phone rang. Akihiko. "Hello?" I asked.

"_Where are you?_"

"Huh? I'm with a friend, why?"

"_Did you forget that Ikutsuki called a meeting this evening? We're all waiting for you!_"

Oh, crap. "Start without me, I'll be right there." I hung up. "Listen, I gotta go."

"Sure." Tatsuya said. "Want my number, incase you need my help for anything?"

"Thanks." I handed him my number.

CRACK!

Oh, hell no!

CRACKcrackcrackcrackcrack

Damn… not again!

SMASH!!!

_Hoowooooohooohhooooowowooo_

Huh? The wind didn't seem so fierce this time.

_THOU SHALT HAVE OUR POWER WHEN THOU LUSTETH AFTER OUR PAIN!!_

Dammit, that still freaks me out.

"You just activate a social link with me?" Tatsuya asked, handing me my phone.

"Sorta." I said. "You ever heard of the Hollow Arcana?"

"Nope." He answered simply. "Sounds suspicious."

"I think so to. It cracks instead of just smashes, then instead of spiritual sounds you get a tornado in a coffin."

"I'll look into it." He said. "Shouldn't you be off?"

Gah! Forgot! "Thanks." I said, paying for my drink and grabbing my bag. "See ya!"

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I burst through the door of the command room after running flat out at 20, maybe 30 miles an hour at least for the past few minutes. I actually had no idea that charging my legs with fifteen Sukukaja's and Tarukaja's would do that, but there you go.

"S-sorry… I'm… late…" I struggled to catch my breath. "What… did I… miss?"

"There are eight of those big Shadows left." Junpei told me. "Pretty sweet, huh?"

I stood up. "Yeah, Hierophant through to Hanged Man. Didn't you know that already?"

Ikutsuki pushed his glasses further up his face so the light reflected off the lenses. "I'm assuming that once again, you figured this out but decided not to share it?"

"Look." I told him. "I just ran here until…" I felt the warm sticky mess behind me thigh and then showed them my hand, "My legs bled by shoving my legs full of those speed and power spells just so I could get here fast enough to catch this meeting." I pointed a finger at him, "Only for you to tell me the bleeding obvious which you could have just told us over the phone. _I_, on the other hand, was doing some important research that could or could not save our lives at some point!"

"Really?" Ikutsuki challenged, not noticing the blood spilling onto the carpet. "Like what?"

"We aren't the first Persona users."

Oh, you should have seen those stares. "I met the leaders of the two previous generations of Persona users. In both generations, there were multiple Wild Cards, but none of them have as much power or control as I do." I told them. "However, none of them can enter the Dark Hour."

"Wait, what?" Yukari asked.

"Which means that the power of Persona is not related to the Dark Hour, or Tartarus?" I said. "Apparently, some force called Philemon hands them out to those who want the power to earn their right to live, but he can't have anything to do with it this time."

"What do you mean?" Akihiko asked, interested.

"He's dead." I said. "I'm off for a shower, and then I'll type out a report and give you all a copy to read." I walked towards the door. "Memo's. Very useful invention." As I closed the door behind me I added that "I'll clean up the puddles later."

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yeah, I ruined the happy mood in there, but Ikutsuki ruined my legs. Well, okay, I did that, but he did cut short my highly revelating conversation with Tatsuya, and who knows when I'm going to get around to calling him again.

I wrote up the summaries of what I was willing to share from what I'd learnt on my laptop then printed out copies. I handed them out among the S.E.E.S. team, then grudgingly gave one to Mitsuru to give to the chairman. What did I not mention? Social links, Velvet Room, my Shadow Transformation, the Hollow Arcana, Koromaru having a Persona, or normal people still having Arcana's. It was still pretty impressive how many minds I blew with two pieces of paper per person.

Five. I blew five minds, plus whoever Mitsuru gives the extra copies to. She decided to do some research into the Kirijo database into any records of previous social links, but so far, it looks like I got nothing. I sent an Email with my report to Tanaka, explaining that I wouldn't be in work tomorrow, since my legs still hurt when I went to bed, so I doubted that I could leave the dorm.

Come to think of it, I had a date with Chihiro on Sunday too, so I had to call her and cancel. She was disappointed, but I really had no choice.

Good thing I did cancel, since around noon Yukari knocked on my door. "Orpheus Mikazuchi? Mr Nanjo would like to see you." She said, dryly.

"Orpheus?" I asked, limping out of the door, "What're you talking about?"

"That's what I asked the guy, but then he described a 'tired looking kid with blue hair in his face.' And since it's your Persona…"

"Fine, you got me." I told her, "It's a fake name so I don't get into trouble for working as a minor."

"You got a job?" She asked. "Well what's the problem?"

"Personal Financial and Business Advisor to President Tanaka of the Tanaka Mega Corporation."

That shocked her face off. "Secret," I added, "Hence the fake name."

Once I was down the stairs, I saw this guy in a black bikers suit with a huge '1' emblazoned on the back, examining the wall. "President Nanjo?" I asked, looking at him. Hierophant.

He turned to me. "Ah, Orpheus San. It's good to finally meet you. Naoya has told me so much about you."

Oh. "About Persona and such like?"

"Yes. Should we be talking here or…" I looked behind me to see Yukari.

I nodded. "Yukari's in this too. And it's Minato Arisoto by the way."

"I know." He told me, walking over to the settees. "I did a bit of research into you." He explained, sitting on the far couch. I sat on the one opposite to him, next to Yukari.

"I know what happened to Philemon." I said.

"Tatsuya Shou killed him." He nodded.

"You knew?"

"I was there." He said. "I can use Personas from the Hierophant, Hanged Man, and Coin Arcana."

"Right…" I said. "You two still in touch?"

Kei Nanjo nodded. "He called me last night about you." He told me. "He asked me for any information about a certain _Hollow_ Arcana."

Snap. "Why would he ask you that?" I asked, ignoring Yukari's confusion.

"Because The Nanjo group has a division dedicated to the research of Persona." He said. "The Kirijo group split from us decades ago to focus their research on the Shadows." Wait, what?

"Are you serious?" Yukari asked in disbelief.

Kei nodded. "They split off from us about eleven years ago, about a year after we started researching Personae under my command, taking the designs for the Evokers with them."

"You're company designed the Evokers?"

Kei nodded. "Well, half way, they were unfinished, though it's believed that a skilled Persona User could use a real bullet, if they didn't have the ability to summon from a card."

"Card?" Yukari asked Kei. Turning to me, she asked "You mean, like the ones you wrote about last night?"

Kei held his hand out and summoned his card, again with the blue flames, impressing Yukari. Throwing it behind it him, he shouted "Yamaoka!"

"_Can I be of any service, young master Nanjo?"_

"Not today, I just wished to introduce you to my friends." Kei said calmly to the Butler/Persona behind him. I had to take this opportunity.

"Actually, could you fetch us some tea and scones?"

"_I'm sorry, sir, but in this state, my services are but limited to battle."_

"Best. Persona. Ever."

"_Indeed, sir."_ The butler vanished. Yukari was still impressed. I wanted a Persona Butler.

"Would a Persona on a motor bike do?" Pharos offered. Perhaps, if it was badass. Let's find out another time.

"So, you find anything out about the Hollow Arcana."

"Yes." Kei told us. "You aren't the first to access it's power, but it's older than the power of Persona."

"Really?" Yukari asked. She had even less idea what the hell the Hollow Arcana was, but she was interested now. "How do you know?"

He turned to her. "The last Hollow user was in England, 1897."

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Oh, SNAP, you are all gonna lynch me for that cliff hanger.

Especially since I don't generally write over the weekend, so no new chapter until Monday, maybe Tuesday.

Until then, get into a heated argument in the reviews section over what the hell I'm about to reveal about this new Arcana, and see if you can find out if anything significant happened in England during 1897, help you guess.

Yeah, this one's a decent normal size, I checked.

Interesting fact. Now both Yuko and Chihiro are on S link level 7. Place your bets on who's gonna reach level 10 first.


	33. Chapter 33

Just started on the new chapter after reading Bakuman. It's about two kids who work hard to become Mangaka's. It's brilliant, downright hilarious at times, but the most insane part is that it's written by the guys who did Deathnote. Mental, but well worth checking out.

Just to clarify, TV Tropes is a website all about breaking media down analytically into 'Tropes', which are not so much as cliché's as much as recurring patterns in Manga, books, films, fanfictions, games or whatever. However, I often go on it to look something up, and two hours later I'm still on it with fifteen tabs open reading about something completely different. As I told General Generic, it's kinda like rickrolling only you don't want to leave. Hell, spend a few hours on it and you'll probably realise that my story is full of tropes, but that's normal. The original Persona 3 game was full of them as well.

Back to work. And yes, I was talking about Hell biker.

Oh, almost forgot. I screwed up the levelling somewhat around the priestess battle, so right now, assume that Minato and pals are around level 30ish. His Persona will also match this level, but he changes them all the time since he's loaded, so don't bother trying to keep track of them.

I wrote this chapter while listening to 'Light's Theme', from the Deathnote soundtrack on repeat. If you can, look it up and listen to it as you read, it really helps you get into the middle bit so well it's unreal.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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"Why?" Yukari asked. "What happened in England during 1897?"

"There was a hurricane that killed around 20 people," I told her, "And there was also a big fire at Kings Cross Station."

Kei nodded. "They're related, but it's not the major thing." He reached into his bag. "Have you ever heard of a man named 'Bram Stoker?'"

I stared. Then I laughed. Hell, I rolled over in the couch clutching my stomach I was laughing so hard. "Are… Are you serious!?" I asked, getting my breath back.

"Absolutely." Replied the manager of Nanjo Corp.

"Erm… who's Bram Stoker?" Yukari asked, feeling left out.

"He's the guy who wrote Dracula." I replied.

"He's also the man who documented the Hollow user." Kei added.

"I refuse to believe that." I stated.

"Oh, Dracula isn't it." Kei assured me. "That's simply a work of fiction which attracted the interest of the Hollow user."

Okay, that's slightly more believable. "So, what do we know about this guy?"

"Not much." Kei Nanjo admitted. "In fact, we're not sure that this guy is the Hollow, but from what our research into the Arcana and what Tatsuya has told me, then this document is the best clue we have." He handed me a photocopy of some old writing.

"You sure this is real, not some new novel?" I asked, before reading.

"The events described coincide with police reports of that time," Kei replied, nodding. "And also of the newspaper articles describe one young man defeating many locals in a bar fight the night this document was written."

I looked at the copy and read aloud what it said, translating for Yukari.

_The beast was shaped as a man, with the mannerisms and appearance of little more than a child. Its intelligence, however, was beyond that of a man, only as great as its incredible madness.  
The beast was invincible, besting tens of men in combat with little ease.  
The beast was invulnerable, withstanding the mightiest of blows from many men of large stature, so much so that the men themselves injured themselves simply by touching the foul thing.  
The beast was majestic and beautiful, despite its demonic scent.  
The beast was a demon, wearing the skin of a young man. When it revealed itself unto me, its cold, grey, lonely eyes became golden, as beautiful as they were terrifying. Blackness rode its skin, like many roads encompassing the great moors of Scotland.  
While its face showed no hate, its demonic aura was an affront to all things holy in the name of our lord, so much so that when I procured my holy crucifix to keep the foul demon at bay, it burnt to ashes with a wave of the devils fingers.  
Darkness and terror clasped my chest, so much so that I lost the power to breathe as it approached me. It looked at me with scorn only a demon could master, and it spoke in a demonic tongue, one as unrecognisable as only the dialect of Beelzebub could be, before leaving me in my room, stealing away like a thief into the night. _

"I see…" I said. "So what does this have to do with the Hollow Arcana?"

"Share our Power, our pain, our madness?" Kei reminded me. "Also, remember when Tatsuya told you about the Punishment?" I nodded, Yukari surprised. Remember, I hadn't told her any of this. "Well, since the Hollow Arcana acts as a Social Link," Again, hadn't told Yukari about those either, "Then I can assume that this 'beast' was looking to end his Punishment. Since the book Dracula seemed to pique his interest, judging from the date," March, by the way, about a month after the book was published, "then we can assume that it was because the Hollow user had similar abilities mentioned in the book. Mind control could be an exaggeration of the incredible manipulative abilities Wild Cards seem to have, but…"

"You don't have much solid for me." I finished for him. He'd already been a big help.

"Well, I can also tell you that both England and Japan have a large concentration of Ley Lines."

"Ley lines?" Yukari asked.

"Lines of energy that run across the earth's crust." I explained. That would explain why we were two of the highest countries for mythology, followed by India, Greece, China and South America. "Though do they actually have an influence?" I asked Kei.

"Looks that way." He shrugged. "You got any better idea why we get all the Persona users and you get all the wizards?"

"Fair point." Same follows roughly for the other countries I mentioned. "Thanks for you help."

"No problem." Kei handed me a business card. "Call me if anything comes up. I already have your number from Naoya and Tatsuya."

"Thanks." I replied.

CRACK

Oh hell.

SMASH!

_Thou art I… And I am Thou…_

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou seekest the bounty of Coin Arcana._

That was… actually fairly normal.

"I'll see myself out." Kei told me. "It was nice meeting you both." He said.

"Good bye!" Yukari said, standing up and bowing after him.

I followed her up but waved instead. "Nice meeting you too!"

Once he was gone Yukari turned on me. "So, what was he talking about?"

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I had no choice. I told her about Social Links, that I get more power from my bonds with other people. I told her that the Hollow Arcana was a social link I activated recently with two previous Wild Cards, neither of whom had even heard of it, but I still didn't know much about it. I told her that the cost of using Wild Card supposedly came with a price, or Punishment, but I'd worry about that later. I said that I wasn't supposed to talk about it, so she left me alone after that to an extent, but I could still tell that something was bothering her.

"More like you're bothered about being found out," Pharos offered, "But you can't go the whole way with being open about it."

Shut up, Pharos.

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Things hadn't gotten much better by Saturday either. There was talk about some revenge website, but what bothered me more was that Yukari was acting weirdly around the dorm. I'd asked her to keep what we talked about on Sunday to herself, and so far she had, but it was eating away at her and the team was suffering because of it.

We'd made slow progress through the week. Mitsuru refused to let me lead for the time being, until my hand was healed and until she was confident that I wasn't putting the team at risk with my reckless decisions and my behaviour. It gave me more time to get closer to Fuuka, but it didn't really feel… satisfying, like it does when I usually work with my Social Links.

Although, another problem could be that it's a new lunar cycle. The Lost are turning up again, and this time in couples. The full moon would be on the seventh of July. Mitsuru said that I could lead again on probation, to prepare the team for then, but after over a week of no action, it was hard to get back into the swing of things.

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Monday morning, Yukari spoke to me properly for the first time in over a week.

"Ya know, in about a week, there'll be another mission."

"I know." I replied. "I'm not looking forward to it."

That surprised Yukari, but she showed a calmer face. "I understand… I mean, we should be getting stronger and better as a team, but right now… it's like we don't trust each other…"

I'd noticed that as well. Junpei had started getting slightly more aggressive at me, Mitsuru was always keeping an eye on me, Yukari didn't trust me as much anymore and Akihiko seemed elsewhere. Add me and my probation period, and Fuuka was the only one holding us together. "That's true, but there's another reason."

"What is it?" Yukari asked.

"Noticed anything about the Lost lately?"

"They've been showing up in pairs, right?"

"Not just pairs. Couples." I added. "Numerically, we should be against the Hierophant next, but that Arcana focuses on defence and physical brawn, it wouldn't behave like this."

"Behave?" Yukari questioned. I reminded her how the Empress manipulated the bullies into doing her dirty work for her, and she nodded knowingly.

"In fact, the behaviour is a lot more like the Lovers Arcana, which suggests…"

"We'll be fighting two enemies again this time." Yukari finished for me.

"But that's not the worst part." I told her. "Lovers Shadows like Charming foes."

Charming. It was evil, and I hated it. Once Charmed, an enemy would think that it's enemies were allies and would attack its allies as if they were enemies. The worst part was if they recovered, they just woke up with no memory of how they gave me that big sword wound. "If we have to fight two big Shadows with non-lethal weapons in order to protect ourselves from each other…"

"Then the state of the team is really unprepared for this one…" Yukari was getting as worried as I was.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Exams were looming ahead, but since these were finals, not Mid-terms, things were getting slightly crazy. I actually spent as much time as I could trying to pull the team back together between working on my Social Links, but things weren't going so well. Even Fuuka was getting worried at the lack of unity we had. Maybe I was biased because of how pessimistic I was feeling, but school did not look happy as it usually did.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yuko called me over to her house after school on Wednesday. Time for the party she was talking about earlier. Yay. I'm not really in the mood for parties, but I went with a smile on my face.

Edogawa was right, I am a fantastic liar.

Yuko, on the other hand, was awful. Right about when she started talking about babies, yeah. I could tell that she was trying to figure out what was going on in my head. Which means that I'm not as good as I usually am.

"Hey, you alright?"

"Yeah, fine!" I smiled. "It's just that-" She leaned over and kissed me.

And not a peck on the cheek either, this was full on making out.

SMASH!

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Strength Arcana…_

Way to trust some freaky voices to ruin what little mood I was feeling. What the hell, I started kissing back.

"Yuko! I'm home!"

Crap, was that her dad? I think I'm getting enhanced hearing, since I don't think Yuko heard it.

"Yuko, I'm…" Her dad came in.

"DAD!" Yuko screamed, pulling away from me.

"Yuko? What's…"

Yeah, he noticed me.

And what I was doing.

With his daughter.

In her bedroom.

On her bed.

Crap.

"Get. Out." He ordered me.

"Dad! What are you doing!?" Yuko shouted as I got off her.

"Look, I'm sorry if I offended you Mr. Nishiwaki," I offered, "But this is-" I was interrupted by a fist in my face.

"DAD!"

"You could have dodged that easily, you know." Pharos offered.

It was a father's punch, thrown for his daughter. It would have been an insult to dodge it.

"It's probably more insulting to block it with your face though."

Sure enough, I hadn't budged an inch after Yuko's dad swung his fist into my face with all his strength.

"DAD!" Yuko shouted. Now, I'm not gonna say that I wasn't in pain. As a matter of fact, my left arm killed right about now.

"Okay, now that you've let it out," I began as her dad pulled away, but then he reached for IS THAT A SHOVEL!?

"Duck." Pharos advised as her father swung. I did.

____________

A/N This would be a great time to switch to Asterisk, by Orange Range.  
____________

"HOLY… DAD!" Yuko screamed again as I got back up.

"Sorrygottagobye!" I shouted, diving out of the window.

Then I noticed that I was three floors up.

So I grabbed a convenient drainpipe, swinging for the fire escape, running for my life. "See you later Yuko!" I shouted, waving at her.

"You seem happier." Pharos noted.

I let a smile form on my lips. "I am." Not on of the half assed ones of late, but a pretty decent one. "It feels good to be running for my life again."

"That's all you really want in life is it?"

"GET BACK HERE!"

I looked behind me to see Yuko's dad chasing me, again with the shovel. This was what I needed. No therapy, no words, just the chase; the escapist and the hunter.

It was like being with the Reaper again, only with people in the way.

Come to think of it, that's all I ever wanted. I knocked over some bins and ran into an alleyway as Yuko's dad chased after me. For someone's dad, he was pretty athletic.

I didn't want to save the world. I didn't want to fight. I didn't want to manipulate people to get great power. Hell, I don't even want to find out the secrets to my parents death. Not right now anyway.

All I really want is to run, and be chased. Ooh, wire fence! I pot-vaulted it, dropping over the other side into a run.

Yuko's dad used the door in the fence. See? This is what it's about!

I twisted through the alleyways and came out at Iwatodai station. I could see Junpei and Kenji talking to each other in wild duck burger, so I brushed my hair behind my ear and donned the fake glasses I bought recently for work and ran in, joining them at their table.

"Hide me!" I hissed, stealing Junpei's hat as I sat next to him.

"Minato?" He asked, surprised to see me out of breath. "Dude, what the hell's going on?"

I pointed my thumb at the window, and the two Magician's turned their heads to see psycho dad run past with a shovel, clearly looking for someone.

"Man…" Kenji whistled. "Who did you do?"

"His daughter. Well, no," I said, "caught me making out with her, and chased me here. Don't squeal on me." I begged, making myself look as pathetic and cute as possible.

Junpei laughed his arse off. "Dude… you actually got a girls dad to chase you with a shovel?"

"Now I can cross that off my list when I get home." I replied, jokingly.

"Man!" Kenji announced, "You have Balls!"

SMASH!

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Magician Arcana._

See? This is what I miss. No serious, dark, mystic Arcana. No juggling two girls at once so they never realise about each other. Just hanging out with a couple of mates, having a good laugh. Preferably no angry dad threatening to cave my skull in with a shovel next time, but I'm not picky.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"There, that's the guy!"

Me and Junpei were walking back to the dorm later, and we turned around to five or so badboyz. one of them looked familiar, the other's jaw was wired shut. The biggest one was big.

"I here you's the one who did this to mah boy!" the biggest one who was big said. "I'm the Banchou of this place, and maybe if you both grovel and apologise, I'll let you leave here alive!"

"Um… I… I… Huh?" I put a hand on Junpei's chest, getting his attention. When he looked at me, I shook my head. This guy was an actual fighter; someone who knew how to brawl, unlike the two flunkies Shinji and I owned almost a month ago.

"Don't you dare apologise to the guy who hurt you so he can kick your arse." I warned him. "If someone dare's threaten you, you let them know your place!"

"Dude…" Junpei hissed, "He's not like the others! He's the boss, he knows how to fight!"

"And?" I asked him. "So am I and so do you." I nodded my head at a large lead pipe in the corner. "If you're worried, you could just use that." I turned to them. "Look, I deal with worse than you on a nightly basis. Bugger off, alright?" I told the biggest one. "I'll pretend this never happened."

"Heh. I like your guts kid." Bossman walked over towards me. "Shame about your ATTITUDE!" He swung a full haymaker into my face.

Remember when I said that he was a brawler? Well, unlike Yuko's dad, he could throw a punch. However, also unlike Yuko's dad, he wasn't a dad.

Judo throw!

Once he was on the ground, I stood on his neck. "Now. New offer. Apologise now, and your little friends get to leave before my friend kicks their asses."

"BOYS!" He shouted instead. "GETTEM!"

WHAM! Junpei decked the one who was approaching behind me with a lead pipe. In one punch. "Told ya." I said, as he took out the other three underlings. I turned back to head honcho. "Now. Apologise and we'll let you leave _before_ tying you all to a post with your trousers down."

"Dude, that'd be awesome!" Junpei shouted, clearly happy.

"Yeah, but it's best to offer them a last chance first." I said, toning slight sadness into my voice. "Sucks, but it's the polite thing to do."

"Guh… Fine!" Grunted bosschap. "I'm sorry about my boys! And for threatening you, Okay!?"

"You know when to apologise." I noted. "Good trait for a leader." I smacked him in the face, knocking him out.

"Dude…" Junpei was psyched about his first street fight. "That… was so… AWESOME!"

"Let's do it again sometime." I smiled. "Hey, how do you feel about the next Shadow?"

His face fell slightly. "Apparently there's a chance that it's gonna be another double Shadow…" he said.

"You up for it though?"

"Yeah." Junpei grinned. "We'll rip it a new one!"

"Good." I told him. "I want you to look after Fuuka during the mission."

"Huh!?" His jaw dropped. "What!?"

"You said it yourself." I replied. "There's no guarantee that if it is a double, that we'll fight them together. I wouldn't put it past them to try to take us out from behind. That's why I need you to cover Fuuka, you're the heaviest hitter after me."

Junpei seemed shocked. "You... you just want me out of the way for the next battle… I get it…"

I looked him dead in the eye. "No Junpei, I'm serious. The team's going down to hell, and I need someone who I know can defend Fuuka long enough for the rest of us to get there." I didn't say the other reason I wanted him with Fuuka.

Fuuka's invulnerable when she summons, but she can't attack. Junpei, on the other hand, has great raw power with his Persona, so if he gets Charmed, we're screwed. Thankfully, Junpei accepted my explanation, and wanted to know if anything could be done before the mission on Tuesday. It was Wednesday now, so we had six days to fix our teamwork. Now what could we do?

"Hey, Minato?"

Yeah Pharos?

"You wanna do something bang out of order?"

…

Go on then.

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BAMBAMBAMBAM! You did not see that coming!

Well, some of you did, but prize goes for whoever can identify the Beast.

Yeah, bit of a depressing chapter, what with everything going south for Minato, but it ended on a happy and interesting cliffhanger this time.

On a side note, I am shock at just how fast this story is progressing. It only feels like a few days ago that I did the Empress fight, and yet, here I am, about to do the Hierophant. Crazy, huh?

And yes, I promised angry dads, and I delivered.


	34. Chapter 34

Alright everyone! Next chapter is here!

First off, wow, loads of reviews since last time.

First off, no, Daisuke is not the p4 character. I'd probably stop guessing until he makes another appearance so you can make a more educated guess.

Also, since Lord Arkan asked for it, Nanashi is going to turn up at some point. Can't promise where or when, but I'll deliver.

Abyss, so far, Yukari is the only other member of S.E.E.S. aware of Social Links and the Velvet Room. And he didn't reveal it willingly. But hey, things go wrong for Minato. Also, since I haven't actually played any of the Persona games other than 3 and 3:FES, and seen the cutscenes of p4 on YouTube, I'm basing any of the back stories from the Persona manga and the Megami Tensei Wiki

Speaking of which, I can't believe that none of you saw my Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne / Lucifer's Call reference in my last chapter. I was dead proud of that too! Go look up that game and re-read the chapter.

Last, but not least, Artful Lounger. Thanks for reading the story, and I appreciate your concern, but there's something I need you to realise.

I am not trying hard to pack stuff into this story. Hell, I'm not even working hard to pack stuff in; I'm trying to _limit_ the stuff I pack in here!

Let me explain. I have loads of free time at school, and the subjects I do take are all coursework which have to be done in lesson, except for makeup work. Since I turn up for every lesson and get the work done, that leaves me with 3-4 hours in the school day on average to do nothing. So, I type this story, which is why I update so frequently.

On top of that, when I start the chapter, I open up my copy of the Persona 3 script in one window, open up the max social link guide in another, the previous chapter in a third window, and then I make it up as I go along based on that information to support me. I started this chapter, for example, with no idea what the hell I was going to type other than it would involve Pharos's bad idea, which at this point includes Shinji. However, by the time I upload this, it might not. Last chapter, for another example, wasn't going to be so depressing, but I was listening to Light's Theme on repeat, and it just happened. Then I walked the dog while typing the Yuko scene, came back in a better mood, changed the track, and boom! Chapter ended happy. Right now, I'm listening to my MP3 on Shuffle, so who knows how this is going to go down.

So, to put it simply, I'm not feeling pressured to keep you guys entertained. I know that whatever the hell I come up with is gonna make you guys happy, since this approach of writing hasn't failed me so far. And even if I was feeling pressured, well let me tell you another story.

Couple of months ago I sat the hardest psychology exam of the entire course. To get an A grade, you needed only around 70% or something, it was that difficult. I was targeted to get a B overall. However, it was a synoptic exam, meaning I had to use everything I had learned over the past two years and make up explanations for someone's behaviour in a case study, in accordance to both the Psychodynamic and the Behavioural approaches to psychology. My teachers told me that 100% was next to impossible for anyone less than university level.

Guess who got 100% on that synoptic psychology exam?

Me.

Now, I don't mean to go on a boasting rant, but some of you may notice that that exam was similar to how I write this story; a basic piece of information to work with, plus lots of imagination and relevant information from all over the place in my head.

That's why this story rules. Because I'm the one writing it. Why does Shinji and Warhammer 40k rule? Because Bhepin writes it. However, I think he's a better author than me, since he also did a 1st person Naruto Fanfic which is incredible in an entirely different way, but I may be a one trick pony right now, considering the lack of success my other story has had.

However, if I am a one trick pony, then this pony is going to do the Indy 900 to Crowley Darkside to Chaosspin across the pool of sharks.

Translation? Totally awesome.

Alright, rant over, onto the chapter. Wow, that rant was almost 800 words long, I'd better write an extra long chapter to make up for it.

Also, at some point during this chapter, I read the new chapter of The Breaker, one of my favourite Manwha's, and it was AWESOME! See if you can notice where.

Also, I've decided to write my stories in Veranda, size 10 from now on, so I can get a better idea of how it looks online.

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I liked Pharos's idea. It was a good one. Junpei didn't at first, but then I reminded him of how easily he took out five guys in his first actual fight. Then he liked it.

"Hey Aragaki-Senpai?"

I wanted to be respectful, but not grovelling. Since he was my upperclassman in more ways than one, it was the correct title.

"…What do you want?"

"I want to ask you again about coming back to us."

Junpei had been surprised that Shinji had been a member of S.E.E.S. at one point, but he was more surprised that someone would leave it behind.

"Did Aki put you up to this?"

"He'd probably have our hides if he knew we were talking to you after last time." I told him.

"Then Mitsuru-Senpai would probably kill us for talking to you about this." Junpei added.

Shinji glared. "What did she tell you?"

"She only confirmed that you were one of us when I asked her." I told him. "She also told us that you have a reason _not_ to fight, and that we should leave you alone."

"So why don't you?" Shini growled.

"Because I just got back into my leadership role after a week's suspension for 'poor leadership', and I really want to piss her off in a way that doesn't jeopardise the team." I lied. It was one reason, but the main reason was that Shinji is awesome and want to see him fight.

"Poor leadership?" Shinji asked, grunting. "What did you do to get suspended, Akihiko makes out that you're some golden boy."

"We killed the Reaper." Junpei announced, smiling.

That got Shinjiro's attention. "Seriously?"

I nodded. "It involved lots of explosives, but we think he's gonna get better."

Shinji nodded, then remembered himself. Turning away, he stated that "It doesn't concern me."

"Yes it does." I told him. "Why did you leave?"

He turned around and glared at me in the face. Perfect, give me the perfect excuse to concentrate on your face. "What happened? You quit or get kicked out?" Shinji didn't say a word, but his eyes flicked behind him to the left. Looking for an escape route. "You quit then." Surprise. "Why? They do something?"

No response.

"You did something." Shinji gulped and flashed shame. "You did something and they forgave you." Sadness, slight anger, deep shame. "They forgave you but you haven't forgiven yourself. Since it happened during the Dark Hour, there's no chance that you'll be punished for whatever you did."

Shinji's chin rose before falling again as he shook his head. "You don't know anything."

"I know you began to nod before you shook your head. I know that you don't believe a word you just said."

Shinji looked terrified. "Dude…" Junpei hissed, "He look piiised…" Correction, Shinji was hiding the fact that he was terrified. And… relieved?

"Why are you so scared?" I asked. "I can understand how you'd be relieved about the prospect of punishment for whatever you did, but why the fear?"

Junpei was starting to panic, but I blanked him out, eyes on Shinji. "But what I really don't get…" I added, since Shinji was keeping a straight face, "Is why you would quit instead of atoning for whatever you did with your Persona?"

Disgust. Clear as day.

"Your disgusted by your Persona?"

Then it clicked.

"Your Persona killed someone." One look on Shinji's face meant that I'd hit the nail on the head.

After the initial shock, Shinji sighed as sat on the stairs. "I lost control." Shinji told us. "You ever heard of Projecting? It's when a Persona user gets so emotional while summoning that their consciousness shifts between their body and their Persona's."

"Wait… what?" Junpei was surprised.

"But I'm guessing that means that the Persona's consciousness does the same?" I asked Shinji, ignoring Junpei.

"Something like that. Point is that some kid's mom died, I'll never get punished for it, and that orphan is never gonna get justice."

Shinji scowled, then rose to his feet. "Satisfied? That's why I-!" He never finished his sentence because I launched a roundhouse kick into his gut, knocking him back down.

"The HELL!?" Junpei shouted, not believing what just happened. "What's your freaking problem Minato!?"

"He is." I replied. I stooped down to Shinji's level and stared into his eyes, inches from his face. "You grind the universe into the finest particles, and I challenge you to show me one atom of Justice." I declared. "Or Mercy, or Truth, Love, Happiness, Hate, Regret, or even Right or Wrong, for all I care!" I jabbed my finger into Shinji's chest. "That's because they only exist in _people_. People make up your precious _justice_, the same justice that you _claim_ stops you from fighting to defend it!" I put on an angry face. I was pissed, sure, but I wasn't as outraged as I pretended I was. "YOU are just too scared to accept the fact that you screwed up, and you're too much of a pussy to do anything to sort it out!" I pulled an Evoker from my pocket and threw it into his lap. "If you can pull your head out of your backside by Tuesday," I added, walking away, "Then you're welcome to join the scrap."

"Hey, wait up man!" Junpei shot Shinji an apologetic look before scrambling after me. "What the hell was that man!?" he asked, clearly angry at how I'd been treating Shinji. "I thought we wanted him to get _confidence_!" Junpei protested, "Not crush any chance we have of getting him back!"

"If encouragement would have worked, he'd never have left." I replied. "Not trying to come off as a manipulative sod, but I'm hoping that I hit some home truths there, so maybe he'll come back on his own."

Let's hope so.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I really hope so, because now it's Saturday, and no sign of Shinji. We're starting to work better as a team again, but it's slow progress.

Well, I say slow, but that's not really a word you can use when you're knee deep in various Maya.

"BEGONE!" Mitsuru shouted, summoning her Persona to freeze a few dozen of them. Akihiko vaulted the ice cages to launch an electrical assault from Polydeuces, then Junpei smashed through them and burninated the survivors.

Ah. They're working together great.

I'm the one letting everyone down.

_~Everyone! The Reaper will appear in 40 seconds!~_

"The stairs are a few feet away!" I shouted to Mitsuru. "I can make it!"

Mitsuru hesitated, then nodded. "Pass me the Traesto! You go on ahead for the Transporter!"

I pulled the gem from my pocket and tossed it to her. Once she caught it, I shouted "Wait until I'm up the stairs!" or the traesto would get me too.

I waded towards the stairs. "PALE RIDER!" The fourth horseman rode through, creating a path through the Shadows. I ran down it as fast as I could hoping to reach the stairs before

_**Running away are we? That's no fun**_

"Arisoto!" Mitsuru shouted, "Hurry!"

Buggery! I'm not gonna make it! There's no time!

_Then make some_

My left arm twitched and I twisted my right around to grab it. Saved my life, since a purple crystal slowly sped past my shoulder. I'd slowed down too, as had the rest of the world, but my perspective was much faster. Because of that, I could see the golden light of the Traesto rush for me.

I had just enough time to dive for the stairs and scramble to the next floor before I was taken.

_~Minato-Kun! Are you alright?~_

"Yeah… fine… time slowed down a bit though…"

_~It was just your perception of time that changed.~_ Fuuka told me. _~It happens sometime when the fight or flight condition goes into overdrive.~_

"Aw… I wanted time power…"

Fuuka giggled over the link. _~Anyway, Mitsuru Senpai wants you to come down now and activate the transporter!~_

"Alright…" I got up with a sigh. This was the last Tartarus Boss, as I liked to call them, before the barricade. It was getting close, and I wanted to get the Old Document from there tonight so I don't miss the deadline. All I have to do is hit the switch, come up with a team, and then

WHAM!

OOF. I got up to see a Shadow riding on a floating horse. Emperor. It swung the blunt of its lance at me again, but I dodged it.

_~What!? But the Guardians never make the first attack!?~_

Surprised as you Fuuka, but right now I'm too busy dodging to pull out a weapon. "Can you scan it!?"

_~I'll try!~ _Scanning Tartarus Bosses were tricky, even Fuuka only got half results.

"Need my help?" Pharos asked.

"Yeah!" I shouted, blocking a blow with my arm. I got hit by a Garula for my trouble. Good thing I've got Pale Rider right now, or that would have done much more damage.

_~It's weakness is wind!~_ Fuuka told me. _~But it has barriers protecting it against wind spells! You'll have to get through them!~_

"_How does she expect us to do that?"_ Pharos asked, entering my head and giving me the eyes.

_~I think that if you can get under the horses armour, you can take it out long enough to activate the transporter! You can't take it alone, you just won't have time!~_

Wow, Fuuka countered my counter-argument before I got chance to think up of a counter for her argument. I dodged as the Horseman stabbed, then dodged again as it swung. I kept dodging, it kept attacking. Once I picked up the rhythm, I grabbed my Evoker. "PALE RIDER!"

_~That won't work!~_ Fuuka told me as the Rider locked blades with the Horseman.

Don't worry, it's just a distraction. I ran forward, getting behind the lance just as my Persona dissipated. I skidded under the iron skirt of the horse's armour, then stood with my Evoker at the ready. "Woah, this is weird."

_~Now's your chance!~_ Fuuka reminded me. I put the Evoker to my ear and pulled the trigger.

BAM! I fell over as the Horseman charged forward, but it the Garula still knocked him off balance.

I recovered first, running straight for the transporter, activating it.

Then a big green spike shot from it, right into the Shadow's head.

I turned left to see Yukari draw another arrow, sending a Garu along the shaft as she aimed. That… actually makes a lot of sense, since the wind would increase the velocity of the shot, and the added spinning motion would increase the armour piercing ability of the arrow itself, and THEN it's charged with magic. "Nice shot." I told her.

"Hurry and get a weapon!" She ordered me, taking aim as the Emperor stood up. Ah, right. Forgot. I unrolled the scroll and grabbed a decent loggers axe. "An axe?" she asked.

"Spear beats sword." I explained, tracking the Shadow's movements. "Sword beats axe, and axe beats spear."

"How?" She asked as I charged forward towards the Shadow. The Horseman decided to joust, pointing its lance at me as we rode towards each other.

Idiot.

I ducked beneath his thrust, then rose as the Shadow lost balance and I swung my axe down on the lance, bringing the Shadow to the ground before breaking its weapon. "NOW!" I shouted as the green arrow sped past my face, making a beauty hole it its mask.

Damn, Yukari was_ Good._

"You alright?" She asked.

"Yeah." I replied. "Slightly soiled, but okay overall." She hid a giggle. She's trying to stay angry. I could torment her a bit, get her to laugh, but then the problem wouldn't be solved.

Well, now isn't the time to be mending bridges. "Come on." I told her. "Few more floors then home."

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

After we got to the barrier, I hit home. Home hurt my hand. Damn you home. Damn you.

Luckily, I still had my gloves on, so nothing broke.

Except for that lamppost I kicked in retaliation a few seconds later. Hopefully no-one will notice.

It's barely even bent anyways.

If anyone asks, Junpei did it.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I spent Sunday in the Velvet Room fusing new Personae for Tuesday. I saw this new guy there so I checked him out. He said that he didn't have a name, but he was the Demon Painter. He painted pretty well for a guy in a blindfold.

Mind you, since time spent in the Velvet Room is no time at all, I was left all day to play detective. The majority of the Lost have come from a certain street called Shirakawa boulevard. I paid it a visit, and it appears to be some kind of red light district. I thought I saw someone look familiar there, but it was probably bad manners to make eye contact here, so I ignored it, becoming very interested in a particular vending machine by one hotel.

Durex. Connecting people.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Dude, tomorrows the big day!"

Junpei followed me to school on Monday. I was hoping for some female company, but Yukari left earlier then me. Damn me and my need to sleep. Damn me I say.

"Yeah." I told Junpei, keeping my thoughts to myself.

"Man, I'm totally stoked!" Junpei milked the giant cow in the sky. "Like right before a big tournament or something, ya know?"

"You've never been in a tournament!?" I said it as a question, just to be safe.

"Hey, I was pretty awesome in Little League ya know." Junpei said proudly. "They said I could hit balls as hard as a middle schooler!"

"What happened?"

"I quit." Junpei said. "Come on, we're late!"

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I went to Kendo practice that afternoon. Kazushi was doing really well on his new combat technique, he was even keeping me at bay. I'm limited to using just kendo, no Persona enhancements or anything, but it's still a big achievement.

"KAZUSHI!!" the coach roared. Kaz turned around, looking pale.

"Y-yeah coach?"

"…What do you think you are doing?"

"J-just practicing coach!" Dammit Kaz, when you lie, you don't make excuses! The correct answer was 'Practicing a new defensive stance coach!'

"That's enough practicing for you." The coach ordered, glaring. "Come to the nurse's office. The rest of you!" He shouted, "Back to work!"

Once they were out the door, people started talking. Yuko, for example, came up to me.

"He's such a bad liar!" she told me. "You can totally tell that he's favouring one knee!"

"That's the point of the stance." I told her. "It's meant to allow greater rotation so you can fight multiple opponents while not moving from one spot."

Yuko looked at me, then sighed. "I knew you had something to do with this Minato Kun…"

"Well, yeah, I helped him develop the stance." I said, lying like awesome.

"Kaz is a sportsman." She explained. "He'd never practice something that wouldn't be helpful in tournament conditions. Why would he practice fighting multiple opponents," She asked me, "If tournament matches are one-on-one?"

Busted. "Alright, you got me."

"Follow me." She said. "We're going to the nurses office."

Once we were in the corridor, Yuko began talking to me again. "I'm sorry about my dad…" She said.

"Ah, it's okay." I laughed. "Junpei does worse in the morning."

"You're a very good liar, Minato Kun."

"Thank you." I said, smiling.

Yuko laughed "It wasn't a compliment! Honestly..."

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"I spoke to your mom about your leg." Mr Edogawa said, in serious mode.

"You're throwing caution to the wind young man." Coach warned Kazushi, who was swearing under his breath.

"He knows what he's doing." I said to them.

Coach turned to him. "Minato Kun, you wouldn't say that if you knew what he was doing!"

"Who do you think taught him how to compete without hurting his leg!?"

"Hey!" Kazushi shouted. "Minato has nothing to do with this!"

I shook my head. "Sorry Kazushi, but since everyone in here knows…" I looked at Yuko "Well, Yuko's pretty much figured it out, but I'll be honest. Mr. Edogawa, I taught Kazushi how to compete without putting pressure on his injured leg."

"What!?" Coach was angry.

"He has his reasons for competing, and I respect them." I told coach. "So I taught him how to preserve his leg until after the tournament, so he could get it treated and achieve his goals. If I did wrong, please tell me."

"Minato Kun!" Coach was getting angrier. "This… This is…"

"Minato…" Kazushi said. "Why the hell did you just bring yourself down with me?"

"Why did you try to go down alone?" I retorted.

SMASH!

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Chariot Arcana._

"Actually, the young man is correct."

Coach looked at Edogawa in disbelief. "If he truly can fight without putting pressure on his injured leg, then there is no problem." Edogawa stated, "So long as he gets it treated straight after the regional's."

"I don't mind that."

"Me neither."

I turned around to see Saito and Manaka walk in. Hideo poked his head from around the door and gave his tuppence worth. "I don't mind if he's competing in the regional's. If it's just an individual competition, then I don't have to worry about him dragging me down."

"What the hell you talking about Hideo?" I said. "Even injured, Kazushi could hand you your arsehole on a silver plate!"

We all laughed about that one. Kazushi agreed to take it easy during training, and we agreed to let him keep training for the regional meet.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Tuesday morning. The big day. I walked to school with Fuuka today.

"How're you feeling?" She asked.

"Ready for a scrap." I grinned.

"Wow, you're amazing!" She seemed impressed. "We're gonna have a quick meeting tonight about the operation." She added. "So, please return to the dorm immediately after school."

"Immediately?" Bit of a let down. "Alright, I'll probably hit the gym for a bit before the meeting."

"We have a gym?" Fuuka asked, surprised.

"We do now."

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

You know the best part of being a secret millionaire living in a school dorm is?

During school hours, no-one's around to see the delivery men set up a secret weight room and gym in the basement.

It was after school, and I was bench pressing 120 Kilo's right now, waiting for Mitsuru to call the meeting in about six or so hours.

"Wow, when did we get this?"

I looked up. "Hey Yukari." I said, putting down the weights. "And recently."

"Did you pay for this?"

Direct and to the point. "What else am I going to spend it on? Other than Persona, I can't drive, got no vices, and I don't want to attract any suspicious attention."

"Riight…" Yukari said, looking around. "And how is this not suspicious?"

I waved the concern away. "Everyone knows Mitsuru lives here, so no major firm would think twice about something expensive being delivered here." I looked in the corner. "In fact, I'm thinking of installing a steam room there."

"You're serious, aren't you?"

"Nothing else to do with the money other than ride the stock market."

"No buying expensive gifts for any friends?"

I looked straight at her. "You asking for a bribe? Because you 'aint getting one."

"I know, I was just… curious."

"Curious?"

"Yeah, you're earning enough to support a wife, three kids, a mortgage and a car, but you're not doing anything with it."

"Not so." I replied. "I'm using it."

"Yeah, you probably have some scheme set up so you're set for life once you become an adult."

"Still gonna get a job."

She looked at me curiously. "You have one, don't you?"

"A real one." I told her. "I only go in on Sundays to hand my work in and discuss business with suits. I actually want to _do_ something, why do you think I've got so many skills?"

"Fair point." She said. "So this… Social Linking your current job?"

"Pretty much." I said. "Keeps me busier than I've ever been."

"Then what about Yuko?"

I didn't like that question. "Yeah, she's of the Strength Arcana."

"You dating her just for her power?"

Wait, that's what this is about?

"Wait, That's what we've been so awkward about for ages?"

"Huh?"

"Well, I care for her." I looked straight at her. "Friendships go both ways."

"Yeah…" Yukari seemed relieved. "Yeah, you're right." She smiled. "Sorry, it's just that… I never thought of you as a manipulative person before…"

"Oh, I am."

"I never said you weren't." Yukari smiled properly now. "So, am I a Social Link then?"

"Nah." I told her. "If you were, then it would have initiated by now. I think it only works for people with problems."

Yukari was surprised. "Yuko has problems?"

"Small ones." I said, "But they do like to eat." Ah, wait a sec, "Actually, just realised, You, Junpei, Mitsuru and Akihiko are all part of the Fool Social Link."

"Ah, right." She said. "So, you feel good about tonight?"

"Would I be wasting energy on a weight machine if I wasn't?"

"No, You'd be wasting energy on the punchbag."

"Exactly." Hey, she did know me pretty well.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yeah, I hit the target size. BAM!

Also, next couple of chapters are going to be less funny and very dark. Remember when I said earlier that the fights were going to get harder? Empress wasn't part of that deal. I'm probably going to split the mission into three shorter chapters, and if I do, don't expect me to answer reviews between them, as I don't want to break the flow.

For once, I have the next few chapters planned out. And I guarantee, there will be blood.

Not Ichor.

Blood.

And Ichor. There'll probably be Ichor too.


	35. Chapter 35

Alright everyone, this is going to take three chapters. They will be shorter than normal, but after this it's going back to the normal length.

Not many questions from you since last time, so I'll just get right into it.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Any luck Fuuka?" Akihiko asked her.

We were in the command room, the dark hour had just started. Fuuka was inside of her Persona, Lucia, scanning for the Shadow.

_~Just a moment… I've found a strong presence!~_

"Hey, we were right!" Junpei was happy.

"Or so it would seem." Ikutsuki added. We're still not cool.

_~It's located in Iwatodai… in a hotel on Shirakawa boulevard!~_

"Hm… Shirakawa Boulevard…" Ikutsuki flashed guilty pleasure on his face. "They've been finding the Lost in pairs later… now I understand why…" Ikutsuki's been a naughty boy.

"In pairs?" Mitsuru asked, then realisation hit. "Oh, I get it…"

Fuuka dismissed her Persona. "Why what's on Shirakawa Boulevard?" She asked. "I'm not familiar about that area…" Good.

Yukari also seemed not in the know. "I've heard about it, but…"

Junpei grinned. "That's where all _those_ hotels are."

"I prepared a song about it." I said, beaming. "_It's the substandard hotels on the lalalalala quarter of forth and Fremont street!  
Appealing only because they are that unappealing!  
Any practiced catholic would cross themselves upon entering!"_

"Nonesense!" Ikutsuki said over Fuuka's blushing. "They are no different from ordinary hotels! The rooms are just a little fancier, that's all!"

"Aw, man, is that all?" Junpei was disappointed.

"Well, they also offer you your choice of woman when you book." I loved stirring things up. Call it a hobby.

"Arisoto!" Mitsuru shouted.

"And condoms in your favourite size and flavour."

Akihiko was trying his hardest not to laugh or bleed, while Fuuka was trying her hardest not to laugh or blush. Ikutsuki and Mitsuru are getting angry, and Junpei was asking for a hi-five.

Yukari, however, was concerned.

"I don't know… maybe I shouldn't go…"

SLAP! Junpei was holding two hands together above his head. "You're just like a little kid, Yuka-Tan…"

Dude, did you just hi-five yourself?

"W-whatever!" Yukari was getting mad. "Fine. Then let's go." Okay, she's past mad and reached pissed. "But this time, I want a piece of the action." You really do have an unfortunate tendency to say things like that Yukari. "So, who's going to take the lead?"

Rule 35.

"I see no reason to deprive Arisoto from his restored position." Dammit woman, will you never let that go? "Yamagishi, I want you to handle support during this mission."

"I'll do my best!" Fuuka declared.

"Alright then." I said. "Mitsuru and Akihiko are also on the team while Junpei stays behind with Fuuka."

"Got it."

"Understood."

"Yes, Sir!" Junpei saluted sarcastically.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I hummed various Panic! At the Disco songs on the way there. As we approached, I said "Right, I'm going to order a non-lethal weapons rule for this mission."

"Why?" Mitsuru still didn't trust mah authoritah.

"Judging from where we are, I'm not running the risk of anyone being charmed." I handed Mitsuru a lead pipe and Akihiko my new gloves. Then I handed Yukari some blunt arrows with a metal tip. "They won't pierce, but it'll still cause some serious damage." I then pulled out a pair of sai and spun them. Since they were blunt, they couldn't do serious damage if they were used as a knife, which a Shadow would try to do.

I shoved them into my belt. Turtle Power.

_~The Shadow is on the third floor, in the penthouse suite!~_

"Alright." I handed my various scrolls to Junpei, just to be safe. "Let's go in."

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"They actually come in flavours." Akihiko said unamused, noticing the vending machine in the corner.

"And ribbed for her pleasure."

"Focus on the mission!" Yukari barked. "…Men." She added under her breath.

"Kay…" I replied. "Come on, let's get this over with."

_~The Shadow is in the door to your right! Are you ready?~_

"Are we?" nods. "Okay then." I turned to the door and kicked it down, smashing it off its hinges.

_~Um… the door was unlocked...~_

"Hey, I'm the leader, and if I can't blow things up, then I'm gonna smash things." I walked inside, ignoring everyone's shaking heads.

The Shadow was a big fat guy whose chair was feeling him up. "Ugh… why here of all places?" Yukari asked. "Well, let's get this over with!"

The Hierophant stood up. Drawing itself to full height, its arms were freaking HUGE! I'm serious, like tree trunks! And now I'm getting a good look at the guy, there was a hell of a lot of muscle in that flab.

Blunt attacks were not going to work.

Guess who left all their sharps downstairs?

"Good decision, Minato." Akihiko said, "Maybe next time we'll leave out Evokers at home too!"

"Hey, I was wrong, alright?"

_~Everyone! Look out!~_

GAH! Thunderbolts! Half of us dodged in time. I was one of the unlucky ones.

Fortunately, the other was Akihiko. Serves us right for complaining, I suppose.

"BEGONE!" Mitsuru shouted, launching a Bufula at the Shadow. Fatty swatted the attack aside, then ignored Yukari's arrow as it hit his gut.

_~Its arms can block magic attacks!~_ Fuuka declared. _~You're going to have to get around them to hurt it!~_

"Akihiko, Mitsuru!" I barked, "Take the left and right arms, keep them busy!" Actually, hold on, "Scratch that, Akihiko and I'll do it! Yukari, keep its eyes on your arrows! Mitsuru!"

"Understood!" Mitsuru dodged around the side and I took her place, plunging my Sai into the Shadow's left arm. WHAM! And I think it just broke my back against the wall.

"Minato!"

"Stick to the plan!" I grunted, "No overrides!" Dammit, I can't reach my Evoker. You're gonna have to leave for a sec Pharos.

"_aye aye, cap'n..."_

Once he was out of there, I charged my Sai with Getsu-ei. The Hierophant screamed as my weapons slit through its arm. "That works Akihiko!" I shouted, once on my feet. "Charge your fists with physicals!"

"Got it!" Akihiko punched the right arm, knocking it flying back into the Hierophant's face. It fell backwards. DAMMIT MITSURU!

SLISH! The Hierophant stopped falling as a big spike of Ice rose through it, coming out through its gut. The top of the spike was black, stained with the Shadow's Ichor.

"Nice!" I shouted as Mitsuru ran back from the Shadow's shadow. Yukari, however, ran towards the Shadow, climbing on top of it with a charged arrow at the ready.

"Take this!" She shouted, launching the spinning weight into the ice, shattering it all the way to the bottom. It must have been like shrapnel, because that Hierophant could _scream_!

"Sweet!" I ran towards it shot myself with my Evoker. "ORPHEUS!"

BAM! The Persona rose into the air, strumming a chord that launched more fire into that already shredded hole. No kill like overkill, huh?

"The enemy is down," Mitsuru shouted, "Let's finish this!"

"Go Nuts!" I was already on top of the Hierophant, ripping it to pieces with my Sai.

"You'll fall by my hand!" Mitsuru shouted, diving in for her share of the kill.

CRACK.

The Hierophant started to dissolve as its mask fell apart. Yeah, I bricked myself too.

"Whegh, glad that's done." I said, landing backside first on the oversized waterbed.

_~Good job guys! We're waiting outside for you!~_

"Great!" Akihiko said with a grin, covered in ichor. "I'll get the door. Come on!"

Wait.

Door?

Akihiko grabbed the handle of the door, but it wouldn't budge. He tried ramming it, but nothing.

"What the!?" He couldn't believe it. "It fell down when Minato hit it!"

…

"What, what!?"

"There's still a Shadow in here." I told them.

_~He's right! It was hiding its presence, so I didn't notice it earlier because of the Hierophant! But it's hiding in that room!~_

"But… where?" Mitsuru asked.

"Hey, is it just me," Yukari began, "Or is there something strange about that mirror?"

Like the fact that it's not mirroring? No, it's not just you.

Wait, what!?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Told you they'd be shorter than normal. Expect another chapter later today. Blood in next chapter, which may be longer.


	36. Chapter 36

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

My head felt foggy. My arm hurt for some reason, and I wasn't wearing a shirt. I was sitting on a bed somewhere, and the shower was running in the bathroom. Now why the hell  
__________________  
_Embrace Your Desire_

Guh… my head hurt almost as much as my arm…  
___________________________  
_I am the voice of your inner self…_

My… what..?  
_________________________________________________________________________  
_Enjoy the moment… that which cannot be felt is merely a dream… The present is all we have…_

That's not true. Thoughts are things. I have thought… I have memories… and goals…  
________________________________________________________________________________________  
_The future is but a fantasy, memory a fabrication. Let your desire free you from your shackles… such is my wish…_

I'm not shackled… I have full control… I… I want you out.  
___________________________  
_Pleasure is what you truly want._

I want you out.  
_________________________________________________________  
_You stand before the doorway to bliss… you cannot deny your instincts…_

My instincts are telling me to _kill_ you. Get out.  
__________________  
_Embrace your Desire_

Get Out.  
_________________  
_Why do you resist?_

GET OUT.  
_______________________________  
_Do not avert your eyes from the truth_

**GET OUT**

Suddenly, my head was clearer, but my arm still hurt like hell. I was also standing up, off the bed. Suck it, bitch, no-one controls me.

The bathroom door opened. Through the steam came… Yukari?

She was clutching a towel to her chest, blushing.

Her eyes looked like mine normally did.  
___________________________  
_Are you as strong as you claim?_

"Yukari…" I began as she began to approach me. "Yukari snap out of it!"  
________________________________________  
_Can you truly resist taking what you want most?_

Yukari pushed me down onto the bed, panting. She was warm and wet, and naked. I held her back as she kept trying to force herself onto me. "Yukari, Don't let it do this!"  
__________________  
_Embrace your Desire_

**FINE! I WILL!**

I curled up and put my foot under Yukari's stomach, then pushed her. Hard. She landed roughly against the other wall. She clutched her head. "Ugh…"

"Yukari!" I rushed over to her. "Are you alright?"

"Uh… what was I..?" Her eyes snapped to attention, and she realised the situation.

The current one being that she was naked and wet in a love hotel being held by a guy with no shirt.

"AAH!" SLAP! She ran back into the bathroom. Good to have you back Yukari.

_~Oh, I can finally reach you!~_ Yay, Fuuka! _~Can you two hear me?~_

"I can." I said, leaning against the bathroom door. "What's going on?"

_~I'm sorry I couldn't contact you earlier… The Shadow was interfering with your thoughts, and you all got separated…~_ We kinda got that. _~The others are downstairs, Mitsuru Senpai, and the Shadow is still in the room on the top floor.~_ huh, so we can't hear what each other is saying on that line… interesting. _~Everyone, please regroup on the second floor, by the stairs to the lobby. You get that, Yukari?~_

"Huh? O-oh yeah, I heard you."

_~Um… did, did something happen?~_

"No!" meaning yes. "Nothing!" meaning something. I'm a better liar than her.

"You okay in there?" I asked Yukari as Fuuka cut the link.

"Yeah, fine. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Shadow was controlling me too, but I managed to force it out before you came out."

"Oh… good."

"Sorry about that."

"Let's just… stop talking, okay?"

"Kay."

"So close." Hi Pharos. He entered me head. _"You may never get an opportunity like that again."_

You mean the opportunity to rape a hollow shell and lose my soul?

"_Just checking. You should have seen what happened upstairs."_

Why? What happened upstairs? Oh, OH!

I burst out laughing.

"What's so funny!?" Yukari asked.

"Just realised…" I replied, getting myself back together, "Akihiko and Mitsuru just went through the same thing we just did."

Silence, then laugh. She came out the door. "What? Why aren't you dressed?"

"Can't find my shirt." I said. It was true. "Or my Evoker, or my weapons. I do however have this for some reason." I pulled out a condom out of my pocket.

"Ugh…" Yukari shook her head. "Come on then, let's go. And if you tell anyone… I will never speak to you again!"

"Got it." I stood up.

"Hey, I never knew you had a tattoo."

Oh, right, it's visible. "Yeah, long story. I'll tell you another time."

We met up with the others upstairs. "Alright, before anyone else says anything," I began, "I would just like to point out that Akihiko has sword holes in his shirt and vest, and I am currently shirtless, whereas you two are still fully clothed."

"W-what's your point!?" Mitsuru accused me.

"Normally it's the other way around… why do you have sword holes in your clothes?" I asked Akihiko, "Mitsuru has a lead pipe."

"You don't wanna know…" Akihiko shuddered.

"You're probably right." I sighed. "Anyone seen my Evoker?"

"What is it with you and losing Evokers?" Mitsuru asked.

"Good question. You know, Fuuka?"

_~It's in one of those rooms on this floor.~_

"Why the hell is it in there?"

"We must retrieve it." Mitsuru ordered.

"Nah, it's fine." I said, "I'll run downstairs and borrow Junpei's."

"No, you need to get it, or it'll be taken to the police, dusted for prints, and if you don't get arrested for possible gun possession," Akihiko explained, "Then you'll get expelled for going to a love hotel." Akihiko explained.

"Fine… let's split up gang."

We all went into one of the rooms on the floor. I found it hilarious how there were two Coffins on the bed. Lolses.

I saw a black short sleeved shirt thrown against a chair. I confiscated it, seeing as its current owner wasn't using it. I'll put it back later.

I was just doing the buttons up when I caught myself in the mirror. Or rather, I didn't.

"Hey, Fuuka, what's with the mirrors?" It had a weird gold sheen to it and it reflected the room except for me. I moved a chair to experiment, and the chairs movement was reflected.

So why not me?

_~I got it! It's the mirrors! They're giving off the same energy as the Shadow!~_

DAMN! I kicked the mirror in, smashing it to pieces.

_~You weakened the seal! But there's another one on the floor above you.~_

"Right." I said, heading for the door. "Anyone found my Evoker yet?"

_~Akihiko Senpai has it.~_

"Great."

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Once we'd broken the seals, we went back to the Hierophant's room. The Lovers shadow looked like a heart shaped balloon with the lovers mask on the front of it. It was covered in spikes, and had one right demon wing and one left angel wing coming from behind it. The spikes were secreting juices, which filled the inside, where one man shaped Shadow was boning another Shadow, one with boobs.

"That is sick…" Yukari said. "Because of you, I had to come to this disgusting place! YOU'RE GONNA PAY!"__

* * *

I see your desire… you do not want pleasure…

* * *

STAB! I looked down to see a pink spike in my chest.

"MINATO!" Yukari was all concern.__

* * *

_You want Pain

* * *

_

"Hold on!" Yukari pulled it out and started healing the wound. "It's okay, you can still fight!" Once it was healed, she patted my chest. "All done."

"Thanks." I smashed her across the face. "Bitch."

"What the hell!?" Akihiko grabbed my shoulder. "What's wrong with-" I shoved my elbow into the assholes ugly mug, shutting his damn meathole.

"Shut it." I turned around and stamped on his throat. "You think you're so high and mighty, you get to order ME AROUND!?" I snarled. The pretentious bastard was always pissing me off. "That's rich. You can't even keep your own friends in line."

"You… the hell..?"

FWOOSH! I turned around. "Ah, daddies little girl, don't I have a bone to pick with you…"

"Listen to me Arisoto." The redhead ordered, Evoker to her head. "You've been charmed! You're under the Shadow's control!"

WHAM! I threw the king into the queen. "I've never felt so free in my life. You should try it sometime."

"RRARGH!" BOOM! Polydeuces came at me, it's punch oh so easy to read. I grabbed it and Judo threw it against the floor, shoving my Elbow into its pit as it fell. "GAH!" Whitey screamed.

"IORI!" Mitsuru shouted, "We need help! Arisoto's been-!" SMACK! There, it's amazing what shoving someone's head into a wall can do.

"Mitsuru! DIA!" Oh, redhead woke up. "Night night." SMASH. "Still awake?" SMASH. "How about now?" SMASH. "Sleeping? Well... best make sure." CRUNCH!

"I'LL KILL YOU!"

I dodged the boxer's punches. "Hey, Senada Senpai." I asked. "Do you know why boxing is the suckiest martial art out of all of them?"

"NNRARGH!"

"Because one Lowkick will take them down for good." WHAM! "Ooh, did that just crack?" His screams were fantastic.

"I got here as fast as I… WHAT THE HELL!?"

"Hey, it's my favourite backstabbing cowardly asshole!" I smiled at Junpei as I grabbed Akihiko by the scalp. "You're just in time to see Gekkoukan's golden boy go down!"

"Dude... you… you're insane!"

"Hold on, I'll be riiight with you. Just trying to remember what they count to in boxing…"

"T-ten?" Junpei offered.

"Thanks mate, I was wondering why I kept you alive for so long." I lifted Akihiko into the air by what little gray hairs he had, then slammed my kneecap into his nose. SLAM! "ONE!" SLAM "TWO!" SLAM "THREE!"

"MINATO!"

SLAM "Counting. FOUR!" SLAM "FIVE!" SLAM "SIX!" SLAM "SEVEN!"

"Stop it man!" SLAM "This… you've gone nuts!"

"EIGHT!" SLAM "NINE!" CRUNCH! "TEN!" I threw him up into the air and punched him. "DINGDINGDING!" I span and kicked him into Stupei as he fell. "HE'S DOWN! THE GREAT MINATO WINS!" Damn, my arm hurts.

"RRAAGH!"

"Ooh, finally got the balls to face me like a man eh?" I said, dodging his pathetic sword slash, "Why do you fight anyways?"

"RAGH!" idiot swung his pathetic sword again. "SO I CAN SAVE PEOPLE FROM THINGS LIKE YOU!"

"Bollocks!" I grabbed the back of his sword then punched its side. It cracked. "Try Again!"

Junpei tried to wrestle the weapon from me. "So… So I can Be a Hero and help people!"

"Survey says; EH EH!" I punched the sword again. This time, it broke. "Is that your final answer?"

Junpei fell back, waving his little piece of metal at me. "So I… Because I… I am…"

"Useless for anything else." The idiot fell to his knees. "You're a failure, you've no sense, and you're ugly as a mule and twice as thick." I sneered at the waste of space. "Face it. You're an even bigger screw up that your old man."

Junpei stopped cowering. "Say that again."

"Ooh, did I hit a nerve?" I stooped to his level. "Does little Junpei have an ounce of respect for his daddy?"

"I AM NOTHING LIKE HIM!"

"Prove it. Tell me what you're good for." I grinned. "And don't say Persona, or you would have lasted longer."

"I… I…"

"BING! Time up!" I grabbed him by the throat in lifted him in the air. "Junpei Iori, you _Are_ the weakest link. Goodbye!" I threw his ass right into the oversized fishtank by the wall. I walked over to him. Huh, glass didn't slit his throat. Well, a rock would do the trick. I like that one.

"IO!"

I threw the rock behind me. "AH!" SMASH!

I turned around. "Hey, that was a good shot, wasn't it Yukari?" I started walking over to her. "I hit your evoker without even looking behind me to aim!" She ran over to Mitsuru, but I got there first and grabbed her arm."

"Minato! Stop! Please!"

"Stop what? You're trying to stop me."

"You're charmed! This isn't You! Can't you see that you're being controlled!?"

SMASH! I punched that whore right in the mouth. "NO ONE CONTROLS ME!" I elbowed her in the face, and she collapsed. "Stay there, you'll get your turn."

"Uhn…" Was she still trying to get that Evoker? I kicked it out of her reach, standing over her.

"Minato! Please…!"

I knelt down, straddled on top of her. "Hey, this feels familiar." I smashed my fist into her pretty little face. "Oh, that's nice." SMACK "Not so pretty now, are we bitch!" I shoved an elbow in there. "Are we?" SMASH "ARE WE!?"

"Minato…"

"Grr…" I am so gonna smash that

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"WHAT THE HELL!?"

Okay, why the hell am I straddled on top of a bleeding Yukari with one arm in the air?

Why the hell is no-one fighting the Lovers?

Where is everyone?

I stood up and saw them. Mitsuru, Akihiko, Even Junpei? What the hell!?

"Minato… snap… out of it?"

"Snap out of what? What the hell happened here!?"

_~You were charmed Minato Kun!~_

Fuuka? "You alright? You sound horrified?"

_~The Shadow, It… It made you… do this…~_

"Do what? What are you…" Oh. OH.

"Minato…" Yukari was covered in blood, struggling to get up. "Are… are you…"

I ran into the corner and fell to my knees. BLARGH! I threw up. This was… this was disgusting…__

* * *

It's what you wanted.  


* * *

How the hell can you say that?__

* * *

I merely unleashed your full primal desires.  


* * *

  
"I'm sorry? _MY_ primal desires?"  
_

* * *

You were so happy. Let me return you to your bliss

* * *

_

I turned around and caught the pink barb.

"My Bliss? My Desires?"

_It kills me not to know this but I've all but just forgotten_

I crushed it in one hand "You… steal my body… you hurt my friends…"

_What the colour of her eyes were, and her scars or how she got them_

"And you dare say…" I drew my Evoker "…That _I_ wanted it?"

_As the telling signs of rage ring down a single tear is dropping. _

"_Calm down Minato!"_ Pharos hissed, _"You're just making it easier for it!"_

_Through the valleys of an aging face_

"I AM BLOODY CALM!"

_That this world has forgotten_

"**ORPHEUS HOLLOW"**

_**SMASH**_

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I did warn you.


	37. Chapter 37

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Black glass flew around me as Orpheus materialised.

"**THOU ART I!"**

The Black glass rushed around the Persona.

"**AND I AM THOU!" **

I was beyond angry.

"**FROM THE BRINK OF DESPAIR I SUMMON THEE!" **

The glass moulded around Orpheus, creating black, beetle like armour. The armour extended down the forearm, making the entire elbow downwards an enormous spike.

"**THOU ART HOLLOW! I MAKE THEE WHOLE!"**

I roared with Orpheus as the black mask rose to cover his face. His rage was my rage, his bloodlust my bloodlust, his eyes were my eyes.

My fist was his spike.

I lunged forward with the right spike, but the Lovers swooped left to dodge. I stabbed the ground next to Junpei then dragged him aside as I stabbed the roof above where he was, making a hole in the ceiling.

"Uh.. wha… What The Hell!?" Good, Junpei's awake. I stabbed into the falling rubble, but I missed the Shadow yet again.

"Dude, what the hell's going on?"

_~Minato-Kun's Projecting! You need to stop him!~_

"Projecting?" Junpei looked scared, "Shinjiro Senpai didn't say anything about this!"

I ignored him as I stabbed forward again, trying to find the Shadow. _~I don't know what the black substance is, but Minato Kun thinks that he's Orpheus now!~_

Thinks? I am Orpheus now. I looked up. There it is. I lifted my spikes into the air.

"**Ragnarok"**

The flames were immense: A pillar of flames stabbed straight through the Shadow, making it scream. Oh, it deserved to suffer. I strode forward out of the hotel, bringing down any wall that dared get in my way. Jumping down to street level, I saw the Lovers hit the ground. I ran for it.

"MINATO! STOP!"

WOAH, hold it. About to run off a bridge ledge there. "Thanks Yukari." I jumped.

"MINATO!!!"

I landed in a roll and a brothel got its front wall knocked down. Orpheus got back up in time to block a huge Holy Arrow, parrying it to stab into the roasted Shadow. Come to think of it, I thinking from the complete glimpse I saw before re-entering Orpheus, he looked a lot like Zearth from Bokurano. In that case…

I rested one spike against each wing, pinning the Shadow in place, and I rammed my knee into it. WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! It was full of liquid so it didn't take much damage, but the lovely couple had lost the mood by now. Good. I headbutted the Shadow.

"SCREEEE!" Hey, I have a horn now. Pink Slime gushed out of the wound, the two lovers were washed into the deflating sides of the Shadow by the stream. I rammed Orpheus's knee into the now half emptied sack of flesh that wasn't so tough now, was it? The man and the woman were thrown around inside of the Lovers womb, helpless against my power.

Then a huge spike came from the bottom of the heart shaped Shadow, emptying its insides of the Shadow's and whatever fluid remained. The spike dug deeper and deeper, widening like a tree trunk.

Wait, isn't the Lovers represented by a tree?

SMACK! One of the two Shadows smashed Minato's face, bringing me back into my own body. I span back and squished its skull in a single punch, and I caught my reflection in a shop window.

A white mask was slowly forming across my face, from my left chin upwards. It had already reached my nose, and a sarcastic smile was already visible.

Oh, I am not doing a bleach thing here. I lifted my hand up to catch it and pull it away, but it was stuck, and it started growing around my fingers.

Then the dark blue lines crept up my hand, sliding over my fingers. The mask immediately fell away, and the lines started growing up my face. For some reason, I wasn't threatened by these lines. They looked similar to the tattoo Elizabeth gave me…

Which was now gone. I looked back at myself, and my eyes flashed, now turning gold.

Wait…

…_it revealed itself unto me, its cold, grey, lonely eyes became golden, as beautiful as they were terrifying... _

This is…

…_Blackness rode its skin, like many roads encompassing the great moors of Scotland..._

So that guy…

… _**The beast was a demon, wearing the skin of a young man**__…_

Ah. I saw both of the two lovebirds come at me from behind in the reflections. Without even looking behind me, I backhanded smashed them, Man in the right hand and Woman with the left. Both melted and did not get back up.

"The hell is this!?"

I turned around. Shinji? "What are you doing here!?"

"What are you doing smashing up a street?"

I didn't get to answer, since I was busy dodging a big spike aimed for my head. "That thing started it."

"Right. And what's with the warpaint?"

"No idea, but I'm rolling with it."

"Tch. Where's Aki?"

"Inside, unconscious."

"What!?" Shinji looked disappointed, dodging an attack. "This thing do it?"

"Sorta. It likes to mind control."

"So who's left?"

"You and me, but I can handle it."

Suddenly, a whole field of Shadow people rose from the ground. These ones had features though, but since so many of them were naked, 'm guessing that they're the locals.

"You sure?"

"Well, Might be tough if one more shows up."

"Tch. Guess We'll just have to kill 'em all before that happens."

"Wait, you're fighting too?" I turned to look at him size up a stop sign.

He kicked it down. "I ain't gonna watch and let my friend die zombie food." He picked it up and swung it. "You ready?"

"Fuuka! Count us in!" Pharos whispered something before leaving. "And keep count of who kills the most!" FWOOSH! Hands on fire!

"Tch. Whatever, runt."

_~Um… On the count of three?~_

"THREE!" we both shouted, charging into the maw.

Bodies hit the floor. I sliced through them like burning hands through something melty, while Shinji smashed his way through like a guy swinging a stop sign. Both were very accurate metaphors.

_~You're half way through them!~_

"Yeah, but who's winning!?" I shouted, tearing a Shadow's head off.

_~Uh, what!?~_

Sigh, "Fine. Whoever kills that sunovabitch gets a bajillion points."

"Tch. Like I care." He said that, but I could see the flicker of a smile on his face. I knew it. He lived for this, he just needed someone to kick his head in so he could realise it.

I got back to the goal in hand. The tree started glowing with pink spikes. _~It's going to summon more Shadows!~_

"Tch. You got a thunder Persona?"

"Uh, Yeah, Take-Mikazuchi, why?"

"Summon it. We're doing a Mix Raid."

That when two people work together to make a fusion summon? Okay, then… the fire died as I switched Persona.

"TAKE-MIKAZUCHI!"  
"CASTOR!"

SMASH! Thunder stabbed into the tree from the Thunder god's sword. The very same instant, Castor rode his uni-unicorn's horn into the very same hole, causing it to spark again or something because Zionga should not have shot out of every single pink glowy orifice that tree had. We were surrounded by screams as the Shadow zombies collapsed into nothingness, and the Lovers into a Mask.

"You want it?" Shinji asked.

"Hold on." I grabbed it and ran back over to the hotel. The hole on the top floor was pretty massive. I ran up the side for a few steps then clambered up the side. Once I climbed through the hole, the tattoos began fading. Everyone was conscious, but too wounded to heal each other. I put the Evoker to my head. "Cadenza!"

SMASH! Orpheus came out of my head, alone. However, I whistled the other part of the duet. Everyone started to get their energy back, and I fell to my knees.

"I'm sorry…" I told everyone. "I… I know I was being controlled, but, still…"

"It's cool." Akihiko replied. "Charmed you is a Douche."

I laughed. "Was I really that bad?"

"Dude, you were freaking torturing us!"

Seriously? "I'm sorry… Hey, I brought it back alive." I threw the Lovers mask onto the floor. "Thought you guys might want to take your vengeance on that first before kicking my arse."

SMASH! A brown boot crushed it before anyone could step forward.

"Shinji?" Akihiko asked in disbelief. "Wha-what are you doing here?"

"Cleaning up your mess, as usual." He looked at everyone. "Leader messed you all up pretty bad, huh?"

"Um, I'm sorry everyone!" Fuuka ran into the room. "He, he just came in and, I thought that since he helped us, then…"

"It's alright Yamagishi." Mitsuru explained. "This is Shinjiro Aragaki. He is… was a member of S.E.E.S."

"What!?"  
"WHAT!?"

Oh, right, Fuuka and Yukari didn't know.

"Thanks Shinji…" Akihiko said with relief. "I owe you one."

"Tch…" Shinji leant against the wall. "Is my old room still available?"

Oh, yeah, I told you so.

"Wait, you… you want to come back?"

"I got my head on straight. There a problem with that?"

Akihiko laughed slightly "No, no not at all." He grabbed Shinji's wrist. "Good to have you back."

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

You might be wondering what we did to cover our mess back at the hotel. Let's just say it involved a minor gas leak and a broken wire to safely destroy the evidence. When the electricity comes back on as soon as the dark hour ends, the spark will activate the gas: destroying that room and shaking all of the others. The shockwaves would also affect some of the other buildings, so we covered all of our tracks.

I am a genius at doing that.

How did we celebrate our victory? With Thai food, of course. I footed the bill this time, which would have been a punishment if I wasn't… you know.

And I gotta say, doing a full assault like we did tonight against the Hierophant and the zombie army? _So_ much fun. We're gonna do that again sometime.

Shinji moved right back in, that night, said that he'd grab his stuff from his dormitory the next day. Mitsuru said that he had to start coming back to classes though, if he was rejoining S.E.E.S., to which he said "Tch." Shinji likes that word. Tch.

I like it to.

Kinda like "Meh", only much more badass.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Before you ask, no, Minato is not a Vizard, and I did not steal the idea from bleach. The mask is the Nyx Avatar mask.

And WOOT! SHINJI'S BACK!

And now to answer the reviews.

P4 character appeared very briefly in one of the last four chapters. Very briefly.

Dark Omega Z? You scare me. You weren't supposed to enjoy Minato beating the crap out of the main love interest while under mind control.

Viktor, like I told someone else ages ago, I've realised that I'm spelling his name wrong, but I'm going to stick with the name I've got.

Glad you enjoyed the story so far Fireblast. Hope you like the big reveal about the tattoo and the Hollow Arcana.

That goes for all of you. BAM! Hollow Arcana allows the user to change their Persona in someway, but at the cost of getting some creepy ominous mask that is clearly evil and will probably eat your soul if it comes on completely.

The Tattoo transforms into a full body seal that turns Minato into the HITO-SHURA! I liked playing with that idea, one that I was looking forward to.

Police officer cannot be Naoto because Naoto would be in middle school right now. And Naoto's of the Fortune.

Marada, it's actually more likely that Hito-Shura picked the Neutral Ending, since he was warned that there would be a Punishment for his decisions. BAM!

And surprising, I wrote all of these chapters in one day. Add them together and you get one 6000 or so word long chapter. But I wanted to split it up to get the effect right. I might do that actually, half the chapter length and update more often, what do you guys think? I'll stick to the current 3500 word guideline for now, unless you want something different.

Now, in the words of KRP, I've pretty much near-completely deviated from the original plot here. Except I have one more trick up my sleeve before they get to Yakushima. Mental!

Also, anyone here seen the new trailer for P3P?

MINATO. IN. THE. ABYSS. OF. TIME. LEADING. THE. PARTY!

**DUDE!!!**


	38. Chapter 38

Before I begin, I just want to clear something else up with Artful Lounger. The rest of you can listen if you want, you'll probably find it interesting.

Basically, AL made four points  
1) I'm packing in too much stuff, making it more likely for me to trip up.  
2) Minato is getting too strong and arrogant  
3) Point two could lead to Minato becoming a Gary Stu  
4) If I reign in Minato's power levels and pride, then he won't be a Gary Stu.

1) I want it to be more likely for me to trip up. I deliver better when more is expected from me. Do you want safe or do you want awesome? Besides, if I do make a mistake like that, you guys would tell me, at which case I'll either say "Whoops!" and change it, or say "I did it on purpose! All part of an epic scheme, it will make sense later! ¬¬' Promise."

2) Minato is a game character in an RPG. More you fight, more overpowered you become. Simple rule. Another simple rule is that if you gain power without being taken down a few pegs once in a while, like just now, you become arrogant. Minato is a shifting character. He will go through it all.

3) Erm… no. No it wouldn't. See, Gary-Stu's are male version of Mary-Sues. Sues are when the author projects their desires, dreams, regrets and unfulfilled wishes into a poorly written two-dimensional character, which the entire story revolves around, despite having less character depth than one of the various unnamed students in Harry Potter. Read Unoriginality by Farla, that explains it all perfectly.  
Now, Power itself has nothing to do with Sue-ness. Sueness depends on the author getting too emotionally involved to a character, refusing to write any ill against the character because everyone loves their Mary Sue. I just made Minato throw up in front of all his badly beaten friends after being mind raped into badly beating them. I'm also going to destroy his reputation at school before too long, and would I do that if that character was a Sue? No, because if I did, then I'd be doing that to the manifestation of my hopes and dreams.

4) Despite the fact that I just established that Minato is not a Sue, you want me to make him a Not Sue? As in a Mary Sue character with a few faults put in just to prevent a character from becoming a Sue? Those are worse.  
It really annoys me when I go to all this effort to make a good, in depth character and people believe that you can fix a puddle-shallow character by making a few changes. I actually find it insulting, to be honest, seeing as I've already been commended for the effort I put in to the characters in this story.

Because of this, I'm going to have to decide that Artful Lounger has no idea what he's on about. **NEXT!**  
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Oh, a real one. Fireblast, you didn't realise that Yukari was totally into Minato already? I've been trying to build up the sexual tension between them since day one. I can quote it right now, if you want, or you can go back and look over the previous chapters.

Or wait for the fast approaching Yakushima arc.

Also, three milestones hit yesterday! 100,000 words, 10,000 hits, and 100 Reviews! And after only two months of writing, including three weeks of being offline.

Anyhoo, It's now the eighth of July for Minato, one day after killing the Lovers. Shinji moved in and once again I have no idea what I'm doing.

Wait, yes I do.

I'll sleep and write the chapter tomorrow.

Night!  
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Okay, that was Tuesday, now it's Wednesday. Let's wrassle this chapter!

Oh, one more thing. It's come to my attention that I've got this bad habit of forgetting to include little details like what happened when Minato powered down, so I've hired a Beta. Say hi, Beta!

"Hi."

Alright, on we go!

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I woke up in the middle of the night with a hand covering my mouth. Again. THE HELL!? Again.

"Quiet!" a man hissed at me. I bit his fingers. "Gah!" he winced, but didn't move. His blood didn't taste like blood.

"It's alright." Said Elizabeth, "We're here to help you."

I spat Edwards hand out. "Good, because I want answers!" I lifted my sleeve to show my tattoo, back to its regular self. "What the hell happened last night?"

"It… reacted unexpectedly to the Hollow Arcana."

"Explain."

"The Demonic Seal is meant to seal the power of Demons." Edward explained. "We bastardised it in order to save you from the Shadows, but we believe that you somehow used the power of the Hollow Arcana to change it and somehow to save your life."

"How?"

"It appears that the Hollow Arcana allows you to take the darkness from people's minds and hearts to warp reality."

"Okay, but how did I change the seal?"

"By affecting the demonic ink to change its purpose: instead of suppressing the Shadow's power, when transformed it directs the powers within you to strengthen you."

"My Persona." I answered, nodding.

"No." huh? "Your Persona is born of your mind. The Demonic Seal, however, affects your body. It is normally given to a human whose power is so great that it needs to be artificially controlled."

"What about that guy in 1890 something?"

"He was a different kind of Wild Card than you." Elizabeth said. "His decisions let the world be destroyed and overrun by demons."

"What!?"

"However, his decisions also allowed him to recreate the world anew, how it was before the world was destroyed. However, as part of his punishment,"

"Immortality?" I suggested

"And sent back in time." Edward added, "But since he gained the powers of a demon, he is now bound by their laws, so he cannot interfere with events he know will happen."

"Man. That must suck. Wait, what about me?"

"When you were using the Hollow Arcana," Elizabeth explained, "You must have subconsciously triggered the change at some level. However, the power used during your… demonic form, it not one of Persona, nor the Shadows."

"So it's either mine, it's demonic, or it's run by the Hollow."

"Correct."

"Fine. I'm guessing that I can do this again?"

"I wouldn't recommend it." Edward grunted. "If the Hollow's mask ever fills your face,"

"I'll lose my soul or similar, I know, but what if I can activate Demon without using Hollow?"

"It is… possible, I suppose…" Elizabeth didn't seem fully against the idea. "Using the demonic form, once activated, has no direct side affect…"

"What about indirect?"

"What are your opinion on gods?" Edward put it bluntly.

"I believe in Jesus, and I believe in God." I was brought up a Christian.

"That may be, but the fact remains that other gods exist."

"Any of them almighty?"

"Not quite, but-"

"Then call them Demi-god's. I can accept that."

Edward looked to Elizabeth, who nodded. "Alright then." He said. "Using the Demonic Seal is bound to attract unwanted attention from Various Demi-gods."

"Any in particular?"

"Izanami, Loki, Mara, Cthulhu, Abaddon…"

"You had me at the squid monster." I replied. "I'm in." I rolled over in my bed. "Night!"

"Are you that confident that you could best even a god?" Edward asked, astonished.

I pointed one hand in the air. "Demi-god. Night!"

Elizabeth chuckled. "Goodnight."

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"So, back to school for you, eh?"

"Shut it." Shinji replied. Mitsuru asked me to make sure he got to school today. "I don't believe this…"

"Hey, that's Mitsuru for you." Shinji was wearing the standard black trousers and white short sleeved shirt as everyone else. He was still wearing his beanie, and he easily intimidated anyone who dared get in his way. "Worst part is that finals are next week."

"Seriously?" Shinji facepalmed. "Dammit…"

"Huh. I thought I was rid of you." Shinji and I turned to see Ekoda. "A bag of trash like you doesn't deserve to come to this school, making life hell for other students."

I walked around Shinji to face the teacher. "A bag of trash like you doesn't deserve to come to this school either, but they let you in."

"I'm getting tired of your attitude boy!"

"No, you're being intimidated." He gulped. "When you were accusing Shinjiro Senpai you displayed Contempt, Scorn, and deep hate. Surely a teacher should welcome a prodigal student back into their flock with open arms."

"You have no right to tell a teacher how to behave, Arisoto." Ekoda pushed his glasses up his face with his middle finger.

"Up yours too, sir." Little known fact. When someone scratches their face, touches their glasses, strokes their chin or holds something with their middle finger fully extended, it usually means that they're repressing the urge to give you the finger honestly.

"Well then, I'll have you in detention for inappropriate language in front of a teacher."

"I'll lodge a complaint for inappropriate sign language in front of a student, sir."

"What?" Ekoda flashed fear.

"You did just give him the finger." Shinji smiled evilly. "_Sir_."

Ekoda's eyes flashed left and right, looking for an exit. "We should be getting to class now." I bowed politely. "May we take our leave, sir?"

"Fine. Get going!" he barked, flashing relief.

Once we were somewhat out of earshot, I told Shinji that "That is how you screw with people at the highest level."

"You did that to me when you tried talking me back into S.E.E.S." Shinji replied.

"It worked, didn't it?" Shinji didn't show any hostility. "I can teach you if you want."

"Nah, I'm fine. I'd better go to the teacher lounge." He waved slightly before leaving. Nice guy. I started walking towards homeroom so I could catch some reading before class. I overheard a few snippets of conversation

"It's almost summer break!"

"Let's go somewhere for summer vacation!"

"…Velocity equals distance over time…"

"…Exams are only a week away…"

"…Hear about that gas leak downtown?"

"…It has to be her…"

"That first year in student council, with the long hair who's always reading…"

Wait, back up a bit.

"I hear she stole the class's money."

"2500 a person!"

"Damn, I could buy a brand name purse with that much!"

"You could also buy a new face if you don't shut it."

The three asswipes turned around slowly. "Whaddya want?" The middle one asked. "Are you a friend of Chihiro's?" he laughed. Relief and Contempt. "Then again… probably not… you don't look like you'd want to be hanging around with her…" The other two laughed.

"No, I guess I don't." I laughed harder than all three of them. Then I grabbed the one who wanted to die by the face and smashed him into the wall. Lightly. The wall didn't crack or get blood on it, so I was okay. "_But I am. Now… what are you going to do about it?_"

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I frog marched him to the Library and threw him on the ground right next to Chihiro. Lightly. He landed on his knees and didn't fall over. "This young man has something he'd like to say to you." I told her, noting her surprise and confusion.

"S-sorry I talked about you taking the money…"

"Because..?" I prompted.

"…Because I don't really think you did it…"

"Okay, you can go." The guy legged it. I sat down opposite Chihiro. "You okay?" she wasn't, she looked like she was about to cry.

"…You heard that rumour going around the whole school, right?"

"Rumours aren't so bad." I leant back. "I've dealt with a few rumours of my own."

"Really?"

"In fact, I think I may have just started one."

"Huh?"

I nodded. "If it wasn't almost time for exams, then by the end of the day people would be saying I broke the guys arm, threatened him at gunpoint, and I was smoking at the time."

Chihiro's face was blank, then she laughed. Quietly at first, then hysterically.

"Excuse me, this is a library!"

"Sorry!" I said, hushing Chihiro. She led me out of the library.

"Thanks… I needed a laugh…" Chihiro smiled. "I haven't had a good one in so long." She smiled. "Well, I need to get to homeroom, so I'll see you later, okay?" Sadness, fear, she didn't want to leave me.

"Or we could skive and go for ramen."

"Huh?" She blushed through the shock. "B-but exams are less than a week away! A-and I have a perfect attendance record!"

"You also need some ramen." I told her, walking her out the door. "And apparently ramen tastes much better when you're cutting class.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Holy crap, it actually did. That is immense! Is danger the secret ingredient? I asked the chef.

"Nope. I only put danger into my secret menu." The chef replied, smiling. Chihiro snorted, and started to choke on her noodles.

"Woah, you okay!?" I patted her back until the food went down the right hole.

"Y-yeah…" Chihiro replied, shortly out of breath, "I was just surprised." She looked at the chef. "You know that we're supposed to be at school, so why did you serve us?"

"Because you don't look like bad kids." The Chef replied. "I only have one daytime regular from your school."

"Aragaki Senpai?" I asked. Noting his surprise, I explained that "He's moving into my dorm. I'm supposed to tell you that he's not allowed to skive anymore."

"Ah, shame, he's one of my best customers."

"Never said he wasn't going to."

More laughs. This Chef was a decent bloke. Hierophant Arcana. Shame, I would have liked to get to know him better.

"You still can you know." Yeah, but I'm busy enough as it is Pharos.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

After the ramen we went to the shrine and sat on the swings. "You should talk to the teacher about it." I told her.

"R-right…" she seemed slightly distracted. "But, I gave the money to him, so I should ask for an explanation! But, what if he thinks I'm accusing him?" She asked, "N-now I'm scared…"

She looked like she was on the verge of tears.

"I-I may sound like I'm weak… but I'm fine! Really! I am!" She frowned slightly, holding the chains of the swing with a sad smile. "I don't think it's right for me to always be counting on you, Minato-san…"

SMASH!

_Thou shalt have out blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Justice Arcana_

I was thinking of what to say, when I heard someone crying that wasn't Chihiro. When I looked up, there was a little girl sitting on the climbing frame. "Excuse me…" I said to Chihiro, walking over to the little girl. "Hey, are you alright?"

SNIFF "Uh huh…"

"Are you here alone?" I asked, climbing up to here. Nod. "You don't have anyone to play with?" Shake. "Can I play with you then?"

The little girl looked at me in disbelief. I shot Chihiro an apologetic look, which she responded to with a smile.

"Okay, what do you wanna do next?" I asked her.

"I wanna do the swings!"

DONG!

I looked at the clock. DAMMIT, ONE O'CLOCK ALREADY!?

The little girl's face fell. "Sorry… I need to get back to school…"

"Me too…" I said. "You wanna play another time?"

The girl looked delighted again, then her face fell again.

"Mommy says I'm not allowed to play with strangers…"

"My name's Minato. What's yours?"

"M-Maiko!"

"Well, that means we're not strangers anymore, so I can play with you later!"

Maiko beamed. "Really?" She offered me her little finger. "Promise?"

I smiled and hooked it with my own little finger. "Promise." Childeren, So innocent. If only the rest of the world thought like that.

SMASH!

_Thou art I… And I am Thou…_

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Hanged Man Arcana_

"You won't forget?" Maiko looked worried.

"I'll be back." I replied. "I guarantee it. Need any help down?"

Maiko shook her head. "I'm okay!" She climbed down expertly. More expertly that a kid her age should. "See you later, Ao-San!"

Blue man. That's a pretty decent nickname as they go. "Shall we get back to school?" I asked Chihiro.

"Um… yes… You're a very nice person, Minato San…"

"Thank you."

"No, really… you're always there for me, and you then go out of your way to help that little girl… and you're always helping Hidetoshi in what he does…"

"…Yeah, I suppose I am…" that's barely scratching the surface.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I caught hell for skiving the morning, but it felt good to get into trouble for once.

Actually come to think about it, I haven't been called into the teacher office once since I came here.

I need to start raising some hell.

…

Well, after exams.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

As it happened, my punishment was to clean the teachers lounge after school. All the other teachers had left already, so Ms. Toriumi was doing some work while keeping an eye on me. Judging from the way she was moving, I'm guessing that her muscles are sore. "You look tense." I noted, wiping a window. "You're muscles sore or anything miss?"

"Huh? Well, yes, actually. I was at the gym yesterday. There's nothing a little endorphins won't cure, right?"

"You still look pissed though."

"Huh?"

"You went to the gym because you were stressed, right?"

"Well, yes, I… suppose so…"

"Mr. Ekoda?"

Surprise. "How did you know?"

"Didn't. Do now though."

"Hm. Very clever, tricking me for information when you're supposed to be cleaning." No, that's my cover. My real plan is to lighten the mood so I can have a conversation with you while pretending to be looking for information while cleaning the windows."

"Sorry. What did he do this time?"

"This time?"

"He tried to put Aragaki Senpai in detention for coming back to school this morning."

"Ah yes, I heard about that. He's moving back into your dorm, am I right?"

"Mitsuru Senpai says that she's going to get him back on track."

Ms. Toriumi laughed. "Good luck! I wouldn't be able to do it."

"That's because you're a teacher and he's a student. You're natural status is 'enemy'."

"Hey, we're human too!" Ms. Toriumi was much more relaxed. "The reason I was so stressed yesterday was because I made an error in my grade book and Ekoda was all up my ass, saying 'Oooh!'" She put on a bad Ekoda impression. "'You are supposed to set an example for the students!' and all that!" Hook, line and sinker. "Honestly, just because he's a literature teacher he thinks he's all high and mighty!"

"I know!" I said, "I took him down a few pegs this morning though."

"Seriously?"

"Oh yeah, you should have been there. He even gave me the finger."

"You're kidding!" She was on the edge of her seat now.

"Nope, I'm just that good!"

"Oh man…" Ms. Toriumi was laughing her ass of. "No wonder he was so uptight this morning… P'OWNED!"

The grammar teacher immediately covered her mouth, shocked at her accidental RL L331. "I KNOW!" I shouted, acting as if I didn't notice.

SMASH!

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Hermit Arcana._

"Oh man…" Ms. Toriumi was in a much better mood. "Well, I'm off home. You done?"

I'd only done one of the windows, but they were already fairly clean. "Yep. See you tomorrow miss!"

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I visited Bunkichi on the way home. Can I level up four social links in one day? I think I can!

"Um… dear, you wrote it wrong…" Mitsuko said. "There are two strokes there."

"I know, I know." Bunkichi replied, writing a letter. "I just forgot to write the second one."

"I feel bad for Minato Chan and all the people who've been campaigning to save the tree…" Mitsuko said.

Then Bunkichi noticed me. "Oh, speak of the devil!"

"What you up to?" I asked.

"I'm writing a letter – something I haven't done in ages." He scratched his head with his pencil. "But, I can't remember how to spell half of these words…" He looked at me. "Am I finally losing it? I used to have an amazing vocabulary!"

"I'm sure you're fine. What're you plotting?"

Bunkichi winked at me. "Secret."

Mitsuko smiled softly. "We'll tell you when the time comes, Minato Chan."

"Well?" Bunkichi asked me, "Aren't you curious?"

"I'm dying to read it!" Puppy dog eyes. "Please don't let me die…"

"BWAHAHAHAHAA!!" Bunkichi slapped the counter he was laughing so hard. "Oh Minato Chan… this is why we always look forward to having you around…"

Mitsuko smiled. "He is always happier when you visit our shop."

"Hey, I've yet to leave here without a smile on my face too you know!"

SMASH!

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Hierophant Arcana._

A NEW SCORE!!

"I hope we can clean up the store before you come back next time…"

"Hey, I'll be pestering you tomorrow about that letter you know!"

"Oho!" Bunkichi smiled. "Best get cracking then! OMPH! My back!"

I cracked my fingers. "Let's get cracking then!"

"Hey, I was just kidding!" Bunkichi protested as I grabbed him from behind. "My back is URK!" I forced my knee into his spine.

"Better?"

"Huh?" Bunkichi stood up straighter. "Wow, Minato Chan, you're miracle worker!"

"Not yet." I replied with a smile. "Still learning how to give a decent massage!" I vaulted the counter and went for the door. "Later!"

"Bye Minato Chan." Mitsuko said with a smile. Bunkichi waved while rubbing his back with a smile on his face.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Oh, hey!" Yukari said when I came into the dorm. "Sorry, I've gotta talk to Fuuka…"

"Am I invited?"

"Um… it's fine, really!"

"So, no?"

"It's nothing, really!"

"Liar." I smiled. "Guess we're not going to Tartarus tonight then. I'll go hit the gym."

Shinji and Junpei immediately sat up in the couches they had been lying in. "We have a gym!?" the asked in unison.

Bugger.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Dude..!" Junpei was impressed. "This is AWESOME!"

"When did we get this?" Shinji asked, looking around.

"Recently. Don't tell Mitsuru."

"Why not?"

"Because she'd kill me."

"Damn right she would." Shinji said. "I got dibs on the weight bench!"

"Aw… I wanted that one!" Junpei said.

"Then you're gonna have to wait, bitch." Shinji started putting on weights on the bar.

"How much do you lift?" I asked him.

"240 Kilo's, why?"

"DUDE!" Junpei was so shocked his jaw should have hit the floor. "That's insane!"

"Yeah, I normally do around 180 if I'm serious."

Junpei's jaw dropped for me now, but then he recovered. "Damn… so that's why you can punch through swords…"

"I can punch through swords!?"

"Oh, right, you don't remember." Junpei flashed fear. "Evil you grabbed my Katana with one hand, then broke it in two punches! Then you threw me into the fishtank!"

"Don't be stupid, no-one can punch through a Katana."

"You can."

"No, it's structurally impossible!"

"It's structurally impossible to climb a four story building like Peter Parker."

"Yeah, but I remember that!"

"Who's down there?" Came a voice from the top of the stairs.

Shinji's hand slipped and the weight bar fell on his chest. "Dammit! Mitsuru!"

Oh Bloody Wank Poop.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yeah, the Englishness is back!


	39. Chapter 39

Ever heard of "The boy who blocked his own shot", by a band called "Brand New"? You should listen to it during this chapter. If you know the song, then you can probably guess what this chapter's gonna be like.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Angry Mitsuru is scary. Although she let me off as long as I confirmed that I was paying it myself through legal means. Shinji was astonished. I'm just that good.

Things were pretty much quiet on Thursday. I hung out with Bunkichi and Maiko, did a bit of studying, but nothing major.

Friday, after school, I was hanging around with Yuko at Iwatodai station.

"I'm thinking of becoming an athletic trainer."

"Really?" I asked. She nodded.

"I've been thinking really seriously about this… You have to monitor each athlete's diet and help them plan their training schedule. I'll go to professional school once I graduate, and work towards earning my certification. Between the general education requirements and the class for my major, it adds up to over 350 hours."

"Wow, that's a lot."

"Yeah, I know." Yuko smiled. "That's why I'm gonna start studying right away. ...Improving my writing is my first goal. It took me three nights to finish that three page essay."

She leaned back in her bench. "I learned a lot from those kids. When I first started coaching them, I was thinking about how I would teach my own kids one day... and I didn't have the slightest clue. Well, that all changed." She blushed. "If you haven't been there with me, I'm not sure if I would've been able to coach those kids…

"And I would have never thought about my future, either." She looked right at me. "So… Thank you."

SMASH

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Strength Arcana_

Oh, I am good.

CRASH! I turned towards the sound.

Chihiro.

"Wh…what's this..?"

"Huh?" Yuko "Who is she?"

"I should be asking that!" Chihiro was approaching hysterical. "Who do you think you are, getting so close to my boyfriend!?"

"YOUR BOYFRIEND!? MINATO KUN IS MY BOYFRIEND!!"

The penny dropped for both of them.

"Minato kun… no… no this can't be right…"

"Minato san… I… I thought I was… I was the only one…"

"Tell me the truth Minato Kun…" Yuko pleaded… "What's happening..?"

"Please, say she's lying Minato San!" Chihiro begged.

"_A Broken Social Link is next to irreparable."_ Igor had told me._ "If you made any move to repair one of the Reversed Social Links in your scenario, then the other would inevitably be Broken."_

The logical decision would be to drop one and take the other while I could. The awesome decision would be to bluff my way out of it. The tempting decision would be to run like hell.

"_I, Minato Arisoto, give my word that I will take full responsibility for the consequences of my decisions."_

I did the right decision.

"It's… exactly what it looks like…"

Silence

SLAP! Yuko stormed off. That hurt. It shouldn't have, really, but it hurt.

SMASH

_Thou hast reversed the Strength Arcana. Until this wrong is righted, thou shalt not have out blessing _

I looked up at Chihiro.

She was crying.

"I…" she ran before I could say a word.

SMASH

_Thou hast reversed the Justice Arcana. Until this wrong is righted, thou shalt not have out blessing _

I deserve this.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Hey, Minato Chan?"

Bunkichi. Say hi.

"H-hey…"

"Whooh, what happened to you?"

Talk to him. You'll feel better.

"…"

"Oh, well, if you want to talk, you know where I'll be…"

You should talk to him

…

It hurts him to see you like this

…

Man, when did you become such an emo pussy?

About the time I began referring to myself in third person.

Okay, head on straight. I always knew this was going to happen. In the same way you know that one day, you're gonna die. Just as much of a shock for it to happen though. Man, I bet Igor's gonna chew my head off for this.

"He did say that he'd support whatever decision you made."

Yeah, but I didn't make this decision.

"You chose not to decide." Pharos told me. "It's still a choice."

Someone dumped a box of Takoyaki into my lap and sat down next to me. "You alright?"

"No." I said.

"Kinda goes without asking I guess." The guy said. "Go on, dig in."

"You sure?"

"Lady at Octopia said you haven't moved for at least three hours."

"Damn, it's that late?"

"Yeah, didn't you notice?"

"I've had a lot on my mind." I took a stick of questionable substance and bit into it. "Thanks. It's as suspicious as ever."

The guy laughed. "You're the first guy I've heard who's said that out loud."

"Trying out a new thing. Radical Honesty."

"That when you say everything you think out loud?"

"Kinda. Just going for telling the plain, honest truth for now."

"Good policy."

"I hope so." I took another bite. "Not being honest got me here."

"I heard that two girls dumped you?"

"Sorta."

"That isn't the plain, honest truth you know."

"Yeah it is." I got my words together. "I never intended to actually get into a relationship with them."

"Were friends, now something more?"

"Was."

"Man." Guy seemed sympathetic. "So if you did have to choose one or the other, what'd you do?"

"Neither. That's the mental part."

"Don't tell me that you're after a third girl!"

"I'd like to be. It's just I'm already a two timing scumbag simply for not making that clear from the beginning."

"Ouch." Guy laughed. "From what I was told, you deserved what you got, but you seriously didn't want to date either of them?"

"I just don't see why that if a guy wants to hang out with a girl, the girl automatically assumes that the guy is attracted to them."

"Are you?"

"I'm a seventeen year old male and they have boobs."

"Fair point. You're not-octopus is getting cold."

"Thanks." I took a large bite from it. "But I never wanted to hurt either of them, which makes me even more of an idiot!"

Guy nodded. "Awkward silence, then awkward laugh, then back to normal, right?"

"Too right. The irony is that that's the relationship I have with the girl I like."

"Sucks to be you."

"You can say that again."

The cardboard box started to get wet. Guy looked up. "Looks like rain. I'd best be off."

"I'll sit here for a while. I like the rain."

"And it hasn't rained a drop all year."

"I know."

"And it decides to rain in July."

"Story of my life."

"Well, later." Guy offered his hand. "I'm Mamoru Hayase, nice meeting you."

"Minato Arisoto." I took the guys hand. "And thanks."

SMASH!

_Thou art I… And I am Thou…_

Yeah, really not in the mood for this right now.

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Star Arcana…_

"Later!" Mamoru said, starting to jog.

Sky got darker and it started to rain.

…

Not proper rain. Japanese clouds have nothing on English ones.

"I'm sure they're all the same…"

I tossed the empty Takoyaki box into the bin. "No, they're not."

Pharos looked up at the sky. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Minato San?"

I looked up. Chihiro?

"What are you doing here? You're getting all wet!"

"Thinking. It's making me feel better."

"Well you're gonna get sick!"

"I'm English, I'll live."

Chihiro sat next to me on the bench, holding her umbrella over us both. "Um… I've been thinking too…"

"I'm sorry…"

"You didn't do anything wrong."

Eh?

"I was the one who fell in love with you. Looking back, I know you cared for me, but… it wasn't the same…"

I looked at the floor. "Sorry for leading you on…"

"I understand…" She said. There was no way in hell that this was happening. "Since we met… you've been helping me get stronger…" Wait, what? "I've overcome my fear of men… I, I've realised that I'm not bound by the rules… I, I can stand up for myself, take action, decide my own life!" There was something in her eyes that wasn't there before. Like, determination, passion, happiness?

"Hey… I hope things work out with that other girl."

I shook my head. "I'm not in love with her."

"Eh?" Chihiro was surprised, then settled, smiling. "Oh… that shouldn't really make me feel better, but… it does… You really are a nice person, Minato."

"Huh?"

"Me, that other girl, Hidetoshi, the old couple at the book store, the little girl from the shrine… you're a really caring person, aren't you?"

"I… I suppose so…"

"And… you didn't defend yourself… You… you made yourself out to be the villain, just so we wouldn't feel bad for hurting you…" Chihiro sighed. "I hurt you… when I doubted you…"

"It's okay, really…"

Chihiro stood up and faced me. Then she slapped me, good and hard. "Ow!"

"There. Now I feel better." She squatted down so she was just in front of me. I'd never been this close to her before, and she really is pretty…"I've decided to do things for myself. I'm going to clear my name, and get the money back, on my own strength…"

She leaned in close to me. "Just let me have this first…"

"Huh?"

She kissed me.

SMASH!

_Thou art I… And I am thou…_

_The bond thou hast nurtured hath finally matured… The innermost power of the Justice Arcana has been set free…_

_We bestow upon thee the power to create Melchizedek, the ultimate form of the Justice Arcana…_

_This bond shall never be broken… even as you part ways…_

Chihiro broke off. "Thank you… For Everything… I don't need your help anymore…"

She smiled and stood up. "I want you to have this." She passed me a book.

Pride and Prejudice.

"Remember? You bought me this the day you first saved me. Only… life isn't like it is in books and manga… but it's a nice escape." She smiled. "Goodbye, Minato."

I put the book in my bag, before it got too wet. "Yeah… good luck."

She smiled. "I don't need it." She ran away into the darkness, leaving me alone in the rain.

"I'm still here."

"Thanks Pharos."

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I was just getting ready to leave, when something unbelievable happened.

"Hey."

"Yuko?"

"You been sitting here the whole time?"

"Only started raining about…" I checked my watch, "A couple of hours ago."

"Idiot!" She sat next to me on the bench and threw a towel on me. Very handy things to carry, towels. I'm gonna have to get one.

We sat in silence under her umbrella for a few moments, then Yuko said "I want to hear your side of the story."

"What side?"

"I talked to Yukari."

Oh.

"She had no idea you were cheating on me. She still defended you." Seriously? Yukari did that? "Apparently you've got a thing for helping people."

"Really?"

"Makes sense. I mean, look at Fuuka!" What about her? "She's just moved into your dorm, and she's already best friends with the girl who used to bully her all the time!"

"Natsuki?"

"You know her?"

"I spoke to her once in the teachers lounge when I was trying to figure out what happened to Fuuka."

"That proves it. She isn't an absolute bitch anymore." Well, if you knew what she'd been like when I spoke to her then you wouldn't be surprised, "But already she's someone you can stand being around." She thought for a moment. "Then there's Kaz, you've been helping him all this time, right?" I nodded. "Then there's me. I mean, before we met I had no idea where I was going in life, and now I'm studying to get into a high ranked professional school so I can become an Athletic Trainer!" she smiled. "You've really helped me out, you know?"

"Apparently I have a tendency to do that." I stood up. "I'm sorry for leading you on, but to be cowardly and blame shifting, there was never a gaping obvious opportunity to clear this whole mess up."

"You okay? You look completely dead."

"Yeah, I'm just tired." I sighed. I'm already lying again. "I don't think we should see each other anymore."

"Me neither."

"Just promise me something." I said.

"What?"

"Take care of Kazushi. He's an idiot." I walked into the busy train station.

SMASH!

_Thou art I… And I am thou…_

_The bond thou hast nurtured hath finally matured… The innermost power of the Strength Arcana has been set free…_

_We bestow upon thee the power to create Siegfried, the ultimate form of the Strength Arcana…_

_This bond shall never be broken… even as you part ways…_

"Minato Kun!" Yuko called after me as I slipped into the crowd. "WAIT!"

DONG

Dark Hour already huh? I jumped and clambered on top of the coffins. It was still raining, now a red rain, not unlike blood. I walked back to the bench for my bag. There was an envelope on the bench as well.

"_To Coach and Her Boyfriend…"_

I smiled at took the letter. It'd just get covered in blood if I left it.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"There you are!"

There was Yukari, standing on the street during the Dark Hour, holding a closed umbrella. What is it with girls and their umbrellas? "I've been looking all over for you! Yuko wants to-"

"I know. We broke up."

"What!?" She seemed angry. "Okay, I defended you, since I believed you when you said that you cared for her, and that the other girl was some social link, but you just broke up with her with that bored face? Does nothing faze you?"

That did. Sighing, I leant against a tree. "My uncle taught me never to put a price on my honesty. Until recently, I though that meant being open and honest with everyone, but now I just realised that my honesty was never for sale in the first place."

"What? So you were lying to Yuko? You were lying to me?"

"I've been lying to everyone for the past ten years and I never even thought about it."

"Huh?"

"I went to the hospital about a month ago." I said, deciding to clear something up for once. "Turns out I have brain damage."

"…w-what..?"

"Nothing life threatening." I replied. "Ten years ago, when my parents died, I smacked my head against the back of Dad's chair." I lifted up my fringe to show her the scar. "Doctors diagnosed my loss of emotion as Trauma, but turns out that the lobe that links emotion to facial expression," I tapped the scar. "Dead. This is my fazed face."

"…You… you serious..?"

"And my overjoyed face, and my outraged face, any other facial expression I make other than boredom is fake." I let my hair fall down. "It might be how I genuinely feel, but it's like shooting arrows without a bow. I can't just let myself go of my emotions and express myself like an arrow. I need to throw an expression on purpose, so it's more like darts."

"I… I'm sorry…"

"It's fine. I've gotten over it." I should be smiling right now. So I did. "Anyway, I'm off to bed. I'm gonna get hell at school tomorrow."

"You're smiling."

"I feel like smiling. I haven't smiled enough today."

Yukari laughed slightly. "So, what're you gonna do?"

"Honestly? I have no idea."

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Short chapter this time, but some pretty good work, if I do say so myself.

Don't worry, Minato will make a complete recovery in time for Yakushima.


	40. Chapter 40

Hey, back again.

I'd like to make an apology to Artful Lounger. Yes, I realise that Minato always wins, and that his power is immense, but so far I've managed to keep it within reasonable levels. Don't worry about the fight scenes. Like I said in chapter 15 or 16, I'll deal with it by making everything else stronger.

You may have noticed the change in appearance in the Hierophant and Lovers, especially its transformation at the end. I'll just let you know that all of the Shadows are going to be doing that. Even the ordinary ones.

Now, everyone else. Callum, thanks for pointing that out. Todays excuse is that Minato still hasn't really started to get to know her properly, or else he'd have made a Social Link. And that was one time, and I apologised just now.

General Generic, sometimes I like to play with the grammar. For once that is not a hastily made excuse, but something I did on purpose to try and make the story more interesting.

Pokeh Turtle, starting from next chapter there will be much more narration, just for you. today's a very talky chapter, so sorry about that.

And Yes, Shinji is back. However, That is most likely the last time you will ever see Orpheus Hollow. Expect other Hollow Personae in future though. Especially against the Reaper. Also... don't get your hopes up. Sorry.

Now, I want to make an upbeat chapter here, but we're scheduled a serious back story scene here. I'll see what I can do, make some humour along the ways somehow.

Also, I did some sums in my head, and turns out I got over 120 reviews in less than three months. Minus the three weeks I spent not typing, and the first month in which nobody read the story, so that looks insanely hopeful.  
Shinji and Warhammer40K, which for me is the Unsurpassable Wall in Fanfiction, has over 900 reviews in over 18 months, and since I got this huge jump in the past month, It is possible for me to overtake that wall.

This poses the question, "Am I really on Bhepin's Level?"

In case you don't know, Shinji and Warhammer40k is essencially what Neon Genesis Evangelion would have been like if Shinji Ikari, instead of being a pussy, was more awesome that Kamina, House, Vetinari and John McClane put together. IT IS AWESOME.  
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I mostly kept to myself at school on Saturday. Which wasn't really hard since everyone else was. Exams in two days, you know.

Akihiko texted me during lunch to tell me that we were having a meeting at the dorm after school. Apparently Ikutsuki had something to tell us.

"You know, if he was on the mission, he'd be using memos now."

"Or dead. I really don't like him as it is Pharos."

"I'm sure he loves you too."

Hey, the boy's learning sarcasm!

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I got there late. I had a date with a girl.

"She's half your age."

Irrelevant. "Sorry I'm late; there was something I had to do."

"You didn't miss much." Shinji said, leaning against the wall in the corner. "Mitsuru's just filling the Chairman in on what happened."

"… And that's the report." Mitsuru finished. "It was a difficult operation."

"I see…" his eyes flashed anger. "They're getting tougher…"

He turned to everyone in the room. "But, it's not all bad news. I called this meeting because-"

"I'm sorry." Yukari interrupted. Good on you, Yukari! "Before we go on, I'd like to ask Mitsuru Senpai something."

"Me..?" Mitsuru was surprised.

Yukari took a breath. "Since I joined, so many things have happened... I went along with it, without really understanding what was going on... But now, I need to know. I'm gonna ask you straight out..."

Yukari took another breath. "You've been hiding something from us, haven't you, Senpai? You act like you don't know anything about the Dark Hour and Tartarus... but they're related to that accident ten years ago, aren't they?"

Ooh, snap, that was a big It.

"What accident?" Junpei asked.

"There was an explosion near our school, and a lot of people died." Yukari said. "It must've been big news back then." She turned back to Mitsuru. "You know about it, don't you?"

Mitsuru looked shifty. "…Yes…"

"Luckily, no students were injured. But… around the same time, a large number of students were recorded as absent… Seems like more of a coincidence, and yes, Minato?"

I put my hand down. "Am I supposed to be doing my Lie to Me thing?"

"What thing?"

"What I did to Ekoda, Natsuki and Shinjiro, and other people."

"Oh, that." Shinji sighed. "Do whatever you want."

"Okay. Sorry. Continue."

Yukari shook her head then returned to Mitsuru. I focused on her face, but her head was low so it covered her face. Well, face isn't the only part of the body that shows emotion. Let's look at her hands. Folded, drumming her bicep with her finger. Impatience. Anxiety.

"Anyways," Yukari began again. "I dug up some old school records, and found something interesting. The students who were absent… they all collapsed suddenly, and had to be hospitalised." Squeeze. "Sound familiar?" Yukari pressed on, "Like the girls who bullied Fuuka…" Mitsuru was silent. "There has to be an explanation! What really happened on the day of that accident? The Kirijo group built our school, so you must know something!" Yukari was getting mad, and I saw Mitsuru bite her lip. "Tell me the truth!"

"I wasn't trying to hide anything from you." Mitsuru raised her head. "It just never seemed relevant. But…"

"It's okay…" Ikutsuki tried to comfort. "It's not your fault…" man, I am better at this than he is.

"… Alright. I'll tell you the whole story." Mitsuru looked around the room. "The Shadow's have many mysterious abilities. Some research indicates that they can even affect time and space. We think of them as our enemies, but what if we could somehow use them to our advantage?" Hoo boy, this will not end well. "They would be a source of unimaginable power, wouldn't they?"

"…What..?" Yukari was shocked.

"Fourteen years ago, one man pursued that line of thinking… He was the former leader of the Kirijo group…Kouetsu Kirijo… my grandfather."

"Woah, whoa, woah." I stopped her there. "Didn't the Kirijo group form after breaking away from the Nanjo group _eleven_ years ago?"

"Well, yes, but my grandfather led the Kirijo group during that time, but how do you know that?"

"Kei Nanjo told me. He's a Wild Card."

That surprised her. "Really?"

"Yeah, but you were building up to something."

"I apologise." Mitsuru turned back to everyone. "My grandfather was obsessed with Shadow's. He wanted to harness their power and create something extraordinary."

"Harness their power?" Fuuka didn't like where this was going.

"He assembled a team of scientists, and over several years amassed a significant number of Shadows."

"He what!?" Yes he did Junpei. "Damn, that's freaking crazy!" Well be fair, they hadn't played Metroid or seen Terminator- wait, they had. Yep, crazy.

"However, ten years ago, during the final stages of the experiment, they lost control of the Shadow's power. Consequently, the nature of the school was altered."

"You mean…" Fuuka didn't like where this was.

"Yes…" Mitsuru answered. "Tartarus… and the Dark Hour."

Idea. I pulled out a notepad and started scribbling notes together. "By their account," Mitsuru continued, "the mass of Shadow's they had collected split into several large ones and then dispersed. These are the Shadow's that we've been encountering when the Moon is full."

"Is that why they they're in different places?" Fuuka asked.

"Wait a minute," Yukari interrupted, "The why did _our_ school turn into Tartarus?" She gasped. "Don't tell me…"

"Yep." I answered; ringing a couple of words, then drew a line from it to another couple of words.

_(Lab, Exploded, Tartarus.}------------- Same School, exploded, Tartarus._

"That's where they conducted the experiment." I said.

"…That is correct…"

"Then…" Yukari did not like where this was going either. "Those students who were hospitalised…" I underlined _Collapsed Kids = Lost_

"I'm afraid it's just as bad as you are thinking." Mitsuru said. "Port Island must have been an ideal location for them. It was a highly populated area, and the Kirijo group had influence there. They could do as they pleased…"

"Oh, Disgust." I noted out loud. "Looks like you aren't happy about them doing experiments with school kid's either."

"What!?" Surprise, offence?

"The children merely took the damage." Ikutsuki told me, slightly angry. "They were not involved in the experiments themselves, fortunately."

"Right, sorry for jumping to conclusions." I crossed out_ Students=lab rats_, and instead wrote _Ikutsuki, Involved_

"Wait… does that mean…" Yukari's hand was shaking. "All we've been doing all this time is cleaning up their mess? You Lied To US!?" Yukari turned on Akihiko. "You knew about this as well, didn't you Senpai? Or do you not care, As long as you get to fight!? And you!" She turned to Shinji. "That's why you left, isn't it! Because they were just using us!"

"That's not true." Akihiko said. "We both have our reasons for what we've done."

"Think what you like." Mitsuru said. "It was my decision not to share this information. …I'm sorry; I never intended to deceive you."

"Don't I get one?" I asked. "You put me on probation for doing what you just did. Well, I did grandstand a little and I was insubordinate, but still!"

"You were a liability." Ikutsuki answered before Mitsuru did. "But yes, it is slightly hypocritical, and you have a right to feel wronged. However, your information has helped make several breakthroughs in our research with the Shadows, and you should have told us sooner."

"It was my decision. I won't apologize."

"You know, you say that you're better than him," Pharos pointed out, "But he does manage to make you look like the villain every time you butt heads" That's a good idea. _Remember: Headbutt Ikutsuki_.

"I do." Mitsuru said. "Convincing you to join S.E.E.S. was my highest priority. As absurd as it may seem, only we – with our Personas – can fight the Shadow's."

"…How could you..?" Yukari was gobsmacked.

"Besides…" Mitsuru was added. "Some of us were never given a choice… I…"

"Mitsuru…" Akihiko held her hand. "…Don't…" Interesting… _Mitsuru forced to get Persona? Clarify._

"Yukari…" Ikutsuki said, distracting her from Mitsuru. "It's those in the past who are to blame… and they lost their lives as a result of what they did… We're all in the same boat, here;" He leaned closer to her. "None of us deserve the burden that has been thrust upon us."

"But…" Yukari still wanted to be angry in the face of reason.

"It's been ten years since that incident… No one knows why those Shadow's suddenly returned, but since they're active, at least we can find and destroy them… do you realise what this means?"

Everyone turned to look at him.

His glasses reflected the light. "What if I told you that those twelve Shadows are the cause of everything?"

"Then… if we defeat them… then the Dark Hour will disappear..?"

Ikutsuki smiled. "Exactly. That's what I was going to tell you earlier!" I slowly stood up. "See, it's good news, isn't-" SLAM!

I threw my notebook on the floor. Remembering my angry face, I pointed a finger at Ikutsuki. "SEE!? WHY THE HELL COULDN'T YOU HAVE JUST TOLD US THAT IN A MEMO!?" I swiped my hand back. "If you'd have just done that, instead of gathering us all here for the suspense, then this _whole_ argument could have been avoided!" I pointed at him again and turned to Mitsuru. "See!? His grandstanding has caused problems, AND he hid information from the majority of the team. He can't be insubordinate to us because he is our boss, but why the hell does HE get to get away with it!?"

"ARISOTO!" Ikutsuki snapped. "Sit down!"

"You just don't want to admit I'm right." I grabbed my notebook from the floor and slumped back into my chair. "Now, I have a few questions, since I assume everyone's finished?"

"Go ahead." Ikutsuki said, all pleasant again.

"Right." I flipped a page. "Mitsuru, when did you awaken to your Persona?"

"Seven years ago, when my father took me to Tartarus."

"You were able to access the Dark Hour back then?"

"There were... treatments that could artificially stimulate the ability to access the Dark Hour, but not Persona."

"That why you can access it Ikutsuki?"

"That is correct, why?"

"Curious. Next question, when was the incident that the Shadow's escaped?"

"Ten years ago, you know that."

"Day, Ikutsuki." I groaned. "What Day was it?"

"March 19th, 2000."

"Isn't that nine years ago?"

"Is there a need to be so pedantic?" Ikutsuki had no idea.

"So you don't know what else happened on that day?"

"Nothing important, why?"

"Not much, can you think of anything, Yukari?"

"Um, why?"

"Because you've read my file, remember? You felt bad about how you knew how my parents died, but I didn't know anything about yours."

"Yeah, I…" The penny started to drop, "A… Car crash… right?"

"At Midnight." I said. "I remember because the clock on my dad's car said 00:00 on March 20th, 2000."

Silence.

"Yeah, I can see how that isn't important."

"Minato-kun…" Ikutsuki leaned forward. "I'm sorry about your parent's loss, but I'm sure that it was just a coincidence."

"I don't think so; I remember the clock staying like that for at least an hour before anyone came to help."

Silence

"Wait…" Yukari said, "You were awake to the dark hour from the start!?"

Now Ikutsuki looked apologetic. "Yep." I said. "Now, you said that the big mass of Shadow's split into the Twelve Arcana, right?"

"Yes, but they did not have forms at this point, only masks."

"Only twelve escape?"

Ikutsuki's throat tensed and he gulped. "Yes, I can assure you on that. Why would you think otherwise?"

"No reason." I got the answer I wanted. "Any other people forced to get Persona? Other than Mitsuru."

"Yes. However, Mitsuru is the only successful case."

"Tch."

_Shinjiro knows why Ikutsuki's lying. Find out._

"Okay, I'm good. Anyone else?"

Slight shame, anger, sadness and general negativity all around.

"No? Right then, who wants cake?"

"You baked a cake?" Shinji asked.

"No, but I'm going to. Want to help?"

Shinji looked around. "Might as well. I'll get my apron."

Wait, Shinji has an apron?

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"Yeah, I have an Apron," Shinji told me once we got started. "You have a problem with that?"

"No, not really." I replied. "I just never had you down for someone so into cooking."

"Well, I do, so what?"

"Nothing." I replied, getting back to work on the flour. "Real men wear pink, right?"

"Tch." Shinji got to work with the whisk. "So what's your pink?"

"I listen when women talk about shoes."

"Gay."

"No, just pink."

"I bet you use Shampoo _and_ Conditioner when you shower as well." Shinji jabbed.

"Only when it's covered in body parts!" I defended myself.

"No excuse, woman!"

"Says the guy using a measuring jug for the milk."

"Hey, I take pride in my cooking."

"So do I. It's called MAN'S COOKING. Real men don't _read_ instructions! That goes for recipes!"

"Hey, I have the apron; I'm in charge of the cake." Shinji threatened me with a gooey whisk. "Deal with it."

"Fine…"

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The cake was made without any injuries, but only because Shinji has mad dodging skills. However, by the time it was finished, everyone had gone to their rooms, and Ikutsuki had left.

"Did I kinda ruin the night for everybody?"

"I think it was a group effort." Replied Shinji, struggling through his third slice. "You know Ikutsuki was lying about Mitsuru being the only successful forced Persona user, right?"

"I think he's technically telling the truth, depending on your opinion of successful."

"If they can access the dark hour and summon a Persona, they're successful enough."

PING! "How many?"

"I know three. They have to take pills to suppress their Persona to stop it from killing them. Pills end up shortening their lives as it is though." He reached into his pocket and passed me a small plastic jar. "There's about two weeks worth of doses in there."

"You using?" I asked him.

"Was." Ah, he'd learnt not to lie in front of me. Faster than most did. "I quit after you asked me to come back and talked some sense into me."

"You're welcome." I passed the pills back. "You think they're a threat?"

"Dunno. I think they just like to hang around in the Dark Hour. Makes them feel special."

"I hope so…" I looked down at the half eaten cake. It was a big cake. "I'm stuffed, we saving this for everyone tomorrow?"

"I'll get the lid."

"I'll get to bed."

"Already? It's only ten."

"I've had a rough few days."

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"How long has it been since we first met?" Pharos asked me once we were in my room.

I thought. "About four months now."

"Time passes so quickly."

"Yeah, it does…"

"How do you find life as a Persona user? Compared to before?"

"I dunno…" I rolled onto my bed. "It's fulfilling, but… something's missing."

"Really…" Pharos grinned. "I wonder what?"

"It's Nothing."

"That's good to hear." Pharos smiled. "I hope you find it soon."

"Find what?"

"Nothing."

…

"Wait, did you just quote Shakespeare?"

"Perhaps… WOAH!" Pharos ducked as I threw a shoe at him.

"Yukari is not what's missing in my life."

"Gotcha."

"What?"

"You automatically assumed I was talking about Yukari's Nothing."

…

Damn, he got me good. And yes, Pharos just made a penis joke. The world is ending.

"I just remembered something else about The End." Pharos sat on my chair as I got changed into my pyjamas. "It all goes back to an occurrence that took place ten years ago."

"You don't say?"

Pharos giggled. "You know, a Persona is like a mirror. Which means that a Persona User can never escape his true self."

"But can my true self escape me?"

"Ooh, good answer, very philosophical." Pharos joked. "Regardless, I will stay with you… because we're friends…"

SMASH

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Death Arcana_

"Hey, Pharos?"

"Yes?"

"What's the difference between deep philosophy that takes years to truly understand, and a bunch of nonsense made up on the spot that people think about too much?"

Pharos thought for a moment. "A Fish."

"Damn Straight."

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I left the dorm fairly early the next day, but no-one on our floor was in their rooms. They better not be having a party or anything, although it's much more likely that they went out to think about things.

I went straight to the office to hand in my report. "Great job kid," Tanaka told me. "You know that guy you brought back? He's making me more money than ever!" Hey, good for you, Naoya. "You really fired him up something. So, did you find out your dad's best man?"

Oh, snap! I forgot! "No, something came up and I lost my opportunity."

"Well then get down there and take it!"

"Yeah, okay."

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"Arisoto's best man? I don't know his name, but I still have a copy of the reception on tape, it has all the speeches."

"Can I borrow it? The originals were all destroyed." Actually, I have no idea where the originals were.

"Sure, I'll burn you a DVD. Hold on a sec." He opened up a file on his computer and dragged it to the D: drive. "Should take a couple of minutes, that alright?"

"That's great, thank you."

"No probs." The man replied. "He was a damned good worker. Shame…"

I nodded. "I'm going to visit them after work, you wanna come?"

"Nah, I paid my respects." The DVD drive popped open, and Shiro handed me the disk and a CD case.

"Thank you." I put the DVD in the case and walked out. "I'll be seeing you."

"Yeah, anytime kid."

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I stood with mom and dad for a couple of minutes. At first I just talked about what had happened, but then I just started unloading all my problems onto them. Almost dying, nearly killing my friends when mind controlled, about Yuko and Chihiro, the dark hour, and, just, general stuff. When I was leaving, I saw Yukari coming up the steps.

"Oh hey." I asked. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." She looked me up and down. "Why are you in a suit?"

"Work." I explained. "And since I'm carrying the jacket, I'm out of a suit."

Slight smile. "You leaving?" she asked, "I was just about to see dad."

"Want me to wait for you?"

"Nah, I'll probably be a while."

"That's cool. I've got something to do." I pulled the CD case out of my pocket. "Just give me a second to buy a portable DVD player and I'll wait here."

"You have too much money."

"I earn it."

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Ten minutes later, I was waiting outside the cemetery, watching the recording. Fast forward, forward, forward, AHA! speeches. A thin guy with brown hair stood up to talk.

"_-^- Hello everyone, thank you all for coming to join us at Hayate's wedding, the lucky sod!-^-"_ Laughter. _"-^- My name is Eiichiro Takeba, and I've been Hayate's best friend for years now…-^-"_

Wait, WHAT!?

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**DUN! DUN!** **DUU**UUuurrgh yeah we all saw that coming…

But yeah, chapter 40. Woot.


	41. Chapter 41

Hey guys, new chapter. No internet connection right now, so I'll reply to your reviews once I can read them.

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After school on Monday was pretty awkward. We were all at the table in the lounge, but for once, no one was talking. We could have been studying for the five days of exams that starts tomorrow, but… yeah.

Fuuka made an attempt to break the silence. "Um…Y-you know, it's almost summer break… do you have any plans?"

I shook my head. Junpei, on the other hand, leaned back in his chair and looked at the ceiling wistfully. "I wish I could go to the beach. Hot sands, cool breeze… Babes in Bikini's…" he sighed. "Man, it sure would be nice! Somewhere in the south, where the water is crystal clear…" His face turned to mild disgust. "But first, we got exams to worry about… Ugh, what a drag…"

"Now, now, you'll be fine!" Fuuka comforted Junpei. She's gonna make a great mom someday. "I'd love to go somewhere famous for its beautiful beaches, like Okinawa!" Hey, as long as it ain't Blackpool again.

"Well, it's not Okinawa, but how about Yakushima?"

We all turned around to see Ikutsuki. Mitsuru stood up. "Mr. Chairman… I didn't realise you were here."

"Oh, I was just in the area, so I thought that I'd drop by and tell you my timetable for next week." Yeah, no need for special training to know that _that's_ a lie. "Mitsuru, Your father will be vacationing in Yakushima during the break."

"He will..?"

"You'll all have some time off after exam's right?" Ikutsuki pointed out. "Why don't you pay him a surprise visit?"

"Seriously?" Junpei asked, jumping out of his chair, "We're going on a trip!? YES!!" Junpei milked the giant cow in the sky. "Beach Babe's, here I come!"

Yukari sighed. "…Men…" That's interesting. She says that whenever anyone does something slightly perverted.

"How about it, Mitsuru?" Ikutsuki asked her.

"But… My father is a busy man…" Mitsuru asked, "I don't want to ruin his vacation…"

"Nonsense!" Ikutsuki and I said at the same time. We were both as shocked as the other, but I recovered first.

"Mitsuru Senpai, Half of the people in this room do not have a father because he died." I looked right at her. "Don't rub it in by not seeing your dad every chance you get."

Ikutsuki nodded. "Exactly. Mitsuru, no father in the world would be upset with a daughter who came all that way just to see him." He turned to the rest of us. "You've all done a great job, and you deserve to relax for a while."

"But, Shinjiro Senpai joined us almost a week ago." I pointed out. "Next week is exams, then Yakushima, and we still haven't taken him to Tartarus!"

"That's fine." Replied Shinji. "We'll just have to charge through when we get back."

"Alright." Mitsuru smiled. "I guess everyone needs a break now and then. Let's do it!"

And there was much rejoicing.

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Again, I won't talk to you about Exams. I managed to promise Pharos to shut up too, alright?

I mailed Tanaka in advance about needing the week off. He was slightly pissed, but it was cool.

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That Saturday, I walked to school with Junpei.

"Dude, don't you just love summer!?"

"I've always been a winter person myself, but yeah."

"Each to his own I suppose…" Junpei suddenly had an idea. "Oh yeah, I need to buy some swimwear for Yakushima, but I don't know what I should bring. What do you think I should get?"

"I'm going for boxers," I replied.

Junpei nodded. "The basic style, huh?" He stroked his chin. "I don't know… is that really what I want to go for?"

"Speedos then."

"That's not really my thing…" Junpei shrugged. "I just don't have the body for it, ya know?"

You mean you lack muscles and a package? "A one piece then."

Junpei laughed. "I though about that too. Get a laugh at least."

Dude, can a man really be so picky about a what to wear to the beach? "A red loincloth then."

"HELL YEAH!" Junpei punched the air. "That, is a REAL Japanese Man's swimwear!" He suddenly looked nervous. "S-so I can't wear it! You wear it!"

"You're getting shorts then."

"I suppose so…" Junpei sighed. "Come on, just a few more hours of torture and then we're free."

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"Pencil's down."

I woke up. I'd finished the exam a good twenty minutes ago. I passed my paper to the front then waited until the teacher dismissed us.

"Dismissed."

"I'M DONE BABY!!" Junpei shouted, jumping out of his chair. "The dark days of testing are finally over! The sun is shining bright!"

Yukari turned around in her chair. "So, how'd you do?"

"Hey, check it out!" Junpei proclaimed. "I aced P.E!"

"Well, that pretty much answers that question." Yukari noted with a smile.

"Psh." Junpei brushed it aside. "A real man doesn't dwell on the past!" He shoved his thumb into his chest. "I'm thinking ahead to Yakushima!"

"Oh yeah, that's coming up soon…" She turned to me. "You ready?"

"Ready? Yep. Packed? Nope. You?"

She giggled. "Why am I not surprised? If it makes you feel better, I'm not ready either."

"Dude, how are you not stoked about this!?"

"I guess I should be more enthusiastic, huh?" Yukari thought out loud. Hey, that's almost something I would think. "Hey, I don't have practice today, wanna go do something?"

"Sounds good!" Junpei replied. "Where we going? If you need to buy a swimsuit, I'm happy to help."

"As if." Yukari stood up. "Alright, gimme a sec, I'll grab my stuff from the locker room."

"Wanna invite Fuuka too?" I asked her.

"I was just thinking that." She replied. "Yeah, I will."

Once she was out the door, Junpei sat in her seat.

"Hey, listen, I know I've been kinda a dick lately…" He told me. "But we're still cool, right?"

"Huh?" I thought that that was just Junpei.

"…Dude, nothing seems to faze you, does it?" He laughed, not bitterly. "Man, you really are one-of-a-kind… Anyway, that's all history!" He stood up and posed. "It's just you and me now, bro!"

"Sure thing mate." I stood up and clapped him on the shoulder. "Let's get going."

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Minutes later, Me, Junpei, Yukari, Fuuka, Akihiko and Shinji were outside the school.

"WOOHOO!" Junpei shouted. "Freedom at last!" He laughed evilly. "What should I do now..?"

"Don't worry." Fuuka told him. "I'm sure you'll think of something."

Junpei jumped around to face us. "Hell Yeah I will! Hey, what are you doing here Senpai?"

Akihiko answered. "Ikutsuki-san called me. I think he wants to talk about a new candidate."

"Does that mean another person is going to join?" Yukari asked. We're gonna run out of rooms at this rate.

"Probably." Shinji replied.

"Fuuka!"

Natsuki ran through the school doors. "What's wrong, Natsuki-chan?" Fuuka asked.

"Do you think you can stay after school with me for a mandatory study session?" She asked, looking desperate. "There's, like, no-one around and… oh." He face fell. "You're going back to your 'home' home today, huh?" She looked completely dejected as she turned back to the school. "Okay, never mind…"

"Hey, wait, it's alright!" Fuuka told her. "Let's go." She turned to the rest of us. "Sorry, I'll see you all back at the dorm."

Once they were inside, Junpei whistled. "Wow, I'm really surprised at how much she's changed…"

"Ah, friendship." Ikutsuki said as he approached us. "How beautiful! Adolescence is such a wonderful thing! So full of vibrancy!"

And YOOOUUUTTH!!!

"Mr. Chairman…!" Yukari was mildly surprised.

"Oh, hello." Ikutsuki replied, as if he just noticed us, because he certainly wasn't butting into our conversation just now. "I just stopped by to pick someone up. I might as well introduce him to you know. Ken-kun! Come over here!"

A kid, probably around ten, with curly brown hair approached us. Akihiko and Shinji flinched on sight. Maybe they don't like kids, they looked scared enough. "Hello!" Said the young boy.

"Oh, Hi Ken-kun" Yukari greeted. "What's up?"

"You know him?" Akihiko asked.

"He doesn't leave during the break because of his…" Ikutsuki paused mid sentence. "Circumstances."

"Oh, I heard about that…" Yukari mentioned sadly. "Something about his parents…"

"It was only me and my mom." Ken told us. "But she got into an accident, and she… she died. It happened about two years ago."

Poor kid. He reminds me of me, before the weight of the world crushed my spirit- no, wait, that was a headrest.

Hey, it happened to me, So I can joke about it.

"Right now, one of his distant relatives are paying for his school expenses. But, staying at an elementary school dorm all by himself isn't proper for a child his age." It would be even less proper if an adult your age did it. "So, I decided to move him into your dorm for the summer."

"OUR Dorm!?" Yukari asked, surprised. "Do you think that's really such a good idea?"

"NOOOOOO!!! IT'S NOT POSSIBLE!!!" Hey, I forgot that he went to our school.

Yeah, what if Junpei brings a woman home and… wait, that won't happen.

"Why, of course…" Ikutsuki answered. Shiny glasses. "He has the potential."

SNAP! "Then. He's the new candidate?" Akihiko asked in disbelief.

"Yes…" Ikutsuki replied. "But as you can see, He's still just an elementary school student, so it's merely a possibility for now."

Akihiko was not happy. Neither was Shinji.

Ken walked up to Akihiko. "Are you… Senada-senpai?"

"Um… Yeah…" Akihiko replied grudgingly.

"I've heard all about you! You haven't lost a boxing match yet!"

That got my interest. "Really?"

"Yeah, well…" Akihiko hesitated. "Nice to meet you too…"

"No, Akihiko, this is huge."

"Why?" Akihiko turned to me, thankful for a reason to ignore the kid.

"I've never lost a boxing match either!"

"You Box?" He was surprised.

"Of a fashion." My boxing was done on concrete and used elbows and knees. "Come on, let's go!"

"Go where?" Akihiko wasn't following.

"To the nearest boxing ring, where else?"

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I didn't get to box Akihiko. He flinched at the thought and Junpei screamed slightly. They refused to talk about it though. I wonder what's wrong?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Finally, some time off!" Junpei shouted. "Yakushima, here I come!"

"You've been saying that all afternoon…" Shinji groaned.

"You just can't wait for Monday either Senpai!" Junpei continued. "After that, it's just one week of school 'til summer break! FRICKIN' AWESOME DUDE!"

"Aren't you getting a little carried away?" Yukari replied. "I mean, it's only for one week, and we still have to fight Shadow's over summer break."

"In other words," I said, "It's gonna be Tartarus every single night."

"I know, I know! But my energy level is just so high during summer that No-one can stop me!"

"You packed?" I asked.

"Nope, doing it tomorrow!"

"Everyone else?"

General consensus was that they were finishing it tomorrow. "Right then. We'll go tonight, rest up tomorrow, and enjoy a week in the sun."

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Junpei. Akihiko. Shinjiro." I announced once we were in Tartarus. "We roll tonight." To the guitar bite.

For those about to rock… WE SALUTE YOU!

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Yabbashah block was… weird. I couldn't tell if it was supposed to be a school, a lab, a robot, or a clock, but it was freaky.

What else also worried me was the fact that our feet clanged on the metal ground when we walked. Not a good for stealth. We'll just have to make do with raw power.

_~Everyone! The Reaper is back! He'll be there in about a minute!~_

Crap. "Come on guys, let's bail. Stairs are right here anyways… you haven't seen the Reaper yet!"

"Not up close." Shinji replied. "Why?"

"You're gonna love this."

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

After we saw the Reaper we went upstairs and we got our payment for our little show.

_~The Floor is completely filled with Shadow's! Be careful!~_

I grabbed a Warscythe. Perfect for if you want to mow your way through the horde. "Let's rock."

Our Personae made the first wave. Hermes and Orpheus launched fire into the heaving mass while Castor broke skulls, Polydeuces picking off some of the survivors. _~NOW!~_

I rushed forward, cutting through Shadow with each swing. I don't know how well Akihiko and Junpei did, but I did hear Fuuka exclaim _~Wow, great job Shinjiro-senpai!!~_ After he smashed a Drive, one of those three legged wheel things, into a wall, making a huge dent. Showoff.

"_You do it all the time."_

Never through the wall.

"_You would if you could."_

Fair point. UGH!

I looked at my right shoulder. I'd just been shot by something!

ARGH! Again!? Some crystal was embedded into my leg, blood seeping through the wound. "Fuuka, what the hell is that!?"

_~I don't know… I can't get a reading…~_

NNN! Left arm this time. "It must be teleporting. Scan the area!" I ordered, dropping my weapon.

_~Got it… I can see where, but it keeps moving.~_

"Just tell me when it gets close." I closed my eyes. Pharos, out.

_~What do you mean?~_

"Tell me where and when to grab it, I'll hold it still." I started focusing on my Tattoo, willing it to move.

_~You… you can't be serious!~_

Tingle. Staring to move. "I am." GAH! Chest this time. "Just focus on this."

_~Um… O…Okay…~_

Further… further… GARGH! I lost my concentration.

_~Two O'clock, by your face!~_

I'd already grabbed and deflected the weapon. The Shadow looked like a skeleton in a completely black shiny body suit, with zips in all the wrong places. It's Arcana was Justice, and the weapon looked like a crossbow with a laser sight. The black lines started forming on my hands, keeping it trapped still.

_~It's a Black Sniper! Use Mudo Skills!~_

BAM! Pale Rider. Black fire covered my hands as I cast Mudo down them. The Sniper began to panic, struggling even harder as I pulled the crossbow behind me and grabbed its mask.

BOOM! Black fluid splattered across the wall behind it, and the Shadow began to fade. Mudo's black fire vanished as well, along with my arm tattoos. They weren't as deep or as strong as they were the first time I used them, so I probably need more practice.

"Hey, Minato!" Junpei shouted, "We found the stairs!"

"Alright!" I ran back towards them.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mitsuru made us come back after we reached the Transporter. Apparently there's only so much violence we're allowed to have in one night. Meanie.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Spent Sunday packing. I Emailed Tanaka my Report, since I was going to be busy all day. Mitsuru said that she wanted all of our cases to be by the front door, and I'd just finished packing.

"Dude, that's all your taking?"

I looked back at Junpei. I had one small case with a change of clothes for each day, Swimshorts, Toiletries, towel, Fishing rod and bowie knife.

Junpei's, however, was fighting to zip his double sized case shut. Considering how he thinks I'm a slight clean freak, How the hell had Junpei managed to pack more than me?

"Junpei, you are not taking all that." Akihiko said, coming out of his room with a large sports bag.

"B-but I need all this stuff!"

"It's one week. Leave the PS2 behind."

"I'm serious guys, Look!" Junpei brought his case back into his room and invited us in. Shrugging to each other, we followed.

Woah, messy. Mm, nice poster.

"Look!" Junpei emptied his case onto his bed. He'd packed pretty much the same as me, minus rod and knife, plus camera, cool shades, snorkelling gear and a six pack of beer.

The difference? I knew how to pack.

"Alright Junpei…" I sighed. "I'll fix this mess, you take mine and Akihiko's cases downstairs."

"Sure it'll help?" Junpei asked, to which I unzipped my case. "Okay, so you pack like a girl, so what?" Akihiko unzipped his bag, showing that his luggage, while not as neat, was still just as ordered.

"You should see Shinji's." Akihiko told him. "That guy can pack. You're just a mess."

"What!?" Junpei sighed. "Alright, fine. Thanks guys." Junpei got to work carrying our bags down while we got to work folding his clothes up and packing, not shoving.

"Hey, is this..?" Akihiko showed me a condom. "Was he seriously going to bring this?"

"It's good to have hope." I told him. "Just put it back."

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Then, came Monday. Plan was to get to Yakushima on Mitsuru's boat, and we were at the harbour at eight in the morning.

Did you know that 'Minato' means 'Harbour'? Because I had no idea. I always thought my name came from Minatos, meaning a defensive wall. Who knew?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Before we knew it, we were sailing. Luckily, I had the perfect song on my new machine.

_I'm on a boat!_

_I'm on a boat!_

_Everybody look at me, 'coz I'm sailing on a boat!_

_I'm on a boat!_

_I'm on a boat!_

_Take a good hard look, at the mother-_

"Hey, who wants Ice-cream?"

Oh hell yes. Zing.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"**-^- We will be approaching our destination in fifteen minutes. -^-"**

Oh, what!? Okay, that makes this my last chance to do this.

I ran up to the front of the boat then, climbing up the railings, held my arms out wide and shouted "I'M THE KING OF THE WOOORRLD!!!"

Don't you dare say that you've never wanted to do that.

Wait, did someone just push me?

SPLASH!

I resurfaced, gulping in the breath to see Junpei laughing his backside off on the boat. "See you there!" He shouted, laughing.

"JUNPEI YOU BLOODY WANKER!!!"

"Oh, come on!" He said, walking down the boat to keep talking with me. "It's not that far of a swim to Yakushima!"

"I CAN'T BLOODY SWIM YOU ASS!" Aand I went under again.

...Damn

…

…

…

…

Bugger…

…

…

…

…

A hand grabbed my wrist and pulled me up to the surface. After gulping in the air I looked at my rescuer. "Thanks… Aki…Hiko…"

"You seriously can't swim?"

"Never… Got round to… Learning…"

"That's it, you're learning how to swim here."

"Bloody… Terrific…"

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yeah. Minato can't swim. He will soon though. Probably. Unless he decides to build sandcastles instead. CAST YOUR VOTE NOW!

And those of you who did not get that AC/DC reference above? You guys suck.

And the boat isn't particularly big, you saw it in the anime cutscene.


	42. Chapter 42

Right, let's get on with chapter 42.

And Naru-Chan? You don't like Yukari and Minato pairing? You're gonna hate this chapter then. I'll make it up to you some other time, okay? Probably in the next chapter, fun happens next chapter.

MFAS? Thanks for telling me about the spelling mistakes. That's why I hired a Beta.

Nadia Yuna, you're welcome. One of my favourite songs, Uninstall.

AC/DC Reference was when he sung the intro to FOR THOSE ABOUT TO ROCK!!

Snakeeater, I'm sorry to say that I've never read/watched/seen lonely island.

General Generic? Thanks. My biggest fear is getting overconfident, and rightly so since precisely that is the reason why I fail most of the times I fail.

Dammit PokehTurtle, you stole my line!

Also, over the weekend, I gained ultimate awesome ideas. Not going to spoil them, but let's just say I know what the Hollow Arcana is about now.

* * *

Junpei is so damn lucky my new iPod is waterproof. No wait, IT ISN'T!! I will wring his neck, WRING IT I SAY!

Also, my phone is down, but that isn't important. I am now without music for a whole week.

"Ms. Kirijo and her friends?"

"Yes, that is us." Mitsuru told the limo driver. Nice!

"Right this way."

Yay, Limo!

* * *

"Wow…" was the general consensus. Honestly guys, it's just a limo.

Sure, it's my first time too, but to be honest, it's really just a big car with a couple of couches and a minibar. Which I deprived of all green, blue, red or orange soft drinks. For a guy who had just come out of the water, I was thirsty.

And now I needed a slash. Or to relieve myself, seeing as I am in a limo and should talk proper, like.

"We're here." Mitsuru announced. Holy crap that is a nice house.

I can hold it.

* * *

"Wow…"

"It's like we're in an episode of Lifestyles of the Rich and Fabulous!" Junpei added to Fuuka's description of the inside.

_Faaa-_bul-_ous!_

Then came the maids. "Welcome back, Milady." Damn, I like maids.

"And you must be her schoolmates, correct?" Another maid asked. "Welcome to the Kirijo Vacation Home. Please," She added, gesturing behind her. "Follow me."

"Um…" Yukari was stunned. "…Is this the right place?"

"Dude!" Junpei hissed. "Real. Life. Maids!" He was as stoked as I am. SURREPTITIOUS FIVE!

"I knew she was from an important family…" Fuuka said while Junpei gave me my Surreptitious Five, "But this definitely confirms it…"

We started following the maids, when a pirate captain in a suit walked towards us. Alright, he was just an impressive looking man with an eyepatch.

He stopped as he got to Mitsuru.

"It's good to see you." She said, smiling slightly.

The man huffed, glanced at her, then carried on walking.

"Was that…" Fuuka began

"…Her father?" Yukari finished.

As he got towards the back, I held out a hand to shake it. He ignored it, walking past.

"Dude, talk about scary." Junpei hissed into my ear. "He's not going to make us walk the plank, is he?"

"Don't be stupid…" Akihiko sighed.

Mitsuru chuckled. "We won't be here long, but make yourselves at home."

"Sweet!" Junpei shouted. "This is gonna ROCK! Hey, wanna go to the beach?" He asked everyone. "It's right there!" Okay, somebody's had too much sugar. "Dude, this place _rules_! Come on, let's go!"

"What, already?" Yukari asked. "I mean, sure, but let me get changed first!"

"See you there!" I said, running off at high speed.

* * *

By the time I got there, I was in my swimming shorts, shoes and socks off, shirt unbuttoned, and bucket and spade out of the bag.

And when I say spade, I mean collapsible shovel.

I got digging right away.

By which I mean I shoved the shovel three feet under the wet sand, and levered it out onto the dry. I dug a deep circle using this technique, leaving a large pile of wet sand untouched inside the hole.

"Dude, what're you doing?" Junpei shouted, catching up.

I started patting the wet sand I'd dug up to make a foundation further up the beach. "Building a mancastle."

"Ah wha?"

"Mancastle. They're like sandcastles, only for MEN!!"

"Dude, only kid's build sandcastles." Junpei got started blowing up his floaty thing.

"Men will forever be boys." I told him, finishing off the foundation. "We are never too old for toys. And how dare you call me childish when you're blowing up a float ring?"

"Hey, this'll be fun!" Junpei replied as I got my shovel back into my hole. "Just you wait!"

I levered up the small pillar of sand. "This will be epic." I carried it and dumped it onto the foundation. "Just you wait." I started patting the man castle together.

"Hey, you don't have time for this!" Akihiko shouted, running up to us in Speedos and a t-shirt. "I told you that you're gonna learn to swim!"

"Englishmen build mancastles first time they go to the beach each summer!" I told him. "It's tradition!" Not many of us do it though.

"Oh yeah?" Akihiko was sceptical.

"Yeah, it was started by William the Conqueror first time he invaded England."

Akihiko sighed. "Just be quick about it then."

I started patting the sand together to make it solid. "Will do." It'll be finished in an hour or so at this rate."

"Tch." Shinji had opted for the shorts like Junpei and Me. "Whatever." He lied on the sun bed and started to nap.

"Dude, where are the girls?" Junpei asked.

"Still getting ready." I replied.

"What takes them so long?"

"It's a mystery to all men, Junpei. A mystery to all men."

"What's the rush, anyway?" Akihiko replied.

Junpei grinned mischievously. "I've got the _perfect_ summer activity…"

"Hey!"

Junpei walked over to Yukari, who was wearing denim shortshorts and a bikini top. Damn, that was unexpected and awesome.

"…what?" Yukari asked, slightly freaked out by the way Junpei was checking her out.

Junpei picked up a bottle of suntan lotion and used it as a mic. "Say hello to Contestant Number One, Yukari Takeba!" Oh, swimsuit contest. Well, that's another summer tradition, originating from brazil, one tradition also worth participating in, so I took a break from my castle to observe.

"Pervert." Pharos replied. Am not. I'm cultured.

"As you can see," Junpei continued, "She's chosen a Bold design… quite unexpected! It takes a lot of courage to pull of a swimsuit like that!"

Yukari looked at him with disgust while he hid the lotion and looked innocent. Then came Fuuka in a blue tankini. "Is that umbrella taken?" She asked, gesturing to the one where I'd left my stuff at.

"Next up is Contestant Number Two, Fuuka Yamagishi!" Junpei declared, once again the announcer. "Wow, Fuuka, I had no idea you were so…" He was blushing, "I mean, you should were a swimsuit more often!"

"Huh?" Fuuka's penny dropped. "Ah!" She hid behind Yukari.

"Oh come on!" Junpei told her in a groping stance. "There's nothing to be embarrassed about! Heheheh…"

"Stop that creepy laugh, you perv!" Yukari growled, much to Junpei's amusement.

"Just to let you know," I announced, "Last guy I saw grope a girl got kicked out of a train." I smiled pleasantly. "Just saying."

"Huh? W-well, I-I…" Whoa, I think I actually scared him then, since he turned around quickly and announced "And here is our final contestant!"

Mitsuru walked on in a simple white bikini, with one of those see-through beach skirts around her waist and a flower on her chest. She deserves the Wayne's World Salute.

"Hm?" Mitsuru asked, finally noticing everyone gawking at her. "Is… something wrong?"

Shaaa-wing.

"Wow… Mitsuru Senpai…" Fuuka replied "…You're so beautiful…"

"Yeah, your skin is flawless!" Yukari added, "Did you already put on sunscreen?"

"N-No," Mitsuru looked like she was feeling awkward. "Not yet…"

Yukari and Fuuka huddled up with Mitsuru to do girl things.

You just imagined a lesbian threesome there didn't you.

Don't lie.

I know Akihiko did, it's not just me and you, so don't feel bad about it.

"So…" Junpei asked, sidling over to me. "…Which one's your type?"

"What, so now I'm the judge?"

"Just asking!" Junpei defended himself. "Come on, just pick one!"

"It was close," I replied. "But Mitsuru wins for swimsuit hotness."

"Whoa, Seriously?" Junpei was surprised. "You got balls, man!"

Whatever. Back to the mancastle.

* * *

"DONE!"

I stood back and admired my handiwork. Everyone else had either been splashing in the water or sunbathing, but _I_ had been building, carving, _smithing_ this work of epicness!

"Hey, is that…" Yukari asked in disbelief

"…Tartarus?" Fuuka finished.

"Dude, what the hell!?" Junpei was shocked. "That's messed up freaky dude!"

"Freaky or not," I replied, taking a picture on someone else's phone, "You gotta admit, I am good."

"It's like a scale replica…" Fuuka appreciated how epic this three foot ominous tower of doom was.

"So, What did you put at the top?" Yukari asked.

"A seashell." I replied. "Couldn't find any flags or little umbrellas."

Disbelief, than hilarity. Oh, the hilarity.

* * *

Akihiko lived up to his promise. He worked me hard dammit. Dunno how many times I almost drowned, I stopped counting at Eleventy Twelve.

However, by the time we were going back to the house, I had taken a swimming level in badass.

I'm getting a harpoon tomorrow, gonna try to catch some lunch.

Right now though, I'm in my room, getting out of the shower.

Knock knock

Add Towel, then answer. "Hello?"

"Mr. Kirijo would like you to come and join him in his office after dinner this evening."

"Is everyone else going?" I asked the maid.

"They are sir."

"Thank you." I grabbed a pair of jeans and some boxers out of my wardrobe. The maids had unpacked for me at some point, leaving my fishing rod by the wall and my knife propped up on the desk. "Is there anything else?" I asked, getting dressed. Wow, this actually felt kind of awkward, talking while dressing.

"No sir. Is everything to your liking?"

"Oh, yes." I began looking through my shirts. "Thank you very much."

"Very well. I shall be leaving you then." I only just managed to hear her footsteps go down the corridor. Damn, those Maids are good.

Now, this may surprise you, but after the last few months, I felt kind of awkward without a weapon of some kind on my person. I considered strapping the knife to my thigh, but you know my policy about knives. I only brought it for cleaning out fish and plants anyway.

* * *

"From what I understand," Takeharu Kirijo told us once we were all gathered in his office, "Mitsuru has already given you the short version." We nodded. "Well, it's true..." He told us. "We adults are to blame. If I could've atoned for it with my life, I would have done so..."

I believed him. Those of the Hanged Man Arcana like him tend to blame themselves, if Maiko is to be any judge. "Now, I have no choice but to rely on you." He told us. "What my father wanted to create with those monsters' power... was a time manipulation device."

"That's what he was trying to do?" Mitsuru was just as surprised as any of us. She did not see that coming.

"Imagine if you could control the flow of time..." Takeharu explained. "Eliminate unwanted events before they occur. With such a device, you could shape the future to your liking."

"Damn…" Junpei said. "That's insane…"

"However, under my father's direction," Takeharu continued over Junpei. "The research began to stray from its original goal." He was better at this that Ikutsuki. Ikutsuki likes to control what's going on, whereas Mitsuru's dad sounds more like he's apologising. "...In his later years, my father seemed to have only nihilism in his heart." He laughed bitterly. "Now that I think about it, his madness may have resulted from his struggle to break free from that... It's only natural that you want to know the truth..." He hit a switch on a remote and the room grew dark. "And it's my duty to tell you."

A light went from one wall to another. A projection screen. "What's this?" Akihiko asked.

"This is the only existing footage of the accident," Kirijo explained. "Recorded by a scientist who was at the scene."

-^- "I pray this recording reaches safe hands…" -^-

"That voice…" Yukari recognised it, and so did I.

The camera turned around so we could see who was talking. A guy with brown, sad eyes in the middle of a burning lab. I recognised him, even though I'd only seen him before when he was about ten years younger. Eiichiro Takeba, AKA Dad's Best Man, AKA Yukari's dad.

-^- "My employer has become obsessed with a loathsome idea. This experiment should have never even been conceived... I'm afraid what I've done will result in an unprecedented disaster... But if I hadn't, the entire world may have paid the price..." -^- Wait, something's not right.

"The entire world?" Fuuka asked.

-^- "Please, listen carefully... The Shadows that were amassed here have been dispersed as a result of the explosion. To end this nightmare, you must eliminate all of them! I am to blame for this. I knew the risks, but I was blinded by the promise of success... And so, I didn't raise any objections... It is all my fault..." -^- No, something isn't right. I don't know what, the guy isn't lying, but something is not right about him.

Yukari stood up. "…Dad..?"

That shocked everyone under the age of thirty minus myself.

Eiichiro smiled as he was engulfed by the flames. Why is he smiling if he feels guilty?

"DADDY!!" Yukari shouted, running for the screen. It's almost as if he's remembering a loved one…

"You mean…" Fuuka was shocked "That was..?"

"Father…" Mitsuru asked, slightly angry. She had no idea about this recording.

"His name was Eiichiro Takeba..." Takeharu explained. "He was the head researcher at the time, and a very talented man. But, we are the ones who are responsible. We pushed him to continue the research." Shame. "The Kirijo Group is to blame for his death."

"Damn…" Even Shinji was gobsmacked.

"I… I can't believe it…" Mitsuru too.

"So… that means… my dad caused it all..?" Yukari was facing the ground, her hand shaking. "The Dark hour, Tartarus… The people who died in that incident..?" A tear ran down her face. "It's all his fault?" Damn…

"Y-you okay?" Akihiko asked. Well, obviously she's feeling great, dumbass.

"So that's why you were hiding this!?" Yukari shouted at Mitsuru, "Because you felt sorry for me? Is that it!?"

"No, Takeba," Mitsuru got up, defending her self, "I…"

"I Don't Want Your Pity!!" She shouted, then she ran out of there, slamming the door behind her.

"Um…" Fuuka began. "S-shouldn't someone-"

"I want a copy of that recording in my room by the time I get back." I interrupted her, standing up. "I'll go talk to her."

* * *

I found her standing on the beach, watching the waves. I didn't say anything as I walked towards her, and her head didn't move as she spoke.

"I believed in him for so long... This is too much..."

She kept looking at the ocean, I couldn't see her face. "Remember what I told you at the hospital...? How my dad died when I was little...?" I nodded, not that she could see. "You understand now, right...? He died in that incident. Nobody knew the truth, so there were all sorts of rumours... Because he was in charge of the research team, people were really mean to me and my mom... We even had to move a few times."

I had no idea what to say. So I didn't.

"But all this time," Yukari didn't move, just kept looking away from me. "I kept telling myself it wasn't his fault. I loved him a lot, and I believed he'd never do anything wrong." Yeah, same here.

"I received letter back in the spring." She said. "It was from him, written ten years ago... It cracked me up cuz," She laughed slightly. "Even though it said "To my family," it was pretty much all about me. That only made me believe in him more...

"When I found out I had a special power," Yukari continued, "I thought it was fate. I was scared, but I thought if I cooperated with the Kirijo Group, I might find out what really happened. That's why I agreed to fight using my Persona. But, it turns out..." I could see a tear roll down her cheek. "All of that was for nothing..."

I still had no idea what to say. This was serious.

"Why does reality have to be so harsh...?" She asked. I don't know. "I tried so hard to fight my fear, and this is what I get..." I don't know. "Maybe I'm just jealous of Mitsuru- senpai. I mean, why my father and not hers...?" She laughed bitterly. "I'm a horrible person, aren't I?"

No. You're not. I couldn't say it though.

"Aren't you going to say something?" Yukari asked, turning around. Anger, Sadness.

"Just look at you!" She shouted. "Nothing ever fazes you, does it? I don't care what shows on your face or not, how can you be so calm and together all of the time?" Yukari turned on me, walking towards me. "You probably think I'm just as pitiful as the rest of them do!" No, I don't. She started hitting my chest with her forearms. "YOU DON'T KNOW HOW I…"

She stopped.

"I'm sorry…" Yukari said, tucking her head into my chest. "I… I just don't know how to handle this any more… tell me…" A tear hit my chest. "…what… am I supposed to do… now..?" She sobbed. "…what do I do..?"

"You should keep believing in him."

Yukari looked up at me. "Huh?"

I wasn't pulling any face. I looked completely and utterly uninterested, but Yukari knew what that meant.

She pushed herself away from me slightly. "Ya know, you really are one-of-a-kind. ...I'm sorry for acting like this. You've lost your parents, too." Hey, you have every right to complain. "But, I'm alright now... I'm used to dealing with stressful situations. Anyway," She smiled at me. "Thanks for listening. Lemme guess..." Sadness flashed across her face. "Senpai asked you to bring me back, right?"

"Dunno. I came right after you."

"Really?" She was surprised.

"Of Course!" I pulled her into a hug. "I was worried."

She didn't resist. Rather, she looked right at me.

Then I kissed her.

"HEY!"

DAMMIT JUNPEI!

Yukari pushed away from me, blushing with a slight smile on her face.

Junpei ran towards us, panting for breath. "Seesh… what's… taking you so long… it's almost… the dark hour… so you should get back…"

"Huh?" Yukari asked, distracted. "Oh, yeah, that's right!"

"…Hm?" Junpei suddenly read the mood. "Um… Did I miss something..?"

"I-I almost forgot!" Yukari quickly changed to subject. "It doesn't matter where you are when the dark hour comes..."

"Well, duh." Junpei laughed.

"You know, I've been thinking lately..." Yukari told us, "Once you awaken to the power of Persona, you remember everything that happens during the Dark Hour... It's like trading away your innocence..."

"In exchange for power," I finished for her, "You can no longer look away from truth."

"Yeah, even if it isn't what you want to see." Yukari nodded. "So, I guess I'm stuck with you guys, huh?"

"Yup." Junpei nodded happily. "Now that that's settled, let's go back."

We all started walking back to the mansion. Yukari glanced back at me and, blushing slightly, gave me a smile.

"You are so in there." Pharos told me, happily.

SMASH!

Oh hell no.

_Thou art I… And I am Thou…_

No way in hell!

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Lovers Arcana._

DAMMIT IGOR!!

CRACK!

Oh, that sounds even worse.

SMASH!

_THOU SHALT USE THE HEART OF THE HOLLOW ARCANA! RESTORE THE CHAIN OF MEMORIES!!_

Wait, the heart? The chain of memories?

I'm in way over my head.

* * *

Yes, Minato is.

Don't forget to vote on my profile, whether I should drop my kingdom hearts story to focus more on this one, or not. New chapters for that too.

And yes, explanation for the Hollow Arcana appearance and statement comes next time. Though I bet some of you can guess.

Side note, today I came up with the most epic idea for a crossover ever, and I am copyrighting it.

Naruto: Ours.

Naruto/Bokurano crossover, no ninjas. Basically, it's Bokurano only with Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, Hinata, Kiba, Shino, Ino, Shikamaru, Chouji, Neji, Rock Lee, TenTen, Gaara, Temari and Kankuro as the 15 pilots. Naruto will drive first, him being Naruto, and the rest will take their turns piloting the mech, which will look like a nine tailed fox demon of course, and I'll have Kakashi and Jiraiya as either the initial pilot or Dungbeatle. For those who have read/watch Bokurano, you can tell how this will go down. I'll do first person from each pilot's point of view, and will probably have voteys for the next pilot, which will be a double ended sword, since if you vote for your favourite character, I'll do that character earlier, so you get that character's chapter earlier, but… well, it's Bokurano. It'll be interesting to see if a loved character or a hated character pilots it last. What do you guys think?

Oh, I won't do it for a while, most likely not until I finish Persona. Tell me your opinions.


	43. Chapter 43

WOOT! ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY REVIEWS!!

On top of that, the first chapter has gotten over 2,000 hits. Yay!

And to celebrate, Minato is going to go hunting.

Babe Hunting.

First off, to answer reviews.

Sorry, Naru-chan, but Minato and Yukari are the main pairing for this one. However, just for you, I'll get Aigis to mix things up lotses. No point in reading about a happy hero, right?

General Generic, I am a man, thanks for asking. Now, Sometimes I Capitalise Every Word In A Sentence, kinda like I just did. That's one technique I try to use to show that a character is raising their voice without actually SHOUTING!!

And if the only word in a sentence is a sound effect, I like to leave it there without a full stop, just because I like the effect.

Silence

See, that's kinda more effective than

Silence.

Dunno why, it just feels right without the correct punctuation. And about the spelling mistakes, yeah, they happen, and they annoy me as much as they annoy you.

SnakeEater, I didn't realise that Lonely Island was the band name. Sorry about that.

Artful Lounger, I don't want to spoil anything, but remember that Elizabeth's brother is in this story?

Aaand I just went ahead and spoilt it for everyone. I blame Ricky Gervais. It's his fault somehow.

KRP, You once again came up with another plot point! Hooray!

The rest of you can join in on that too, you know.

Anyhoo, new chapter.

* * *

-

* * *

"So, why are you mad that you activated the Lover's social link?" Pharos asked me. "I mean, wouldn't you be happier now that you can get closer to her?"

"Look, I've already established with her that she wasn't a social link." I replied. "Now that she is, there will always be that nagging feeling in the back of her head that I'm just using her to get power." Hell, there'll always be a nagging feeling in the back of _my_ head in that area.

"She was pretty okay with the idea of you doing social links."

"She didn't talk to me for a week afterwards, remember?"

"Oh, yeah. Well, I suppose you could just not tell her."

"Not really an option." I told him. "Anyway, shush, concentrating."

"Still watching that video, huh?"

It was almost one in the morning, but I was watching the recording of Yukari's dad on the room's DVD player. "The screen's HD, maybe I'll pick something up I didn't before."

"Screen might be HD," Pharos told me, sitting next to me, "But the recording is ten years old. Even without data decay, it won't be of any decent quality no matter what you do with it."

"Yeah, I guess…" Wait, hold on. "Pharos, you are a genius."

"Eh?" He was surprised. "Why?"

I took out the DVD of dad's wedding and plugged it into my laptop. I ran it next to the HD screen. "Most laptop screens are HD ready, so we should get roughly the same quality footage no matter what, right?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, check this out."

-^- "I knew the risks, but I was blinded by the promise of success." -^-

"-^-_ I remember Hayate back in middle school. He was always getting into trouble one way or another and, well, on your tables should be an envelope with photographic evidence…-^-"_

"What's your point?" Pharos asked.

"The videos are almost a decade apart, but the even so the more recent video of the accident is of a far higher quality than it should be."

"And the recording of the explosion should have damage anyways…" Pharos added, "You think this was doctored?"

"I don't want to jump to any conclusions yet." I replied. "But it could just have been cleaned up. I want to find some deception leakage before I go accusing anyone."

"Good idea. Though you should probably get to sleep, you look tired."

"I always look tired." I replied, closing down the computer and the TV.

"Only on your face. I've seen you reading other body language too."

"Neck, Shoulders and Hands, right?"

"Yeah." Pharos nodded. "Need me to wake you up in the morning?"

"Thanks." I replied, getting into bed. "Night."

Pharos giggled. "Good Night."

* * *

Next morning, there was just me, Junpei, Akihiko and Shinji at the beach. Akihiko brought a note.

_We've gone to see the Jyomon-Cedar tree. Fuuka._

"Aw, man!" Junpei shouted. "We're at an island resort in the middle of summer! Why don't they go to the beach!? That's just not right!"

"Well, it is your fault." Shinji told him. Man, he looks… different without his hat.

"Whaddya mean!?" Junpei protested. "I-I just wanted to lighten the mood…"

"I don't wanna hear it." Shinji told him.

"Well, it doesn't matter anyway." Junpei shrugged. "We're on our own now, just the guys!" He struck a dramatic pose. "When you're out of ammo, you pick it up on the battle field! That's one of the most basic military tactics!" Hey, Junpei's read Art of War. "We'll call this 'Operation: Babe Hunt!"

Okay, you should not have been able to say that with a straight face.

"Babe Hunt?" Akihiko asked, uncertain. "You mean like, Pick up girls?"

"Whaddya think, Akihiko-san?" Junpei swung an arm around the boxer's shoulder, "With you and Shinjiro-senpai on the squad, we're guaranteed to succeed!"

I looked at the four of us. Shinji was the tallest, then Akihiko and Junpei, with me as the shortest. However, Shinji and I were the best built, but Akihiko was pure oestrogen bait. Which made Junpei the weak link.

"I'm in." Shinji replied. "Sounds… interesting. How about you Aki?"

"Eerugh… What do you think about this?" He asked me.

I cracked my knuckles. "Let's begin the operation."

"Fine." Akihiko said grudgingly. "But I'm appointing him our leader." He added, gesturing to me. "As usual."

"What!?" Junpei didn't like that. "Why!?"

"You said it yourself." Akihiko replied, smiling. "This is an operation."

"Aw, man that's Bollocks!" Hey, Junpei's learning Yorkshire. Akihiko and Shinji walked away, and Junpei shoved a finger in my chest. "You better take this seriously… This is a serious operation!"

I pushed his finger aside. "Junpei, after what happened yesterday…"

"Hey hey hey!" Junpei protested, pulling the finger back, "I'm sorry for pushing you off the boat!"

I let go of him. "Junpei, that's the least of why I'm pissed." I walked after the other two.

"Hey, wait for me!" Junpei shouted, running after us. He skidded in front of Akihiko and Shinji though and put his hands out over his eyes. "Heey, we found some Senoritas! Let's go hit on 'em!"

SLAPSLAPSLAP

Hey, unrehearsed simultaneous face palm between three guys! That's a plus.

"Beep... Beep... BEEP! Target confirmed! Let's move in for the kill!" Junpei gathered us all around. "This is my area of expertise, so listen up..."

I highly doubt that. Who was the one who held two girlfriends at the same time, then got off with all four limbs intact? But this is Junpei's day, I won't spoil it for him. "First off, think of something to talk about--something they might be interested in. Give them an easy question to get the ball rollin'. That's the golden rule. Somethin' like, 'Where're you from?' or 'Havin' fun?' Pretty soon, you'll be tossin' questions and answers back and forth like you're playin' catch. I'll start things off, and you can ask the questions, alright?" He's more than capable of spoiling it himself.

Sigh

"Alright." Junpei repeated. "...Here we go." He turned around at the girls "Hey, ladies."

There were three of them. One in yellow who had brown hair in a ponytail, one in green with shorter brown hair, and one in red with shoulder length black hair. All of them looked completely uninterested. "Having fun?" I asked, playing my part perfectly according to Junpei's requirements.

"None of your business."

Which meant we were going to fail.

"Hey, no need to be shy…" Junpei replied. "We don't bite."

Which meant we were going to fail Junpei's way.

"Why should we tell you?" Asked the girl in yellow, following green's lead.

"Come on, cut us some slack!" Junpei answered. "We just wanna talk."

Which meant we were going to fail horribly.

"Hey," Akihiko hissed, "I thought you said you were an expert?"

"Hold your horses…" Junpei replied. "I'm just getting warmed up. Watch an learn…" Yep, we're gonna die.

"So… ladies…" Junpei asked, failing smooth completely. "Are you in college?"

Which meant we were going to crash and burn and die in a smouldering crater. Junpei's way.

"…Don't tell me you guys are still in high school?" asked the girl in red, really unimpressed.

"That's right." I replied. Hey, if I'm gonna fail, I will fail with my dignity.

"High school kids vacationing in Yakushima?" Green asked. "That kind of pisses me off."

"Well, we were invited to our friends vacation home." Akihiko told them. "Pretty cool, huh?"

Fail

"Good for your friend." You could taste the sarcasm and contempt. "We, on the other hand, have to pay for our vacation with our hard earned money."

"Guess we're just lucky then." Shinji replied.

"Yeah, lucky you." Replied red. "So, whaddya want, anyways?"

"We came to hit on you." I told them. I told you, If I fall, then I fall with style. To infinity and beyond.

"Huh?" That got triple dose of surprise all around. "Hahaha… you're pretty bold."

"Hey, stop giving them compliments and ignore them." Snapped green.

"W-wait, don't do that! How can you blame us for wanting to talk to such beautiful women!"

Junpei's limit break failed.

"Let's get out of here…" Red suggested.

"A- Wait!" Junpei shouted as they left. "Huh?" I held him back.

"They're gone." I told him. "Let it go."

"So much for your expertise." Akihiko sneered.

"You're at fault too." I told Akihiko. "You both looked like Idiots out there. Shinji, I'm leaving control of this to you, since you seem competent at this."

"W-wait, where you going?" Junpei asked, "Y-you can't back out of this!"

"I, Junpei, am going to follow them _alone_ and apologize for you insulting them."

"H-hey, I didn't insult them!"

"You insinuated that they would be impressed by your crap." I replied. "I'm the leader, so fixing this is my responsibility." I pointed at Junpei. "Don't. Screw up. Again." I looked at Shinji. "I'll be right back."

"Got it." Shinji replied. As I left, I heard him say "Tch. Who does he think he is?"

"I think I'm the leader!" I called over my shoulder back at him.

* * *

"Oh, it's you." Said the girl in red, now sitting at a beach bar. "What do you want?"

"I came to apologise." I said, drawing up a stool. "My friends acted like idiots, and insulted you and your friends, and I'm sorry."

"Hey, it wasn't that bad." She turned to face me. "Just sick of guys acting like we're some floozies."

"Same here." I replied. "So, are we okay?"

The girl smiled and nodded. "Sure."

"Great." I smiled back at her.

"Hey, Maya!"

I looked over her shoulder and she turned around. "Tatsuya?" I asked.

He was just as surprised to see me. "Minato?"

"Wait, you're Minato?" Red asked me. "Sorry, I'm Maya."

"Oh, hi." Moon Arcana. I should pay more attention in future. "Nice to meet you."

"So," Tatsuya asked, sitting next to me, "Find anything else out?"

I filled them in about the Hollow Arcana, about the Demonic Seal, killing the Twelve Shadows, and about the incident. They both took it calmly.

"Well, it's your problem now." Tatsuya replied. "Good luck."

I smiled. "Thanks. Oh, yeah, My phone died, want my new one?"

"The phone number you gave me or the number you gave Naoya?"

Good point. "First one. You got the second?"

Tatsuya nodded. "I'll text you my number later."

"Thanks." I said. "See you!"

"Bye Minato!" Maya shouted.

CRACK!

Oh. Yay.

SMASH!

_Thou art I… And I am Thou…_

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou wieldeth the might of the Sword Arcana_

Oh. That's new.

CRACK!

Ah, now for Hollow.

SMASH!

_THOU SHALT HAVE OUR GUIDANCE WHEN BREAKING THE CHAIN OF CHAOS!!_

Man, those messages just get weirder and weirder.

"Later!" I shouted after them.

Now to get back to Shinji and the guys. Let's just hope they haven't been propositioned by a transvestite hooker.

* * *

"AAAHHHH!!!"

Shinji and Akihiko ran as fast as they could. Junpei ran faster.

"Dude… Where the… Hell… were you..?"

"I… was apologising?" I told him. "What happened to you?"

"I'll tell you what happened!" Shinji told me. "We were just propositioned by a transvestite hooker!"

Damnit. I wonder what would have happened if I stayed?

"Dude, you were supposed to be our wing man!" Junpei shouted. "Man… this sucks!" he sighed. "We're zero for three…"

"Three?" I asked. "I was gone that long?"

"There were some girls in their late twenties, but they left for their boyfriends." Shinji reported as Akihiko sighed. Yeah, I missed stuff.

"What's wrong?" Junpei asked him, "I thought you weren't interested in picking up chicks?"

"If I'm in a match, I want to win." Akihiko explained. "I know what our problem is," He told Junpei, "You can't control yourself!"

"What!?" Junpei protested. "Don't blame this on me!"

"I'm just stating the obvious."

"B-but you haven't scored either!"

"What did you just say?"

"Was it really that bad?" I asked Shinji, as Akihiko and Junpei continued to argue.

"Pathetic." Shinji nodded.

"Enough already!" Akihiko shouted. "Leader," He turned to me, "Whose fault do think it is!?"

"I missed the last two." I replied, "Ask Shinji." Ah, shifting the blame. I love it.

"What!" Junpei shouted, "But he'll be biased!"

Shinji grabbed both of their heads and smashed them together. "It's both your fault."

Dammit, I should have done that!

"Definately." Pharos told me. "He still outranks you in awesome." Bugger.

"OW! Dammit Shinji!" Akihiko shouted, "I am NOT accepting a stalemate! It's either him or me!"

"Yeah!" Junpei agreed, rubbing his sore head. "This is serious! Now, tell us…" Junpei began to trail off. "Who's…" Aaand he stopped altogether. I followed his gaze.

WHAM! She's hot.

Dressed in a light blue dress, there was a gorgeous blonde standing on the pier looking at the ocean. Her short hair moved in the wind beneath her headphones. She deserves a Wayne's World Salute.

SHAAA-Wing.

Wait, she looks familiar somehow.

"Whoa, talk about saving the best for last…" Junpei whispered, hiding behind some rocks. We all huddled next to him, and he continued; "Now that's what I'm talking about! Man, she's cute!"

"I agree..." Akihiko told us, nodding his head slowly.

"Same here…" Shinji was also impressed.

"This is our last chance to make up for failures!" Junpei declared. "But this time, we should try one on one instead of all together. We'll have a better shot that way."

"Tch." Shinji replied.

"Sounds like a plan." Akihiko noted.

"Tch."

"Alright, then let's decide the order!" Junpei declared. "Janken! Minato, you're going last no matter what."

"What!?" I wanted to find out more about this girl. "Why?" Yeah, I want Yukari, but I'm starting to think there's a glitch in the matrix here.

"Because you abandoned us earlier!" Junpei hissed. "We'll go clockwise, starting from the winner, okay?" He told the others. Once they nodded, they all put their fists into the game. "Rock, Paper, SCISSORS!"

Junpei picked Paper. Akihiko and Shinji both picked Rock.

"Yeah, I win!" Junpei stood up. "Alright, I'll go first, then Akihiko-san will go second, then Shinjiro-senpai, then traitor last."

"Junpei," I warned, "I swear, I am this close to-"

"Wish me luck!" He cut me off, running after her. I never even got to finish my threat…

"H-hey, h-how's it going?" Wow, Junpei was failing already. "I noticed that you've been… uh… staring at the ocean…"

Wow. Failblog.

"So, um…" Junpei, I had to admit, still had enough determination to not get out of there. "Do… you come here often? My name's Ju-Ju-Junpei…"

Dude, did he just stutter through his name? The girl turned her head back over her shoulder to look at him.

"Ju-Ju-Junpei?" She asked. Weird, she wasn't showing any anxiety, nor contempt. Did she actually think that was his name?

"Don't worry, I-I just want to talk!" Junpei explained. Way to not look suspicious. "I mean, it's more fun that just standing here by yourself, right?"

The blonde turned her head forward again. "I am looking for a human."

What the hell? Yeah, that wasn't weird or anything.

"O-Oh yeah?" Junpei was confused, and looked around him.

"You are not the one." The girl finished. OWNED!!!

Junpei walked back over to us, completely dejected. "Wow, he got shot down faster than I expected." Akihiko replied.

"He lasted longer than I expected." Shinji replied. "You're up next, Aki."

"Sh-she's a tough one Senpai…" Junpei warned, sitting behind the rocks with us.

"Heh." Akihiko stood up, filled with confidence. "Don't worry about me."

As he walked over to her, I asked Junpei how he felt. He shrugged.

"Well, hello there." Akihiko declared. "Say, do you like the ocean?"

"Is your question directed at me?" The girl asked.

"Oh, um, yeah. I like the ocean too." Akihiko replied, walking closer to her. "Hey, I heard that triathletes who train at the beach do better than those who practice indoors." He smiled. "Makes sense, doesn't it?"

"Wow," Junpei said. "He's actually having a conversation with her!"

"He's doing what you did." Shinji told Junpei. "Only he's doing it right."

Although, something's not right…

"That type of information is irrelevant to me."

OWNED!!! X2!!! Akihiko trudged back to us. He, however, looked satisfied.

"Heh, I won." He told Junpei. "I talked to her longer than you did."

"It doesn't matter how long you talk to her!" Junpei barked. "Senpai, Your shot."

"Tch. Watch and learn."

Shinji, however, walked towards the trees. "Hey, where you going?"

Shinji broke a branch of bamboo and stripped it of its leaves. "Just watch." He replied, breaking off the tip at an angle, then walking along the pier.

"Hey, is he gonna threaten her?" Junpei was worried.

"No…" Akihiko smiled. "Shinji, you genius."

Shinji sat down at the edge of the pier, next to where the girl stood. She ignored him as he sat there with his makeshift spear, watching the water carefully.

Suddenly, he threw the spear into the water, then dived after it.

"What the hell!?" Junpei had no idea what Shinji was doing.

I, however, did.

The marvellous bugger.

He resurfaced with a fairly large fish impaled on the rod of bamboo. "Man, this is gonna taste great. Oh, hey." He said to the girl, as if he'd jut noticed her. "How's it going?"

"Are you talking to me?" The girl asked.

Shinji began climbing the pier. "Well, I'm obviously not talking to this poor bugger." He pulled out the makeshift harpoon and used it to begin cleaning the fish out. "I'm catching dinner."

"Dinner?" She asked him.

"Yeah," Shinji nodded. "Me and a couple of friends are getting together later for a barbeque. Hey, you wanna come?" He asked, as if the idea just popped into his head.

"I will not be able to attend." The girl replied, focusing back on the ocean. OWNED!!! TRIPLE FOWL!!!

"I… See…" Shinji looked somewhat upset. "Well, if you change your mind, you're welcome to come." He got up and walked back towards us. "Later."

"Dude, what was that!?" Junpei was angry.

"She really is tough…" Shinji replied, still carrying his fish.

"Your delivery was perfect." I told him. "It should have worked, but now I'm guessing that she's after a specific someone."

"Don't you try to worm your way out of this!" Junpei growled. "If you don't pull this off, I'll be traumatised for the rest of my life!"

"Fine." I replied. "Can I borrow your phone? So I can get her number."

"Tch, you sound confident." Shinji pointed out at Junpei passed me his phone.

"I am confident." I replied, looking at the background picture on Junpei's phone. "Can I borrow your phone instead?" I handed Junpei's back to him. ("Hey, what!?")

"It's back at the mansion." Shinji replied. "You don't think I dove in there with my phone did you?"

"So's mine." Akihiko told me. "Sorry."

"Tch." I replied, copying Shinji's favourite line. "Fine." I took some water and smoothed my hair to the side, so I didn't come across so emo. I looked at her. Chariot. I switched to Oumitsunu. "Just watch."

I walked over to her, stopping once I was about six feet or so behind her. Now why the hell did she look so familiar? Well, time to find out.

"Do I know you from somewhere?"

The girl's head turned, then her eyes widened with recognition. She turned fully and looked me up and down. "You are…" Surprise. "Initiating Evasive Action!" She shouted, what the hell, "Confirmation must be made at a secure location!" She ran past me like Sonic the Hedgehog: bent over with her arms held straight behind her.

I turned around to watch her leave. "Hey, wai-"

DAMMIT JUNPEI!!

"Hey, what did you say to her to make her run like that!?" Junpei shouted at me as she ran into the forest.

"She ran because she saw you come out from behind the rocks!" I shouted at Junpei and Akihiko. "Why the hell didn't you stop them!?" I shouted at Shinji.

"I was supposed to?" Shinji was still holding his fish.

I sighed. "I'll go apologise for you. Again."

* * *

I followed the path into the forest. She wasn't particularly hard to track, since she didn't cut through the growth, sticking instead to the windy path.

I soon overtook her.

I waited by the big tree at the end of the path for a few seconds until she arrived.

"I was correct…" The girl said, slowly walking towards me. "I have found you."

Good, because I- Whu?

That was the first time I've actually been glomped to the ground.

"I have been searching for you…" She told me, as Akihiko and the lads caught up to us. "My highest priority is to be with you!"

"WHAT!?" Junpei shouted. "I DON'T BELIEVE THIS!!"

"What's going on..?" Akihiko gasped.

"He… he didn't even say anything to her…" Shinji was just as impressed.

I am just that good, bitches.

"There you guys are!"

Oh bloody hell in a balaclava, it's Yukari.

"What are you doing here!?" She started coming closer, "We've been looking all over for you!"

Buggery.

"Um…" Fuuka was confused. "What're you all doing in the woods, in your swimsuits?" Well, it's a long story, but I have more pressing issues right now.

"You have no idea what we've –" Yukari noticed the girl. And me. And the fact that I was half naked and she was on top of me. "Huh?" Yeah, that would be one of the issues right now.

"Who's this?"

"I have no idea." I told her, "But she seems to know me."

"My highest priority is to be with him." She explained.

"WHAT!?"

DAMMIT JUNPEI!!

"He didn't even do anything this time." Pharos noted. It's probably his fault somehow. Chaos theory and all that. Hey, if butterflies can cause hurricanes...

"Listen, we've encountered a problem." Mitsuru explained, approaching. "I'm sorry to interrupt your… vacation…" She looked away from me. "But I need you to all get back to the house and prepare for battle."

"That won't be necessary." Wait, Ikutsuki came on this holiday too? "We've found what we were looking for."

"What do you mean?" Yukari asked him.

Ikutsuki ignored her and, sighing, helped the girl up. Yay, I can breathe again. "You had me worried." He said, shaking his head. "You don't have permission to leave the lab on your own, Aigis."

What, What!?

* * *

-

* * *

Yeah. What.

So, I decided to use the English spelling, Aigis. Aegis is the Romanised version, which means it's how the Japanese spell it when they're typing in English. I'm English, so I'll be using the English spelling.

Also, Janken is the Japanese name for Rock Paper Scissors. You probably guessed, but it's best to have confirmation.

Now, sorry if you feel like I robbed you of some of the babe hunt fun, but I really wanted to introduce Maya and the Sword Arcana. Those of you who know your Arcana know what else is coming.

And yes, Shinji is still holding a wet, gutted fish in his hand. He needs to cook that soon, or it's gonna start to smell.

By the looks of it, Kingdom Hearts Oblivion will be shut down. I'll leave the poll open for a bit longer though.

Yes, Minato is getting overconfident again. It's hard not to when you succeed at something with incredible ease, when all your friends failed miserably. Don't worry, soon he will be shot down.

And I'm surprised no one noticed the change in the video quality before now. I really liked that bit!

Sorry for no update yesterday, I was working on the new chapter for One Eye Of The Demon, which is up now. You should go read it, you'll find the newest chapter interesting to say the least, since you read this story.

Also, I am rapidly approaching 15000 hits. Niceness.

Also, I want to advertise my new story, Naruto: Ours. It's a Naruto / Bokurano story, but don't worry if you haven't seen Bokurano, since it's only the Bokurano concept with the Naruto characters in an AU. It will be an interesting story for those of you who haven't seen Bokurano, and a decent character deconstruction for those who have. I recommend you check it out.

Anyhoo, later! Expect Minato to lose at something next chapter.


	44. Chapter 44

Okay, new chapter.

First off, Shinji and Warhammer40k has been updated. I spent an entire hour reading the new chapter and it is AMAZING!!

Okay, Fangasm over. For now. That was the reason why there was no new chapter yesterday.

Concerning the extra Arcana, don't worry, they won't go past level one, barring the Hollow Arcana. However, I need that to cut off some loose ends in the future with the greatest amount of awesome I can manage. PokehTurtle, don't worry, the Main links will be getting plenty

General Generic, I'll see what I can do about Katsuya. I can't guarantee that he'll be the same, but I'll get some research done.

Dr. Tempo? I don't want to. XD.

Tekirai-chan? He doesn't notice everything. He just notices things at a similar level to Monk. However, there are plenty of things he hasn't picked up on yet in the story, but I'll make him a bit more oblivious in future and blame it on stress. And I'll cut down on the previous characters as well; I'm beginning to think that they show up a bit much too.

KRP, thanks for pointing out the Typo, it's been fixed. Speaking of which… which spelling did I decide on? Aigis, that's the one. I'll use that.

Now, announcement concerning Kingdom Hearts, Oblivion. I will be continuing the story, but at a much slower pace than before. Also, I'll soon be doing a collaboration crack fiction with Ravenwingcorps based on Final Fantasy VII, just to see what I can manage in raw insane humour. Look forward to that.

One more note. Yeah, I have been kinda influenced by Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann lately. Just got into it, Sorry if it's been ruining it for everyone.

Also, 15,000 hits. Yay.

* * *

]=[

* * *

Thirty minutes later, I was in a lab with everyone, fully dressed, with my limbs and dignity intact. For now. Ikutsuki saved my arse there, not that I'll ever admit it to him.

"I apologise for all of the trouble." He told us, "Everything is under control now."

"So," Fuuka began, "What happened to capturing the tank?"

"We're gonna capture a tank!?" I shouted, stopping Ikutsuki before he got to answer the question, because if we did, that would be so sweet.

"It's been taken care of." Ikutsuki told us. Damn. "Come here Aigis."

The girl from before entered the room, now without her dress. First thing I noticed was that she appeared to have some sort of bodysuit on, but then I saw that her hips and shoulders were mechanical. The hell?

"This is Aigis." Ikutsuki told us, "As you can see, she's a 'Mechanical Maiden'." Ah, so she's a robot.

Wait, Robot?

"I am Aigis." She told us in a monotonous tone. "My mission is to destroy Shadows. I have been assigned to S.E.E.S., effective immediately."

Robot.

"No way…" Yukari gasped, "It's like she's… alive…"

She's a robot.

"This is unbelievable…" Akihiko told himself.

There are robot's in 2009.

"She's so cute…" Junpei remarked, "But… she's a robot…"

Dammit Junpei. This is your fault somehow.

"Anti-Shadow weapons were created ten years ago to combat uncontrollable Shadow's." Ikutsuki explained. "Aigis was the last to be made… and she's the only one that still remains today."

"Anti-Shadow weapon?" Mitsuru asked, "Does that mean she..?"

"Yes." Aigis responded. "I am capable of operating the Persona 'Palladion'."

Holy crap.

"She suffered major damage in combat and remained in the lab ever since." Ikutsuki explained. "It's still unclear as to why she suddenly re-activated herself this morning…"

"Probably his fault." Shinji grunted. "Stuff gets weird whenever _he_ gets involved."

"She did go straight for him…" Akihiko agreed. Wait, how is this my fault?

"How is it Junpei's fault?" Pharos countered. Because he's a scapegoat, that's why! Karma is _my_ bitch, dammit!

"Anyway," Ikutsuki coughed, "I hope you all get along."

"An Anti-Shadow weapon with a will of her own…" Fuuka breathed, looking closer at Aigis, "This is amazing…"

"Um, by the way…" Yukari walked up to Aigis, "When I saw you earlier, it seemed like you knew him?" She quickly glanced at me.

Oh, I want to know about this too.

"Yes." She responded. "It is very important for me to stay by his side."

"Hmm…" Ikutsuki hmmed. "Perhaps her identification system is malfunctioning… or maybe she's still half asleep…" So it's not my fault then. "This is quite interesting…"

Ikutsuki clapped. "Well, I can ponder on this later. I forgot to tell you that you can participate in a wide range of recreational activities here." He began counting off his fingers. "There's a tennis court, a pool table, even a karaoke machine!" He grinned. "Would you care to hear me sing?"

"You have guitar hero?" Junpei asked, smiling evilly.

"I believe so."

Junpei stood up and pointed at me. "That's it, you are going DOWN!"

* * *

"Sure you want to do this?" I asked him, strapping on the 'guitar'.

Junpei chuckled darkly. "Oh, I want to do this alright… I'll even let you pick the song!"

Pretty generous of him. Not wanting to look like a bad sport, I picked one at random.

Enter Sandman. Nice. Junpei picked Expert Mode. I did likewise.

"Careful Junpei-kun," Fuuka warned, "Minato-kun is a good musician."

Junpei laughed darkly as he started hitting the notes. Then came my turn.

What the hell?

How the hell am I losing! This machine cheats!

Yet Junpei was doing pretty much perfectly…

Oh

Oh I get it.

I started to account for the time gap between the controller the machine…

Why am I doing worse!?

"Ee-xit light!" Junpei sang, "Enter night!" He laughed darkly as he broke into the solo.

The solo broke me.

That was the first time I had ever been booed off stage. It was horrible.

Junpei only made it worse.

"Suck it!" Junpei shouted! "Who's the man?

I slipped out of the guitar. "Okay, how the hell did I lose that!? I can play that song!"

"Because you suck." Junpei stuck his thumb down. "Bow before the Junpei the great!"

"You can't say that until you've conquered Persia." I walked out of the door. "Anyways, because I'm a sore loser, I'm going fishing."

"Hey, hold on a sec!" Yukari called after me.

"Nope! Fishing!"

* * *

I cast the line out, sitting on the pier where we met Aigis this morning. Then I leant back and just held the rod.

"Nananananana nananananana Fishing!"

"Nananananana nananananana Fishing!"

"Nananananana nananananana Fishing! Fishing! Fishi-" Ooh, a bite!

SPLASH! I reeled it in and broke its skull against the wooden pier. Once it was dead, I got to work cleaning it.

"Both you and Shinjiro-san killed fish." I looked around to see Aigis. "Is there a specific reason for this?"

"Well, there's a lot of satisfaction in eating something you killed yourself." I told her, getting back to work.

"So it is for the combined reason of gaining nutrition and satisfaction." Aigis nodded. "Understood."

I slid the fish's gizzards out into the ocean and the fish itself into the bucket of ice I brought. "There's more to fishing than that."

"May I ask why?"

Yeah, robot. "It's complicated…" I began, "But I'll give it a shot."

Get thoughts into gear and… go. "All forms of life have two basic instincts; Survive and Reproduce. For humans, this has evolved into Destroy and Create. Freud called these two instincts' the Thanatos and the Eros.

"The Thanatos drives men to hunt, to fight, to kill. Most sports and arguments are derived from this instinct. The Eros, however, drives men to Build, Communicate, Reproduce. Satisfy those instincts, and you become satisfied yourself. You with me so far?"

"Affirmative."

"Right. It's logical then that activities that satisfy both of those desires, destruction and creation, are the most satisfying. Team sports, for example, creates friendships among teammates and points for competing, but it also involved defeating your opponents. Martial arts, carpentry, even rape fulfil both desires."

"Fishing fulfils the Thanatos by catching the fish and killing it. On top of that, cooking and eating the fish also fulfils the desires of the Eros. The actual waiting for the fish itself also rests the mind." I cast my line out again. "That's why it's so satisfying. It puts you at… ease, I suppose."

"I comprehend." Aigis replied, standing behind me.

"Good." I told her. "Because I don't."

"But, did you not just explain it to me?" Aigis was confused.

"Yeah, but since I was doing the explaining, I wasn't listening." Tug. "Hey, I got another one!"

* * *

"Hey!"

I turned around. "It is Yukari-san." Aigis told me, as if I didn't already know.

She walked up the pier. "Wh-what are you both doing here?"

"It is imperative that I stay by his side." Aigis told her.

"And this side is fishing." I added. "How's it going in there?"

Yukari shot a look at Aigis before sitting next to me. "Ikutsuki got drunk and started singing Journey."

"Seriously? How the hell did I manage to miss that?"

"You were out here fishing." Aigis reminded me.

"Ah, thanks." I'm going to have to teach her about sarcasm at some point.

"So…" Yukari looked awkward. "What were you guys talking about?"

"Dunno really." I told her, taking a bite into my Bauer Bar. Gives you energy for 24 hours.

"Minato-sama was explaining how fishing is similar to rape."

That would have been a perfect chance for a spit take. Unfortunately, I was eating an energy bar at the time, so I choked instead.

"Erm…" Yukari tried to hide the fact that she was offended, "I'm assuming that that is technically true, yet not the truth."

COUGH HACK HACK WHEEZE! "Part of a long… in depth explanation of why fishing is satisfying psychologically…" I took a swig from my water bottle. "Long story. I forget half of it."

"Both activities fulfil the desires of the Eros and the Thanatos." Aigis explained, probably more to me that Yukari. "As does rape."

"And team sports, martial arts, carpentry and carving in general!" I added quickly to limit the arse kicking I was about to receive.

"I believe you." Yukari replied, smiling.

"You're still angry." I pointed out, getting ready to flee.

"You sure?" Yep angry. "Because I'm feeling fairly calm."

"A-anyway's," I stood up. "I was just finishing up here, so… I'm going back to the house."

"Are you not going to consume the fish you killed for the greatest amount of satisfaction?"

That is why you don't show off unnecessary amounts of knowledge. I am really going to have to teach Aigis the art of subtlety and reading the mood.

"Good point." I replied, picking up the bucket. "I'll show you the best way to do that!"

* * *

Eating a fish you killed, frying it, then eating it among friends is one of the best experiences a man can have.

However, if you remember that everything tastes better on a stick, and the manliest type of cooking is roasting on an open fire in the middle of the woods, then things just get awesome.

Roasted fish on a stick in the middle of the woods was gooood. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

Of course, it gets awkward if one of you isn't eating anything.

* * *

I just remembered. Shinji never got around to cooking his fish. It must be stinking the place up by now.

* * *

"Aw, man! Dude, that is nasty!"

Yep, Shinji forgot that he put his fish in Junpei's room for safekeeping. Silly Shinji.

* * *

"Man, it's already the third day of our trip. It's too bad we gotta go home tomorrow…" Sighed Junpei, smelling slightly of fish. "I would totally stay longer if I could. But, I can't complain…" Junpei perked up. "A lotta cool things happened on this trip." He looked behind him and saw something that made him go "Ooh!", then ran towards it.

"How can he still be so full of energy?" Akihiko asked. "We were all up so late last night…"

"500 yen says he comes back with a slap across his face." Shinji offered.

"I don't make stupid bets." Akihiko sighed.

"I don't gamble." I told him. "Especially when I know I'll lose."

"Tch." Shinji sat down on the sand. A few seconds later, Junpei came back with the girls, a big red mark on his face.

He looked happy about it.

"Do we have a mission at the beach today?" Aigis asked Junpei as they approached.

"Nah, it's nothing like that." Junpei told her. "We just came here to have fun."

"Do you know what it means to 'have fun', Aigis?" Fuuka asked her.

"Of course." Aigis told her. "Recreation is the refreshment of one's mind and body."

"Exactly!" Junpei announced. "Wow, you sure know a lot about us humans!" I bet that sounded better in his head. "Alright! Let's take one last dip before we leave!" Aigis followed him into the water.

"Uh, hold on, Junpei-kun..." Fuuka was hesitant. "Is it okay for Aigis to go into the ocean?"

"Oh, I'm sure she's waterproof." Yukari replied, dismissively. If I didn't know any better, I'd say that she didn't like Aigis.

Since I did know better, I kept that to myself.

"Smart man." Pharos noted. I think that's been established already. Apparently I'm getting arrogant lately too. Must monitor thoughts better in future.

Aigis came back up to us, her wet dress sticking to her body. If she was human, that would have been a lot hotter.

Must. Monitor. Thoughts...

"What's wrong, Aigis?" Fuuka asked.

"It is best that we all engage in this activity together." Aigis told her. "An activity in which only one person derives satisfaction of their instinctual drives is not the optimal method to Have Fun." Holy crap that sounds as bad.

"Mph… Haha…" Yukari laughed. "Alright, you've twisted my arm."

"I apologise."

"No, it's an expression." Yukari told her as they both walked into the water.

"We should join them." Fuuka pointed out to Mitsuru, who agreed.

I, on the other hand, joined in on Akihiko's and Shinji's activity of sleeping.

"Are you enjoying yourself?"

Tried to join in on Akihiko's and Shinji's activity of sleeping. Ikutsuki ruined it.

"We've been quite busy during our time here," Ikutsuki continued, "But it looks as if we can relax a bit today."

"Hey, Akihiko-san!" Junpei shouted. "Come on! It's your turn!"

"My turn for what?" Akihiko sat up. "What're they doing?"

Ikutsuki laughed. "I'm glad to see everyone is having so much fun. I've already told you what time the ship will be arriving tomorrow, yes?"

"Nine in the morning, right?"

"Correct." Ikutsuki nodded. "I'll most likely head over to the port early, so don't be late."

"Okay." Akihiko told Ikutsuki, "I'll tell the others."

"Excellent." Ikutsuki smiled. "Oh, Minato-kun, I'm sorry about what happened to your music player," He reached into his pocket, "So I had this made."

He handed me what looked not unlike a Sony Walkman. "Oh, thanks!"

He smiled again as I took it. "I've also had it modified to work in the Dark Hour." Wait, what? "And it's waterproof, of course."

I couldn't believe it. "Ikutsuki, you have just entered into my list of my top ten favouritest people in the whole wide world." Yeah, I am easily bribed if offered the right price.

He laughed. "Well, I'll see you all tomorrow. Until then," He said, walking off, "Enjoy the last day of your vacation."

SMASH!

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Fool Arcana._

"Hey! Come on guys!"

"NO! Sleeping!"

* * *

"So, all in all," Pharos told me as I left my room the next morning, "That could have gone worse."

"I'm not out of the woods yet." I told him. "Aigis is moving in with us, remember?"

"So she is." Pharos smiled. "I expect Hilarity to Ensue."

I expect so too. Joy.

* * *

Nothing eventful happened on the boat, thankfully.

So I went to talk to Ikutsuki.

"Hey, can I ask you a few things about Aigis?"

"Hm?" He asked. "Sure, go ahead."

"First, why is she in a human form?"

Ikutsuki drew a deep breath. Hoo boy.

"Personas are created from human minds." He began. "So the plan was to place a human mind inside an anti-Shadow weapon... The only real issue was the form the weapon would take... If the form of the weapon was a tank, for instance, the weapon's mind would recognize itself as a tank..."

"Ah." I replied.

"Exactly." He nodded. "A tank is not a living entity. This is crucial, you see, because the mind of a non-living entity will not process human thoughts correctly... so it will not function properly, and it will soon become corrupted. However, a mind placed inside a form that closely resembles a human body will recognize itself as a human being..."

"Thus allowing it to easily adapt to human thoughts…" I had to admit, it was simple and brilliant.

"Correct." Ikutsuki responded. "Therefore, Aigis and her sisters were built in the form of human beings."

"That's another question." I replied. "What happened to those sisters?"

"Well, there were many created." Ikutsuki admitted. "However, they were all destroyed ten years ago in the incident. Aigis has been quite lonely since then."

"Alright then." I replied. "Last one;"

"I do not know." Ikutsuki answered the question before I got to ask it. "Perhaps it is simply a glitch in her human recognition programming..." He sighed. "Regardless, it is nothing to concern yourself with."

"Alright then…" Still didn't explain why she looked so familliar...

* * *

"These are your lodging quarters?" Aigis asked as she walked into the dorm. "Very well, I shall be by your side at all times."

"Man, I'm beat." Junpei announced as he heaved his case through the front door. "It seemed to take forever to get back…"

Not my fault customs arrested me because I forgot to take my knife out of my hand luggage.

"Yeah, it was a tiring trip." Fuuka agreed. "Please rest up so you're ready for the next operation."

"Yeah, yeah." Junpei groaned. "I don't have any plans for summer break, so I can fight Shadow's all you want."

"…Wow." Yukari noted, "You must be really bored."

"Sh-Shut up, Yuka-tan!"

"Whatever." Yukari slumped onto the couch. "We just have to beat the last six, and it'll be all over. The Lost will get better, and everything will be back to normal, right?"

"Suppose so." I replied. "When is the next operation?"

"August Sixth." Fuuka replied. "That is the next full moon."

"That soon?" Shinji asked. "That's only two weeks away!"

"I did say…" I pointed out. That's why we went to Tartarus back on Saturday.

"Everyone seems so tired…" Fuuka noted. "Maybe we should skip going to Tartarus tonight and get some rest."

"Alright then." I replied "Night."

* * *

"Dude," Junpei asked me once we were upstairs. "Aigis is cute, right?"

"Yeah, she is."

"I mean seriously!" Junpei was serious. "I don't think I've ever seen a machine that was so cute before…"

"She's certainly cuter than my toaster."

* * *

"Good Morning! Please wake up!"

Who dares disturb my slumber?

Aigis? Why would a robot be so foolish?

"Mission accomplished." She stated.

"Mission accomplished?" I asked.

"The paper on the wall said 'Do things five minutes early.' " She said. "Therefore, I woke you up five minutes prior to the triggering of your alarm clock."

"Thank you." I told her. "Now I'm going back to sleep."

KNOCK KNOCK

DAMMIT!

"Hey, are you awake?" Yukari.

"Unfortunately."

"Listen, that girl disappeared, and we can't find her anywhere!" Has she no sympathy? "Think you can help us out? She might've gone out on her own, like she did in Yakushima."

"I am not a girl." Aigis replied. "I am Aigis, and I am here."

"Huh?"

"Found her!" I shouted. Back to sleep.

"Aigis!" Yukari shouted, in my room now somehow. "How did you-?"

"He was asleep, so I unlocked the door."

"That's unlawful entry! Didn't we tell you to stay on standby in the command room at night!?"

"I propose to be on standby in his room from now on. Is that acceptable?"

"WHAT!? N-no! No, it's not acceptable!"

"If there is a problem, then I will address it promptly."

"Uh, the problem is that it's against dorm regulations! Don't just lie there!" Oh, apparently I'm being dragged into this now. "Tell her!"

"Don't care. Sleeping."

"Well you should care!" Yukari shouted. "It's unacceptable!"

"So is being woken up five minutes early. Need Sleep."

Yukari sighed. "Alright, I'll have a room prepared for you on the third floor. You can stay there. Oh, and don't leave the dorm by yourself, okay?"

"I will do as commanded."

"Then let me sleep!"

"Understood."

Yukari groaned. "I'm tired…"

"Join the club."

"Whatever. I've got practice this morning, so I gotta go. I'll see you at school!"

"Kay."

She left.

"Everyone goes to a place called school in the morning." Aigis noted. "I comprehend."

_-^- Hey, mama, see the way you move! Gonna make you sweat! Gonna make you groove! -^-_

Damn. That's five minutes of sleep I'll never get back.

* * *

]=[

* * *

So, yeah. That's your hilarity peoples. Minato and Yukari scenes are now going to have the added fun of being ruined by Aigis every time. Next chapter is gonna have school time hilarity, and more Tartarus.

Again, remember to request specific social link scenes you want to see. Next chapter should show increase in Magician, Lovers and Tower, hopefully Chariot and Star. For great hilarity and awesome.

Once again, check out my Naruto story. It's a very different style to this one, and I need as much input in it as possible from you all to make it work.


	45. Chapter 45

Hey, it's me again.

Now, I've just started a new story called Time Paradox, which I'm doing alongside Ravenwingcorps. It's hilarious, so check it out.

Now, I've got my laptop back, but unfortunately I lost all of my files on it. Thankfully, all of my school work and the notes for writing are on my USB drive, so yay. Downside is that my laptop can't recognise my family's IP address when I'm home, which sucks face. Which basically means that I will be slowed down in the beta-ing and the uploading of new chaps. But oh well.

Now for the reviews. Pokehturtle, Minato was singing the batman theme. And Fortune will show up after the summer break.

Dogmatix, good point. Just for that, next time they go to Tartarus, I'll focus on the other characters. And a foil… I think I know what you mean… don't worry if I do, because I have a couple of awesome fight scenes planned out based on that very premise.

Viktor Mayrin, I am putting that quote in at some point. Fools rush in were Angels fear to tread… I like it.

General Generic? Well, how did Minato react _last_ time something tried to manipulate him?  
Also, I agree with you about Guitar Hero. Fact: better you are on real guitar, worse you are on Guitar Hero. Herman Li refuses to touch his own song on it! And you will see every Sun Social link play out, Star appears soon, and I'm gonna have Minato work more at the office during the summer.

Anyhoo, onto the next chapter.

* * *

-

* * *

So. Friday. Now, this was weird, because I had to go to school today, then tomorrow, then it was the summer holidays. Which was weird, since we had the past four days off from school. I guess it's so we can collect our exam results I suppose.

You get it, it's weird.

Anyhoo, once I'd convinced Aigis to stay in the dorm, I walked to school with Junpei, who seemed somewhat down. So I asked him what was on his mind.

"Well, I was thinking…" Hey, that's a fir- no, that's just harsh. "After we defeat all the Shadow's, and the Dark Hour disappears… what's gonna happen then?"

"There will be much rejoicing." Yay.

"Well, yeah, but regular people don't even know about the Dark Hour, right?"

"There'll still be rejoicing over the end of Apathy Syndrome." I pointed out.

"True," Junpei agreed, "But, that means no one will ever know about anything we've ever done…"

"Good." I reminded him, "I don't want all those nasty insurance people chasing me."

Junpei laughed. "Maybe I'll rat you out anyways, get a reward."

I stopped. "…You wouldn't…"

Junpei laughed again. "Oh? Maybe I will then…"

I shook my head. "No, you wouldn't see a penny. The way insurance companies are now?"

Junpei sighed. "Dammit… I need some cash for summer break…"

"Get a job." I suggested. "That's what I did."

"Ha! Yeah right! Summer's for fun and re-lax-ation!"

"Or spending money on hot dates." I reminded him.

"Hmm…" Junpei considered it. "Hey, Minato…"

"I'm not lending you money to take a girl out."

"Dammit!"

* * *

So, lunchtime, I was on my laptop, copying my music onto my new Darkplayer (tm), I've always wanted to say that, when the class representative smacked his hands on my desk.

"Oh, Kihei-kun." I asked. Devil. "What's up?"

"What's up!?" He was shaking "WHAT'S UP YOU ASK!?"

Okay, I'm in trouble somehow. "Okay," I replied calmly, closing the lappy shut for safe keeping, "What have I done now?"

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE NOW!? I'LL TELL YOU WHAT YOU'VE DONE NOW!!"

"Kihei-kun," Kaoru warned him. "Calm down…" Temperance.

"Huu…" Kihei took a deep breath. "I… I work so hard…" He glared at me. "I study so damn hard…" He said, still shaking, "I study so hard so Mitsuru-senpai will recognise my intelligence and notice me!!" Muh? "If she sees how smart I am, then maybe… maybe…" He glared at me, "I can finally confess my feelings for her!"

M'kay? "So… this involves me… how?"

"THIS IS HOW YOU RUINED MY DREAMS!!" He screamed, shoving a torn piece of paper into my face.

Top Ten Scores:  
1st- Minato Arisoto, 96% Average  
3rd- Fuuka Yamagishi, 95% Average  
3rd- Kihei Hiruma, 95% Average

Ah. "Last time…" Kihei hissed, "We tied… So I forgave you… but this…" He spat in my face. "THIS IS UNFORGIVABLE!!"

The room went silent.

I picked up my Laptop and passed it to Junpei. "Hold onto this."

"Huh?" Junpei took the machine from me. "Erm… why?"

CRASH!! I stood up and grabbed his Kihei's throat, knocking the desk over as I held him in the air.

"That…" I hissed, holding him by his chin above my head, "Was… forgivable…" I looked him in the eye. "Now, even if I threw you against the blackboard, it would still be forgivable." I lowered him, but not enough for his feet to touch the ground. "So what if I did better in the exam than you. That's the point of making the scores public, to make you do better." I put him down and wiped my face. "You do not cry about it when someone beats you, you study harder next time." I let go of his throat. "You want justice? Get a hundred next time."

I picked my desk up from the floor and set it straight. "Now, if you really want to feel insulted about this whole thing, I didn't even study that hard for them."

"You… you what..?"

I nodded, taking my computer back from an astonished Junpei. "I've already got my qualifications, why would I bust my backside over getting qualifications I already have?" I smiled. "But next time, I will study. Just for you."

BRIINNG!!

"And now it's time for class." I turned my computer off, halfway through its job. "Thanks."

* * *

I noticed that Kenji didn't look so good after school, so I went up to him.

"Dude, you alright?" SMASH! Sati.

"Huh?" Kenji turned to me. "Oh, Minato…"

Damn, he really was worried. "Alright, talk to me."

"Well," He wasn't even surprised that I knew something was up, "I've got a serious problem…"

"Spill, maybe I can help."

"Heh, I doubt it…" He flashed happiness. "I saw a magazine on Emiri's coffee table…" Fear, anxiety, "Guess what it was called."

Okay, what is the scariest thing for a MILF hunter like Kenji? "A bridal magazine?"

"H-How did you guess!? Man, you're amazing…"

It was the penguins. "Anyway…" Kenji continued, "When I saw the magazine… I got thinking…" His face set into determination. "I made up my mind." He said sternly. "Once I graduate, I'm gonna marry Emiri."

That's a bad idea. However, he was determined. "You do realise that Future Kenji will have to accept responsibility for the consequences of Present Kenji's decisions, right?"

"Yeah." Kenji almost sounded angry now.

I slapped him on the back. "Then that's great!" I smiled. "As long as you're serious, and you know what you're getting into, congratulations!"

Kenji smiled. "I'm seriously in love with Emiri," He stated, "And I'm gonna marry her!" He began to raise his voice. "Then, Emiri Kanou will be known as Emiri Tomochika! And I'll make her the happiest wife ever!"

"And I'm sure you'll be the best dad ever too."

He paled. "Damn, there's that too…" He facepalmed. "I can't believe I didn't think about that…"

"Having second thoughts?"

He perked up, grinning with determination. "Not a chance. Come on, let's get some ramen!"

SMASH!

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Magician Arcana…_

Kenji smiled at me. "I wonder how many times I'll get to eat out with you like this…" He wondered aloud. "I mean, I'm gonna have to get saving for a wedding soon…"

* * *

I bumped into that fortune teller on the way home. She offered to tell my fortune, which I accepted.

"Very well..." She said, closing her eyes "I see a girl... She stands between light and dark, life and simulacrum..." She breathed in. "She falters... As if not knowing on which side she belongs... Hm...?" Confusion flashed across her face. "She is trying to tell you something... Can you hear her words...?" She opened her eyes. "Farewell, then... May your future be bright..."

I guess that she's talking about Aigis?

* * *

"Hi!" Fuuka called as I returned to the dorm. "How was your day?"

"Not bad," I replied, "How was yours?"

"It was good." She smiled. "So, how did you do on your exams?"

I smiled. "Better than you, it appears."

"That's great!" She seemed really surprised. "I'm happy for you." Normally, people aren't that happy when you beat them, but not Fuuka. "Did you see Mitsuru-senpai's score?" I nodded. "Wow, she's amazing…"

"In two weeks the moon will be full again." Aigis pointed out.

"Dude, those freaks with Apathy Syndrome will be everywhere..." Junpei groaned. "Wait," He added, "I mean 'The Lost.'" Political Correctness strikes again. "I prolly shouldn't complain about 'em," Sighed Junpei, "Since it's not their fault. It's those damn Shadows..."

"It is possible to end this." Aigis reminded him. "Six Shadow's remain. If we can eliminate them, the Dark Hour will vanish."

"Yeah, that's true." Junpei perked up. "So what you're trying to say, Aigis, is that fighting is more important than studying, right?" Holy crap is there no ends to his laziness? "I agree One Hundred Percent!"

"Well, the exam scores have been posted," Akihiko admitted, "So now we can enjoy our summer vacation." He pointed at me. "Just don't forget to train."

"Minato-san, I have a question." Aigis asked me as I walked to the couch.

"Shoot." I replied, turning the TV on.

"How would you classify the facility known as 'School'?"

Ooh, that was a tough one. "…Educational, I'd guess."

"Roger that." Aigis replied. "I will categorise 'School' as 'Educational'."

"You sure?" Pharos asked me, "Because you don't seem to learn much there."

More than one kind of education. Hey, good point. "There's more than one kind of education though." I told her. "On top of what you learn in lessons, you gain life lessons with your classmates too, so I guess it could also be classed as Social and Entertaining."

"Roger that," Aigis repeated. "I will categorise 'School' as 'Educational', 'Social', and 'Entertaining'."

Suppose so.

-^- _"In children's news today-- Ah, we've just received this bulletin. More Apathy Syndrome patients have been sighted. They seem to be relapses of the same patients from the previous months..." _-^-

"Odd…" I noted.

"What is it?" Aigis asked.

"Well, normally, there's a pattern in the victims." I told her. "So, in the weeks before the Priestess attacked, the victims all used the monorail to commute. Before the Empress and Emperor appeared, the victims were students. And last time," I caught a glance from Yukari. "The victims we all people who went to the red light district."

"Wait, what are you suggesting?" Mitsuru asked.

"I think the next Shadow doesn't give a damn about who it gets." Think Minato, Think… "It's… Chariot next, right?"

"Yeah," Shinji nodded. "So what?"

"The Arcana Shadows represent the reverse of the Arcana they represent." I explained. "Which was why Empress ate other Shadows, Lovers used mind control, and Magician acted like an animal." I thought for a second. Come on, I'd read this a dozen times… "Chariot represents Impulse, Bravery, Honour, Victory, Yadayadaya, Discipline! That's the one."

"So, you're suggesting that this Shadow is going for easy targets because it lacks discipline?" Yukari suggested.

"Kinda." I replied. "Inverted Chariot usually means the same as regular Chariot, only it signifies losing the battle through a lack of control."

"Tch." Shinji smirked. "So the battle's pretty much already won then?"

"It could be berserk though…" Akihiko warned.

"Who cares?" Junpei laughed. "It's gonna go down!"

* * *

Next day, I walked to school with Junpei again.

"Dude, summer break starts tomorrow!" He told me excitedly. "It's time to meet some cuties at the beach!"

"We are not doing that again." I warned.

"Ya know, if you think about it, we're pretty lucky to be living in the dorm..." He ignored me. "Mitsuru-senpai, Yuka-tan, and Fuuka... They're all hotties, don't ya think?"

"Yeah? So?"

"It'd be tough to be more than just friends with any of 'em..." Junpei sighed. "Senpai is the smartest girl in school _and_ the President of Student Council... I bet she only dates uber-nerds."

"So you've got no chance with her then."

"Too right." Junpei looked depressed. "Yuka-tan is pretty damn popular, so she could prolly get any guy she wants..."

"So you've got no chance with her then."

"If I did…" Junpei looked even more depressed. "And that just leaves Fuuka... But, she's super shy... You'd have to be really careful..."

"So you've got no chance with her then."

"Man," Junpei was in despair. "This sucks… Hey, don't tell any of them I was talking about this, alright!?"

"Sure." I told him.

* * *

"Guess what Junpei was talking about on the way to school today."

"I was there you know."

"Oh. Right you are, Pharos."

* * *

Not much important happened during school, but just as class ended Coach came in to talk to me.

"Hey, Minato, You got a minute?"

"Huh? Oh, sure."

Coach cleared his throat. "Since you're a transfer student, you probably don't know about the upcoming competition, right?" I shook my head. "Well, on August 2nd, there's a big tournament. I want you to compete, so start training!"

"Yessir." Finally, some human victims. For too long have I hungered after mortal flesh.

"Don't take this lightly." Coach warned me. "You'll be going up against a monster named Hayase, but you can handle it." Hayase, where did I know that guy from?

"He's your star social link," Pharos reminded me. Oh, yeah, that day was kinda a blur.

"This year," Coach continued, "We won't lose so easily! Make sure you come to school from July 27th to August 1st, alright?"

"Eh?" Confusing. "What for?"

"TRAINING!" Coach pulled a pose. "I'm gonna make you work like you've never worked before, so be ready!!"

Ah bugger. Wait. This will probably be normal for me. "Sure, okay."

"See you on Monday." Coach reminded me, before leaving.

"So, what was that about?" Hey, Yukari!

"Oh, he wants me to train for some Tournament in a week." I told her. "What's up?"

"Oh, um… Can, I talk to you on the rooftop?"

Nyeh? "Sure."

* * *

"So, what is it?" I asked her as I closed the rooftop door behind me.

"Well, um…" She was hesitating. "At Yakushima…" Oh… "I… said some stupid things. I just wanted to say I'm sorry."

"That's it?" I asked. "You shouldn't be apologising to me."

"Well, it's been bothering me for a while!" Yukari protested. "It's just that it's hard not having a regular family, ya know? "

Well, I did have my aunt, uncle and cousins there for me, but "Yeah, I know what you mean."

She sighed, leaning against the railings. "Everyone else has a Mom and a Dad… why do we have to be so different?"

I walked over to her. "We're not." I leant against the railings. "Well, not really. Akihiko and Shinjiro are both orphans, and Ken's all alone too." Sigh. "Junpei hates being at home," I added, rolling over to look at the city, "And Fuuka doesn't get on with her parents either…" Click. "Wait, did I just find a pattern between the Persona users here?" I asked. "I mean, Mitsuru's dad is pretty distant…"

"What," Yukari laughed. "So crummy or dead parents make Persona Users?"

"Or kids who find independence early on get Persona…" I shook my head. "Anyway, you were saying something?"

"Huh? Oh yeah." Yukari leant her elbows on the railing to face the city as well. "I didn't mean to lump the two of us together, but I felt like you'd understand, and that you've been looking out for me Minato…"

"Course I do."

"Which one?"

"Both." I laughed. Yukari giggled a bit too.

"Thanks." She said.

SMASH!

Ah. That time again.

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Lover's Arcana.._

"What's wrong?" She asked.

Wow she's sharp. "Apparently you're a social link now."

Surprise. "Since when?"

"Yakushima."

"I see…" Sadness flashed. "Is that why you..?"

Kissed you? "Actually, I had no idea until after Junpei got there." Damn Junpei.

"Is that so…" Yukari blushed. "So… what was that..?"

"Me taking advantage of the situation." I shrugged. "Since… you know, turned down the chance earlier."

"Ugh, don't remind me…" Note to self- do not bring that mission up ever again. "So, why?"

"You're really making me drag this out you know."

"Drag what out?" Yukari was smiling. Ah, bugger this.

I kissed her.

* * *

-

* * *

Aaaand because I'm evil.

Yeah, shorter chapter today. Still fairly worn out after doing Time Paradox yesterday. You should check it out, it's like this only funnier.

Hey, you get more leeway for humour if you can completely disregard everyone's characters and give them new ones. For those of you who haven't read it yet, Barrett smokes Marijuana with hilarious results.

Anyhoo, gonna do the next chapter of Naruto: Ours, then another Persona, then Kingdom Hearts.

Side note. Just copied a load of Yellowcard's old stuff onto my MP3 player. I'd stopped listening to them for ages, but now I've got back into them. Yay.


	46. Chapter 46

Hey, me again.

Short chapter last time, I know, and I'm sorry. But I really had no idea on how to continue that last scene, so I didn't. Yeah, I suck. Meh.

Know what else sucks? I spent a good half hour trying to make some nice text-art-ish page breaks, but formatting keeps screwing them up, so now I'm sticking to the normal stuff. Yay.

Now for reviews. Not much, since I uploaded the new chapter in the morning, part of the whole suck that is my laptop breaking, so as I write this, most of you haven't read it. Ah well.

Oh, from now on, if I underline something, it means lots of people are saying it at the same time.

General Generic, You are right about needing more Fuuka Scenes. I actually wanted to put a decent amount of focus on her, so I'm gonna have to make up for that. And I agree on toning down the romance scenes. Anymore of those you see will now only end in hilarity, at least not until level 10. Also, Kihei is the Mitsuru admirer in your classroom. You know, the "Greetings and Salutations" Guy, and thanks for reminding me about the other one. Expect Hilarity to ensue when they come back to school.

* * *

-

* * *

"Hello!" Ken announced when Yukari and I entered the dorm. "My name is Ken Amada. I'll be staying here for a while, but I'll try to stay out of everyone's way, so don't mind me."

"Don't be silly Ken-kun!" Yukari told him as I raised a finger, "Just make yourself at home!"

"I," I announced, "Am going to call you Kenjamin."

Silence.

"Erm… why is that?" Kenjamin asked.

"Because it's an awesome name and you'd be stupid to not take the chance up." I turned to the couches. "Hey, Fuuka! You wanna go out tonight?"

More silence.

"What!?" Fuuka was blushing, "Erm, what, eh?"

"You know, to the usual place."

Penny dropped in the heads of all who were listening except for Kenjamin. "Oh, oh okay. I'll call you when I'm ready."

"Sweet." I walked for the stairs. "See you guys later!"

"You're in a good mood." Pharos noted.

Why wouldn't I be? I feel awesome.

"Does the fact that you made out with a certain Yukari Takeba have anything to do with it?"

Probably! By which I mean Hell Yes On A Stick.

"Wow, you really are in a good mood."

I am.

"The data regarding the newest resident," Aigis told me, "Ken-A-ma-da-san, has been recorded." Has she been waiting at the top of the stairs for me this whole time? "I am able to communicate with him at any time. Please permit me to do so."

"First off, hide the fact that you're a robot from anyone who isn't in S.E.E.S."

"Understood."

"Secondly, only if you call him Kenjamin."

"Understood. Replacing name data for Ken Amada to Kenjamin."

And thus it begins… MWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

* * *

"I really hope Ken-kun won't be involved in this…" Yukari told me on the way to Tartarus that night. We had to wait for Kenjamin to get to sleep then sneak out, leaving him home alone.

"Do you want me to tell you what you want to hear," I asked her "Or what I think will happen?"

"Ikutsuki-san did say that he has the potential…" She agreed unhappily.

"I don't know what it is," Junpei butted in, "But there's something about him…"

"Maybe it's the fact that he's more mature than you." Yukari stabbed, not unkindly.

"Heh." Junpei laughed. "What do you think?" He asked, turning to me.

Is my opinion really that valued? "He is precocious." I admitted.

"I have no idea what you just said." Junpei replied, blankly.

"It means he's an old man inside a kids body."

"Oh." Junpei nodded. "_That_ I agree with!"

**DOOM**

Huh, Dark Hour already? "Come on," I told everyone, "We're wasting time!"

We all set off at a brisk pace, so I decided to tell everyone my plans for the new team formations.

"We'll go in two waves." I explained. "Since I have the best resistance to the Dark Hour, I'll lead both of them. Mitsuru, Akihiko and Shinjiro will be in the first wave, Aigis, Yukari and Junpei on the second."

"Do you have any particular reasoning behind those line ups?" Mitsuru asked.

"Yukari is the best healer out of all of us," I explained, "But she lacks the raw firepower that Junpei has, while you and Akihiko are roughly equal. That leaves Aigis and Shinjiro as two tanks, but since Shinjiro and Akihiko can do fusion raids together, then they should go together. Simples."

"It is the most logical solution." Aigis pointed out. Thank you, Aigis.

* * *

_~ There are three guardians! ~ _Fuuka told me, Shinji, Akihiko and Mitsuru. _~They are a new type of Shadow I don't recognise, but they're of the Hierophant. Be careful, they're very powerful! ~_

Too right they are. They were huge!

Think an oversized Hockey Goalie in metal padding, replace the wireframe mask with a Hierophants blue one, and give it a blunt broadsword twice its size and you're there.

_~ I'm calling them Giga Berserkers. ~_ Fuuka told me. _~ I'll class any similar forms in the Berserker house. ~_

Oh, yeah. Shadows were classified into Arcana, then into houses. So the Hierophant had the Twins house, the Tower house, Sigil house, and now the Berserker house. The annoying thing was that Hierophants, while generally slow, also generally had no weaknesses.

This was going to be tough.

"Alright," I began. "Fuuka, scan for a weakness, just in case."

_~ Got it. ~_

"Akihiko, Mitsuru, You two go for the one closest, distract it. Shinji, look for the opportunity, then break it."

"Got it." Akihiko nodded.

"Alright." Mitsuru nodded.

"Tch." Shinji grunted. "And what are you going to do?"

"I'm gonna run like hell."

"What!?"

I plugged my headphones in and picked a song. Then smiled as the music began playing.

"You don't think the other two are gonna stand by and watch do you?" I asked before charging at them.

_If you like to gamble, I tell you I'm your man, _

I jumped over the angled sword as I charged between the two back ones.

_You win some, lose some, it's all the same to me!_

"Hey! Over here!" Akihiko smashed into one of the Berserkers as it turned for me.

"Thanks!" I shouted. "COME ON MIGHTY DUCKS!!"

_The pleasure is to play,_

The back two took the bait.

_Makes no difference what you say!_

I turned down the corner, away from the others. Got any ideas, Pharos?

"You could try to smash them into each other." Good plan. I turned back to face them.

_I don't share your greed,_

Run towards their attack…

_The only card I need is_

Jump over their swords…

_THE ACE OF SPADES!_

**CRUNCH!!** I landed smoothly.

_THE ACE OF SPADES!!_

Nice, now one had its sword arm injured, that's helpful.

~ _No weaknesses, but you're all doing great! ~_

_Playing for the high ones, dancing with the devil!_

Great. I pulled a katana from the scroll.

_Going with the flow, it's all a game to me!_

I parried the overhead strike, sending it to my side. "LOA!!" BOOM!

The skull appeared over my head, showing an Evil Smile as a snake writhed from its mouth and eye.

_Seven or eleven, Snake Eyes watching you!_

The one closest to me got scared, dropping its weapon, while the injured one wasn't impressed.

_Double up or quit,_

Just as planned.

_Double stake or split, it's_

BOOM! LOA!

_THE ACE OF SPADES!_

It unleashed a Ghastly Wail.

_THE ACE OF SPADES!!_

The Berserker in my face melted, screaming. I turned to face the other guy, who prepared to attack.

"RRARRGH!!" Akihiko rammed his thunder-covered elbow into the Shadow's cracked arm. Ichor sprayed everywhere.

_You know I'm born to lose_

Then Mitsuru stabbed.

_And Gambling's for fools._

The Shadow began to freeze.

_But that's the way I like it baby, I don't want to live forever!_

The Shadow fell back down and smashed into pieces.

"You alright?" Akihiko asked me.

"Yeah," I replied, surprised. "Where's Shinji?"

"Here."

_And don't forget the Joker!!_

Holy Crap he had actually stolen one of those weapons. "Take those out." He shouted, pointing at his ear.

Pause. I took the headphones out.

"Do you honestly believe that Aragaki and Yourself are the only two Persona Users with any actual strength?" Mitsuru asked me. "Or are you honestly so arrogant that you think that the rest of us are only good for distractions?"

"Good point." Yeah, she hit the nail on the head before I even grabbed the hammer. "Thank you." I told her. "I didn't realise that I was failing again as a leader."

That surprised everyone. "What?" I replied. "She was right and I was wrong. Again." Best take it and learn before I get suspended again. Yes, I can be humble. "Anyways, we okay to switch teams now?"

* * *

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

* * *

Yeah, short chapter, Kinda got a writers block. I'll make it up to you guys, promise.

The song used was 'The Ace of Spades', by Mötorhead. Although you really should know that by now.

Next chapter should have Junpei, Aigis and Yukari kicking various asses.

Also, once again, Check out Naruto: Ours for more of my depressing stuff, and Time Paradox for more of my funny stuff. Expect a Kingdom Hearts update soon as well.


	47. Chapter 47

Right, next chapter. Let's try this again.

GeneralGeneric, I made up the name Kihei after re-reading the first chapter of Rurouni Kenshin, hence why that other girl is called Kaoru. Other than that, he's the guy standing at the front of Minato's classroom after school.  
Also, Minato is going to stick with Kenjamin. He is gonna work hard to make that stick.

Dr. Tempo, I was also upset that I missed the chance to use Kashi-whatever her name is in Babe Hunt, but since I haven't actually played P4, only watched the Blitzmage and Master LL videos of the cutscenes, I don't have as good a grasp on her character as I do for some others.

* * *

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

I took a back seat when I took Aigis, Junpei and Yukari up to the next Guardian level. So far, Aigis seems to be a decent fast attack, a role I usually took, while Junpei is a mid-speed heavy hitter, kinda like a faster yet weaker alternative to Shinji. However, he's getting pretty good with his buffing skills, and fire elemental skills more than makes up for the difference. Yukari is still in support, but by hell is she good at it. Tornado Arrows = Win.

I talked to Ms. Toriumi – I mean Maya, over Innocent Sin Online again. It bears a lot of parallels to Tatsuya and Maya's story, but then I realised that it was made by Nanjo. Figures.

Anyways, apparently they're closing it down due to lack of interest. Which was weird, since the online activity is pretty decent, though not packed. My theory? Too many parallels for Kei's liking. Still, I levelled up the Hermit Social Link because of it, so it's not all bad.

Anyway, I went offline to go grab a Dr. Salt from the vending machine around ten-ish. Seriously, how has Cadbury's not sued Tanaka Corp over that?

Well, I suppose that it's the Pepper-Snapple company's property now, but seriously, I'm gonna have to ask Tanaka about that.

Anyhoo, Yukari, Junpei, Fuuka and Aigis were in deep debate about something, so I joined in.

"Well, If the number of The Lost keeps growing, then won't the country eventually collapse?" Yukari asked everyone, "There's just so much riding on our shoulders." She sighed.

"Damn," Junpei swore, "I never thought of that! If that happens, how will I shop at the convenience store?"

Yukari sighed again. "I guess the concept is too big for your brain to comprehend. You're an idiot," She told Junpei, "ya know that?"

"If this country falls apart, what will happen then...?" Fuuka asked, cutting Junpei's retort at the root. "Will Japan be taken over by another nation, or... No," Fuuka shook her head. "I shouldn't think like that... We have to stay positive, right?"

"I have conducted a simulation to predict the outcome." Aigis announced. "First of all, The Lost are a strain on society, since they drain resources but are unable to contribute anything."

"But that's just the start of our problems." I added, "Since the Lost have families."

"Affirmative." Aigis nodded. "These individuals also require care, which means many people will quit their jobs in order to attend to them. Fewer and fewer people will be working, so society's productivity will plummet. Eventually, this country will no longer be able to sustain itself, and chaos will result."

"Basically Junpei," I explained, "Since no-one will be working because they're looking after the Lost, the Yen will become worthless."

"Well, would it really be that bad?" Junpei asked, "I mean, it's only money, right?"

"Sure." I nodded. "People will just find another mode of currency. Like food, bullets, half bricks…"

"Will things really go to hell that bad?" Junpei was white as a white man with anaemia.

"Just look at New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina." I explained. "It'll be just like that, only with less water, more people with Apathy Syndrome."

"That's terrifying…" Fuuka gasped. "So, even if we can stop the Shadow's from wiping out humanity…"

"Society will forget it ever existed." I told them. "Because Mankind Are Bastards."

"Rather cynical of you." Yukari pointed out.

"Think of it like this." I said. "If there were fifteen of us in a room, but only fourteen were allowed to leave, what would you do?"

"The preservation of the lives of members of S.E.E.S. would be my highest priority." Aigis replied immediately. "Including my own."

That's because you're a robot, but "Most people would just run straight for the door, not giving a second thought about the one who had to be left behind." I said aloud. "Simple as. M.A.B."

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

"Alright team!" Coach announced the next day once we were all in our Kendo armour, "Today I've brought in an old friend of mine to help out."

"My name is Mutatsu." Announced the monk Kazushi and I met in Escapade a few months back. "And I am gonna turn you maggots into real men!"

Why do I feel the need to hum a Disney song here?

Ah, the training montage from Mulan.

That was an awesome training montage.

Be a man!

"Alright!" Mutatsu shouted after everyone had welcomed him. "Who're the top two fighters here?"

"That's be Minato-kun and Kaz sir." Hideo reported, "Only Kaz isn't competing in this tournament because of his leg, sir." Kazushi is determined to compete in the March singles tournament. This is the Team Tournament.

"Really?" The monk looked at us two. He probably guessed it was us from the way everyone backed off as he said 'Really?' "So, the guy who bleeds when he gets on stage is you're best shot at beating Mamoru Hayase?"

"Dude!" I shouted, "I had been shredding for a good two hours!"

"Fine!" Mutatsu picked up a Shinai. "Show me what ya got, kid!"

Alright, social link or not, but this old man is asking for a beating. Literally. I grabbed a Shinai in one hand and walked towards him.

He didn't like that. "Get in your stance." He told me.

"I am." I told him.

"Use both hands."

Fine. I grabbed a second Shinai.

"MINATO!" Shouted Coach. "Stop fooling around and do what he says!"

"Miyamoto Mushashi did it like this sir."

SMASH!

Two Shinai splintered half way up the shaft. One of them was mine. The other was pointed towards my face. "You kid," The monk told me, "Are not The Sword Saint."

Oookay, I might just learn something here.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

Since I was already leagues ahead of everyone else, Kazushi and I were getting more than the standard training from hell, as Mutatsu took us down a few extra rings. Once he realised just how bad Kazushi's leg was, he took me to a special new eleventy twelfth level of hell just for me.

Breaks were few and far between. By the end of the day I started to grasp how Junpei felt back in April.

Still, I must've made a good impression, because he invited me for a drink once we'd finished. By which point it was already dark.

"Hey kid." Mutatsu asked me, "What's the deal with your hair? Doesn't it get in your eyes when ya fight?"

"At this length?" I asked, "Nah, too long for that. Gets in my nose sometimes." For the record, it doesn't. My hair is awesome like that.

Mutatsu shook his head. "My son kept his hair long too… you should cut it." The old monk smiled. "No, better yet, shave it all off. Smooth like me."

"Hair hides the scars." I shrugged. "Otherwise, it might look cool."

"Hmph. You don't get it, kid." He seemed amused anyways. "I'm not talking about fashion here; I'm saying that scars or no scars, you're better off without your hair." He puffed his Cigar. "Oh, sure, you're young and good looking now, but just wait… I mean, look at me."

Okay, I did. "I'm old and ugly…" Mutatsu pointed out. "My cheeks sag like a damn bulldog's." He sighed. "That's life kid. People get old. Someday you'll be just like me… you'll look in the mirror and think, '_Damn, I was Handsome back in the day_.'"

I didn't have the heart to tell him that males in my families aged gracefully. Granddad Tom still pulls women half his age when he goes out to the pub, and he's seventy three.

"Here's a little trick so you don't lose hope in the future." Mutatsu told me. "Just don't expect nothin'. Simple, eh? And that way you won't ever be disappointed." In anything other than yourself. "You're gonna lose your hair eventually, kid, so why bother with it now? Bald is beautiful." Quoted the strange monk. "You just wake up in the mornin' and go, no fuss." He smiled. "I can even give you money for the shave." He offered.

I didn't have the heart to tell him that Granddad Tom still has a full head of hair. So nor could I say that his son Amos only started getting gray's at forty five, a few years ago. Still, I felt kindness behind his harsh words. A twisted, shrivelled kindness, but a kindness nonetheless.

SMASH!

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Tower Arcana…_

Right on cue too.

"What, is all my talking puttin' ya to sleep?" Mutatsu asked. "Huh. That was only a light workout compared to what I've got in store for ya tomorrow…" Mutatsu shook his head. "Get some sleep, kid. Not here though, go home."

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

"'Sup dude?" Junpei asked me once I got back. "So, how was practice, bro?"

"I'm knackered." I told him, flopping onto the couch.

"Dude, don't push yourself too hard." Junpei warned. "...If you think you can handle it, let's go to Tartarus tonight." Holy crap Junpei are you kidding me!? "We have less than two weeks to get ready, and I'm sure the next Shadow will be stronger than the last one..."

"You can go," I told him, "But I won't be coming. Been fighting all day already."

"Heh," Junpei replied. "Not so tough now, are we?"

"Whatever." I rolled over to look at the TV. "What's on?"

"News after Who's Who." Junpei replied. Hm…

_/\_ "Hi, I'm Trish, with today's instalment of "Who's Who." Today's subject is Trish's type of guy!" _/\_ The camera zoomed in on someone familiar. _/\_ "He's smoking hot, and still in his 20s!" _/\_

Holy crap, "Hey, that's Tatsuya!" I shouted.

"Who?" Junpei asked.

"A Persona User like us." I explained.

_/\_ "It seems he wants to be a policeman, just like his brother. ...Next is news. Pain, pain, go away!" _/\_

"Wait, you know that guy?" Junpei asked me.

"Yeah," I replied. "Bumped into him in town this one time, saw him again in Yakushima."

"So that's why you ditched us…" Junpei groaned.

"I didn't ditch you!" I explained, "I just got talking with them and lost track of time!"

"Them?" Junpei asked suspiciously. "Who's _Them_?"

"Girl in red was his girlfriend." I told him. "Also a Persona User."

"Aaah…" Junpei said. "So that's why they weren't interested… they already had boyfriends…"

"No, one of them had a boyfriend. None of them were interested because picking girls up on the beach is a loser sport."

"Whatever." Junpei rolled over on his couch, now in a mood. ("This sucks…")

Alright, this guy needs cheering up. "Oh, come on, I'm sure it wasn't that bad! I mean, it's not like you went for the He-she, right?"

"Actually…" Junpei rolled over again to face me. "There were a couple of older women we hit on."

He's getting happier already. "Oh yeah?"

He nodded. "Yeah, one of them was really coming onto Akihiko," Junpei laughed. "Man, it freaked the hell outta him!"

"I really don't think he has much experience with girls." I commented.

"What!?" Junpei didn't believe it. "With all those fan's he has?"

"Have you ever seen him take one out?" I pointed out

"I'll take you out if you don't shut it." Akihiko warned me.

GAH! "Where'd you come from!?"

"Upstairs." Akihiko had his fighting gloves on. "I'm going out on patrol."

"Patrol?"

"That's right." Akihiko replied. "Since you're obviously too tired to go to Tartarus tonight," Is it that obvious? "I'm gonna guard the city tonight. You know, in case any Shadow's show up."

"But the full moon isn't for over a week!" Junpei reminded him.

"I know." Akihiko glared. "But ordinary Shadows attack humans in the Dark Hour, remember? I'm trying to save them."

Fair point. "Have fun." I told him, getting up. "I'm off to bed."

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

Next morning, that insane monk had me doing those upside down sit ups, where you're hanging from a bar in the air by your knees. Bloody Hell, he's positively barmy.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

"Welcome back." Mitsuru told me as I crawled through the front door Tuesday evening. "Apathy Syndrome is on the rise again, huh?"

Did she just say 'Huh'? What the hell? "People seem to have calmed down a bit," Mitsuru continued, "Despite the media..." She looked down. "But, there will be serious problems if we don't end this." Determination. "We must defeat the last six Shadows, beginning with the one we anticipate on the next full moon." She calmed down a bit. "If the number of The Lost continues to increase, this city will fall into chaos. I don't even want to imagine what that might be like..."

"Y-you're just exaggerating, right?" Junpei was scared. "Then again, maybe not…"

"Mitsuru-senpai, I have a question." Hey, didn't notice you there, Fuuka.

"What is it?" Mitsuru asked.

"If the incident occurred because the Kirijo Group was performing experiments on Shadows..." Fuuka hesitated, "Then that means... Shadows existed before Tartarus and the Dark Hour ever appeared." Good point. "So then, how long have Shadows been around...?"

"I don't know." Mitsuru answered honestly. "By this stage, Arisoto would be more likely to have an answer for that question."

Fuuka, Mitsuru and Junpei turned to me. Sigh. "I know that they existed before the Nanjo started experimenting on them, around fifteen years ago." I told them. "Far as I know, the Shadows sealed off a city due to some wacko messing with what they shouldn't have been messing with. But I _think_ that they've been around for millennia." Shock. "But I also believe they only became active during the renaissance."

"Renaissance?" Mitsuru asked, "Why then?"

"I get it…" Fuuka said, "That was when people started to really _think,_ focusing on the arts and sciences, not just farming and religion…"

I nodded. "Physically, we were fine, but we hungered intellectually." I started trudging to the stairs. "Psychologically, Shadow's are born from people's insecurities, so it makes sense that… I don't know, I'm tired." I confessed. "Don't expect me to have a perfect Shadow origin theory the minute I get home."

"Oh! Um, S-sorry…" Fuuka apologised. "I didn't think-"

"It'll take me at least until breakfast." I told her, stopping her from apologising. Something I was working on with her.

Is it a bad thing that I'm intentionally changing people's characters? Yeah, it's for the greater good, and that they end up as better people, but do I really have that right?

"Yes." Pharos answered. "Yes you do. Igor gave it to you, remember?"

Fair point. Sleep now.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

_/\_ _Here I am… Rock you like a hurricane! __/\_

One good thing about my phone frying in the ocean was that it gave me an excuse to get one of these new fangled iPhones. However, said iPhone was disturbing my sleeps. Yes, it's half eight, Wednesday morning, and I was walking to school, but I was sleeping inside.

Sigh. I answered it. Tanaka. "Hello?"

_/\_ "What do you have planned for today?" _/\_

Hm? "I got kendo practice from hell to prepare for Sunday's tournament, why?"

_/\_ "Call in sick and suit up. I need you in the office in one hour."_/\_ He hung up.

Sweet awesome yes! I turned around and dialled Kazushi. Let him deal with the monk, not me.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

Seventy-three minutes later I was in Tanaka's office, suited in an upward direction. I'd even donned the fake glasses and combed my hair back. Something told me I needed to look at least twenty.

His Secretary told me that he was going to a board meeting with the Shibuya executives and that he'd had to leave without me, fuming.

"Is there a car anyone can lend me?" I asked her. "Preferably a nice one."

"Do you have a licence?" She asked me. Yes, she was one of the few dozen people that knew I was really Minato.

"Passed my test before coming to Japan." I told her. "Need to see my licence?"

"You'll probably be fine then." She handed me a pair of keys. "It belongs to the President, so don't crash it."

Lamborghini? Nice! "How's he got there?" I asked. "Don't tell me, Limo."

"Got it in one. You know where you're going?"

"I have a GPS that does." That was good enough for me.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

DRIVING IS AWESOME!!

YEAH, I KNOW I'VE DRIVEN BEFORE, BUT THIS IS A LAMBORGHINI!!!

And it feels niiiice…

Anyhoo, gotta calm down within the next ten minutes or they'll find me out…

Oh, wait, brain damage. I can go in there completely psyched out and they wouldn't know.

…

Revved the engine. I like that sound.

_/\_ _Here I am… Rock you like a hurricane! __/\_

Tanaka again. I hit hands free. "I'm sorry I was late," I explained, "But I'll be there as soon as I can-"

_/\_ "IS THAT YOU IN MY CAR!!" _/\_

Woo, he was angry. "Um… yes?"

_/\_ "Thank goodness…" _/\_ Oh, he was worried it was stolen… _/\_ "Now what in blazes are YOU doing in it!?" _/\_

Um… "Getting to the meeting in time." I explained, more confidently than I felt. "Don't worry, I've got my licence."

_/\_ "If you put one scratch on my baby…" _/\_

"It's a beautiful car!" I protested, "I wouldn't even dream of scratching it!" Wait, how did he know I was in it? "Have I overtaken you?"

_/\_ "Just be careful dammit…" _/\_ He hung up. He must be wringing imaginary Minato's neck right now.

"Poor imaginary Minato." Pharos noted.

Sucks to be him, right? I mean, here we are, in a Lamborghini,

"Listening to AC/DC" Pharos pointed out,

Listening to AC/DC, and he's getting throttled by Tanaka.

_My friends are gonna be there too!_

Hey, if you've stolen a gorgeous car and gotten away with it, you need to find out just what you can get away with.

"I'm on a HIIIIGHWAY TO HELL!!" Hey, Pharos is singing too. "HIIIGHWAY TO HELL!!"

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

Note to self: Buy a car. An Aston Martin would be a nice way to spend my money. Except I think I might be below Japan's legal driving age. I'm gonna have to check that out.

"Good morning gentlemen." Introduced a Suit once we were all in the board meeting. Fortune. "I'm glad that you could all make it. Joining us today are our benefactor, President Tanaka," Tanaka nodded proudly, "And his financial aide, Orpheus Mikazuchi"

Surprisingly, my fake name turned more heads than Tanaka's real one. "So that's why Tanaka's been doing so well lately?" one guy whispered.

"Damn… if he's got Orpheus working for him…"

"That kid's the guy who practically runs the stock exchange nowadays?"

Wait, what?

"Hey, if you get good enough at predicting something," Pharos told me, "Then soon enough people will just take your word for it. I'm guessing that right now, your financial advice is practically gospel to these people."

Wow. I feel so… powerful right now. In a different way than usual.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

Note to self. Board meetings are boring. It's basically just a bunch of old guys lying to each other about how well their business is doing.

Things got pretty interesting when I stood up to leave half way through. Everyone shut up when I told them that I wasn't going to waste my time with people so greedy that they can't even run a multi-million dollar business without lying to get even more money.

"Then, what should we do?"

"Wow," Pharos whistled. "They didn't even ask what you _think_ they should do. Like I said," The kid grinned. "Your word is gospel to them."

Note to self. Don't go power mad.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

By the time I got out of there it was already seven in the evening. We got lunch brought into the meeting, but then came the handshakes and the congratulations and Tanaka reaching into my pocket for his car keys. How the hell am I gonna get home now? It was tiring in a different way than yesterday.

"You did great kid." Tanaka told me. "But stay away from my car in future, okay?"

SMASH!

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Devil Arcana._

I need to kill something, I'm gonna burn out at this rate if I don't kill something fast.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

"Hi, how was your day?"

"Tiring Fuuka… Yours?"

"It was good." Fuuka smiled. "Mitsuru-senpai is not back yet, something to do with business." Ah, right. "She said she'd be here by midnight, so maybe we shouldn't go to Tartarus tonight."

"Aww…" I groaned, "But I was so looking forward to slaughtering some innocent Shadows…"

"Then go on patrol." Shinji told me. "I'm to tired for that crap."

"Alright, I'll take your shift." There better be some Shadow's to kill…

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

So, Dark Hour, I'm walking around Iwatodai all on my lonesome. Booring.

_~ I detect a Shadow! ~ _Say what? _~ Outside Naganaki Shrine! It's attacking someone! Hurry!! ~_

"I'll be right there!" I told her, running in that direction. "Wake the others!"

_~ I've already activated the alarm. ~_

"Great job Fuuka." She was another member of the team that I'd started taking for granted. Not to self, stop doing that.

I pulled a sledgehammer out of the scroll as I ran. I said I needed to kill something, but that urge got upgraded from 'Kill' to 'Squish'.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

Right! Where's the Shadow.

"Mm… MM…"

Huh? Wait, is that… Koromaru!?

Holy crap he's seriously bleeding. "SEIRYUU!!" BANG! Diarama helped close the wound somewhat… damn; this really is a Yukari job…

"You guys better come here," I told Fuuka. "Right away. Bring Yukari, fast!"

~ _"What's Wrong?" ~_ Mitsuru asked. Wait, Fuuka has loudspeaker? _~ "Is it a powerful one?" ~_

"No idea." I told her. "It was killed before I got here. The poor blighter that beat it is bleeding badly; I can only do so much over here."

_~ We're on our way! ~_ Fuuka told me before cutting the link. Best get here fast… "RRAARGH!!" BANG!

Damn, my healing skills suck…

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

* * *

Yay, I am back! And so is Tanaka. And Koromaru!

Yes, I do realise that I'm now overpowering Minato in the business side of things, but you know that guy who always knows who's gonna win whatever sport game you're watching? Well, Minato's like that, only for the stock market. Only since the stock market works on who's buying what, then eventually it's inevitable that our hero's word will end up as law.

And yes, this is foreshadowing a major business smackdown in future. Millions will be lost overnight.

Don't mess with Minato. He will crush your pride, kick your ass, steal your woman and obliterate your livelihood. And then he'll joyride your car. Before burning it and bringing your dead dog back to life.

And if you didn't just get a mental image of your dog as a zombie… well, you do now. My work here is done.


	48. Chapter 48

Hey guys, back again.

Sorry this took so long, my laptop is getting its internet fixed. Which it now has! Hooray

GeneralGeneric, Sure, I've started watching the endurance run. And I'll try to get more business Minato scenes in. In fact, I have the ultimate Orpheus Mikazuchi scene planned for January. Don't worry; it will be worth the wait.

Anyhoo, before I start the chapter, food for thought for the Minato Vs Seta arguments. Some say that Seta is more powerful because he _convinced_ a goddess to leave humanity alone, whereas Minato just beat her down. However, if you think about it, Minato convinced Nyx that humanity was worth saving, but Nyx had no choice but to finish what she started. So, Minato Beat down both Nyx AND Ereberus, Then kept his corpse alive for another month so he could keep a promise. If that doesn't equal asskicking, I don't know what does.

* * *

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

"Koro-chan!" Fuuka shouted as everyone ran up to Koromaru and I. "Are you okay!? Koro-chan!"

"You know this dog?" Mitsuru asked her.

"Yeah, everyone around here does." Yukari told Mitsuru as she got on her knees to heal Koromaru. "We have to help him…"

"First, we must stop the bleeding." Mitsuru ordered.

"Done that already." I reported. "He's one tough fighter." I added, "He killed the Shadow before I even got near."

"Wait," Junpei asked, "So that mean that this dog's a Persona user?"

I nodded. "Strength Arcana. Cerberus." I told him.

"How fitting." Aigis noted. "He says, 'This is a place of peace, so I protected it.'"

"Those flowers…" Fuuka pointed out, "They must be for the priest who died in the accident…"

"So he really was guarding this place…" Yukari said quietly, stepping back from Koromaru.

"Uh, Aigis?" Junpei asked, "Don't tell me you can translate dog language too…"

"Canines do not have their own language." Aigis told him. "However, speech is not the only means of communication."

"Yeah, haven't you ever seen Dog Whisperer?" I asked. "Even I have a basic idea of what he wants."

"This fella's a really rare breed…" Akihiko whispered as Shinji carefully picked Koromaru up.

"Confirmed." Aigis replied.

"Mitsuru," Shinji asked, "Know where there's a vet we can take this guy to?"

"It's midnight," Mitsuru responded, "But I think I can arrange one. Come with me. Everyone else," She added, "You should all get back to the dorm."

"Right." I told her. That was enough excitement for one night.

Well, no, it wasn't, but there isn't any arses left to kick. Plus I'm gonna have to go through hell tomorrow.

"He's an amazing dog…" Yukari commented as we started to head home.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

I should check my post more. Escapade asked me to perform on Saturday night as part of their 'youth talent' week. I gave them a call and said hell yeah. Who care's if I have a tournament the next day? I'll rock the place no matter how tired I go in.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

"And where were you yesterday!?"

Angry Mutatsu is angry. "Exhaustion." I told him. "But I'm fine now."

"Hmph." He glared at me while everyone else ran through their Kata. "Alright, do a hundred vertical strikes and we'll go on from there kid."

"I'm not actually a big fan of the basic stance." Too constricted, can't move easily enough. "I'm actually more of a diagonal striker."

"Really?" Mutatsu raised an eyebrow. "Alright. We'll have a sparring match."

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

Ten minutes later, the old monk was in the armour and in a basic starting stance. I was tensed, sword low to my left, ready to slash.

"Battojutsu?" He asked. "It doesn't really work without the sheath, kid."

"BEGIN!" Announced Coach.

I charged forward, ready to slash. No Persona power ups this time, must control myself…

I missed. The hell!? I swung again. Missed. Lunge.

He parried it and stabbed.

"Point Mutatsu." Coach declared. "Back to your starting positions."

Dammit, how the hell did I not own his backside?

"I could help you know." Pharos offered.

Normally, I'd object to using the Shinigami Eyes for cheating, but my pride is at stake here. We were playing first to three, so I can sacrifice another life if it lets me beat him.

"BEGIN!"

I didn't charge forward this time, but advanced cautiously. "Lost your nerve kid?" Laughed the old man.

Aaand let him think you fell for the taunt. CHAAARGE!!

I could see the old monk dodge with the slightest movements, keeping his Shinai away from mine. Why?

He countered me, but I dodged and landed a light hit.

"Discounted!" Coach shouted. "It's only a graze, continue!"

Damn! I slid back and got into a defensive stance.

Okay, think. Kendo is based off Kenjutsu, which used Katana. Katana are stronger than Shinai, so would you really need to protect them by dodging?

A good Katana takes weeks to make, sometimes even months. BLOCK! Hours and Hours of Folding, Polishing, Sharpening, Oiling, Forging and Hammering, damaging it unnecessarily is practically insulting the swordsmith. PARRY!!

Insulting the sword even, if you think like a samurai. BLOCK! Sword is part of your soul and all that…

Bleach. Sword actually is part of your soul in that. BLOCK! Big emphasis on working _with_ your sword there.

With your sword…

Why should the sword take all the hits while you stay unharmed? DODGE!! Partners work together in battle, right? BLOCK!!!

"HIT!" Coach shouted. Yeah, he got my forearm good. "Final round!" He declared.

Does he really have that little faith in me? What about the rest of the club?

None of them were happy. They want to cheer me on, but I'm losing.

"BEGIN!!"

Damn, my arm hurts. Mutatsu was on the full offensive and I had to block like crazy.

Hey, if my arm hurts from that, then what condition is my Shinai in after all that blocking?

SMASH! It broke.

"TIME OUT!" Shouted coach. "Get Minato a new Shinai."

"Yes sir!" declared Yuko, running towards the rack.

"Still think you're all that kid?" Mutatsu asked me, lifting his mask up.

"No talking!" Coach ordered as Yuko gave me a new Shinai.

"You okay?" Yuko asked me as she picked up the broken shaft.

"Almost." I told her. If sword is an extension of my own body, then…

Click. I took my helmet off.

"Arisoto!" Coach shouted as Yuko disposed of the broken Shinai. "Are you forfeiting?"

"No sir." I removed the heavy sleeves from the armour. "Just trying to learn a point." Idea. "In fact, why don't we switch to Bokuto?"

"We are practicing for a regulation tournament!" Coach shouted, "We practice by the regulation rules!!"

"Let the kid do what he wants." Mutatsu yawned, grabbing two wooden swords from the bucket. "If he wants to get beat up so badly, then he isn't that great after all." He tossed me one.

I grabbed it. "Bring it old man." I taunted, copying his stance. "You aren't getting anywhere near me this time."

"Spoken like a true punk." Mutatsu sneered, lowering his mask. "You ready?"

As soon as Pharos gets out of my head to make this unfair instead of rigged.

"You sound confident." Pharos replied, getting out of my head.

"I am." I told both of them.

The Coach sighed. "Begin."

I charged at the old man, who dodged.

SMACK!

"Point… Minato…"

_Forget about winning and losing; forget about pride and pain._

I can't believe I almost forgot that.

_Let your opponent graze your skin and you smash into his flesh;_

Didn't I hammer that point into those guys I met in town just a few months ago?

_Let him smash into your flesh and you fracture his bones; _

I moved back into my starting point.

_Let him fracture your bones and you take his life. _

I dropped my guard, letting the tip of the Bokuto touch the floor

_Do not be concerned with escaping safely _

"BEGIN!"

_Lay your life before him_

I didn't move as the old monk moved cautiously towards me. My guard was completely gone, and that worried him.

_A good martial artist does not become tense but ready._

He began circling me, but I still didn't move a muscle.

_Not thinking yet not dreaming, ready for whatever may come. _

He slowly spiralled towards me and I moved my feet slightly under the Hakama.

_A martial artist has to take responsibility for himself and face the consequences of his own doing. _

"Aren't you going to attack?" I asked him. "I'm right here."

_To have no technique, there is no opponent, because the word "I" does not exist. _

I took a deep breath as Mutatsu lunged.

_When the opponent expands I contract._

I dodged the stab, which he turned into a slash.

_When he contracts, I expand. _

I dodged again, and Mutatsu lost his footing.

_And when there is an opportunity, "I" do not hit._

WHAM!!

_"It" hits all by itself_

"Point Minato!"

Thank you Bruce Lee. What, you thought that was a song?

"Now," I twisted back into my original position, "It's the final round."

I knew this old man could teach me something. "Thank you." I told him as he stood up. "You were right."

**SMASH**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Tower Arcana…_

"Final round!" Coach shouted, now convinced my point wasn't a fluke, "Begin!"

You bet I will. Within disaster really does lie opportunity.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

Mutatsu got me practicing the Seikuken sword thing I did all day. We actually seemed to forget about the tournament, since he actually called four other members over to go at me at once. I actually parried someone's sword into someone else's face, which was awesome.

Now for the big question. Do I need to name it? Because if I do, I like Shinkokyuu.

Deep Breath Deep Breath.

"…And that's how my day was Fuuka, how about yours?"

"Alright." Fuuka replied. "One more week until the moon is full again... Unfortunately, the number of victims has been increasing lately. Let's do our best to stop it!"

"Right." I told her. "How's Koromaru?"

"The vet says that he's stable." Fuuka replied. "His wounds were severe, but thankfully none of his organs were damaged, so Koro-chan should be fine."

I nodded. "Where's Kenjamin?"

"Ken's been in his room all day…" Fuuka seemed sad. "Do you think he doesn't feel welcomed?"

"Doubt it." I told her. "Probably just has something to do while alone." Which reminds me.

**SLEEP!!!**

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

"It's becoming quite lively around you." Pharos commented. "It's good that you're getting along with the others."

No time to talk now, sleep.

"They put their lives in your hands, and yours in theirs." He continued. "You should have respect for them."

"I do." Saying it like I don't. "I'm just more respectful when I'm not tired."

"I mean in battle." Pharos pointed out. "You're developing a hero complex."

"A what?"

"You like to take the glory and save the day." He explained. "Like today, it was only when you stopped trying to win or think about yourself that you won. For someone whose power relies on his bonds with others," Pharos pointed out, "you're fairly self absorbed."

"You may have a point there." I admitted.

"May?" He asked. "You're an absolute narcissist!"

"Just because I'm awesome…"

"Shinji still outranks you there."

That's true…

Awkward silence…

"...It is one week until the next full moon." Pharos reminded me. "To be honest, I'm not too worried about you..."

"But you are worried." I asked.

"You should still remain cautious." Pharos finished as I fell asleep.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

On Friday, I was put back onto training for the tournament. Right now, my main problem is that I still treat it as an actual fight so even with me not using any Personae to boost my strength, I still run the risk of getting disqualified for using excessive force. Joy.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

I bumped into Yukari on the way back to the dorm. "...Oh, hey."

"Hey." I replied, leaning against a convenient wall. "You noticed that we haven't actually talked all week?"

"Yeah, I know." Yukari took a brick. "Have you looked around lately? The Lost are everywhere..."

"I'm not sure how to say this," I told her, "But I think I've subconsciously been ignoring them."

"I'm not surprised." Yukari shook her head. "My friends get scared when they see them. People don't even feel safe walking around town."

"Full moon next Thursday." I told her. "That's our chance."

"The number of people suffering from Apathy Syndrome should decrease once we defeat the next Shadow." Where did Aigis come from?

"Oh!" Yukari exclaimed, "I was just taking Aigis out to get some clothes."

That would explain why she's in her blue dress but "At this time of night?" I asked.

"We are simply preparing for tomorrows mission to purchase new clothing for Yukari-san and myself this evening." Aigis reported. "Is that acceptable?"

Sigh. "Sure, why not?"

"Cool." Yukari stood up. "Then I'll see you later. Come on Aigis!"

"We will not be able to participate in any exploration tonight as a result of this mission." Aigis reported. "I apologise in advance."

Come to think about it, I haven't gone to Tartarus all week! We roll tonight.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

"EVERYONE!!" I declared once I got into the dorm, "ROLL OUT!"

"Dude!" Junpei stood up from the card game he was playing with Kenjamin, "It's seven PM!"

"Oh." Wow, this was awkward, "Right… Um… Well, we'll roll later. Hey Kenjamin."

"My name is Ken." He told me. "And what do you guys do so late? Whenever I try, I always end up asleep…"

"I'd say adult stuff," I explained, "But then you'd ask why Junpei could come and not you."

"Dude! Harsh!"

"You know it's true Junpei." I answered as I grabbed the post. "But the fact is, Kenjamin we simply haven't decided whether you're old enough to know or not."

"So, what you're saying, that I'm just a kid?" Kenjamin was offended. "Well, you're not much older than me you know."

"Oh, I agree." I told him. "Don't tell Yukari, but I think you're more than mature enough. But," I sighed dramatically. "Everyone sees you as a little kid."

"Well, he is." Junpei pointed out. "No offence." He added to Kenjamin.

"And?" I asked, "So am I." that confused them. "Don't believe me? Just check this out." I pulled out my iPhone and scrolled through the Apps. "Lightsaber." I showed them the screen.

"Man, that's pretty awesome." Junpei admitted. "But so what?"

"I got that App because it would be too childish to carry a toy Lightsaber to school."

"Toy Light…" Kenjamin began, "You have one?"

"I have three." I told him.

Then we all saw the looks on each others faces and had the best idea ever.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

"**Kkkah… Junpei… I **_**am **_**your father!"**

"NOOOOOOO!! IT'S NOT POSSIBLE!!"

"**Search your feelings… Kkkah… You know it to be true…"**

"RRAGH!" I blocked Kenjamin's overhead slash. "We meet again… Darth Arisoto…"

"Master Yoda!" Junpei shouted, huge grin on his face.

"Come my young apprentice!" Kenjamin shouted, jumping onto the couch, "We can stop the evil one if we work together!"

"**You are both as foolish as you are naïve… Kkkah!"** I boasted, spinning my red Lightaber between my hands as Junpei got his blue one ready and Kenjamin balanced himself with his green Lightsaber. **"Come at me together if you wish… Kkkah… It cannot change your fate… Kkkah…"**

"Dude, you are awesome at that." Junpei said.

"Dude, get back into character!" I hissed.

"Oh, right." Junpei cleared his throat. "You will pay for the people you killed!"

"**Including… Kkkah… YOU!!"** I stabbed for Junpei, who blocked it as I dodged Kenjamin's back attack. I span around with a kick, catching Junpei's jaw with my foot, while Ken caught my plastic blade with his.

Wow that kid's strong.

"You alright Junpei-san?" He asked.

"Nnngh… yeah…" He got worse all the time. "Let's go master!"

"**You underestimate the true power of the dark side… Kkkah… That shall be your final mistake… Kkkah…"**

"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE!?!?"

oh crap Mitsuru's angry.

Probably due to the fact that we've toppled half of the furniture, Junpei was nursing a bloody nose, a human weapon (me) was locked in mortal kombat (Advanced play fighting) with a small child (Kenjamin), and I was wearing Shinji's coat as a cape.

Or maybe it was because Junpei had a bra on his head, could be either really.

Whose is that anyway?

"I think it's hers." Pharos answered, "Judging from the size and laciness." And how the hell does Pharos know Mitsuru's bra size?

"I told them not to do it!" I lied, "But they wouldn't listen!"

"SILENCE!!" Mitsuru shouted, "I ought to Execute you all!"

I knew fear. So did Kenjamin.

Junpei knew terror. He whipped the bra off his head with amazing speed.

Thankfully, Mitsuru sighed. "Clean this mess up immediately." She walked back upstairs, clutching her head.

Once she was out of earshot, I whispered to Junpei "How are you going to get those back without her noticing?"

He gulped.

"What the hell are you doing in my jacket?" Shinji growled as he came through the front door.

"Is…" Akihiko stared at the object in Junpei's hand in disbelief, "Is that… Mitsuru's..?"

Junpei shoved it into Akihiko's hands. "They're all yours! Enjoy!" He ran like hell up the stairs.

"**Fear is the path to the dark side... Kkkah…"**

"That's… what you were doing..?" Akihiko couldn't believe it. "But then… why did he…"

"It's best not to ask." Kenjamin shook his head. "These Are Things Man Was Not Meant To Know."

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

* * *

Like what women really do in the bathroom, or what Cthuhlu has for brunch.

Yeah, you'll get your Tartarus next time.

So, yeah, Humility Hammer strikes in unusual ways. However, the Mayhem Morningstar strikes in even less usual ways. It's the chain, makes the spiky metal ball go all over the place.

So, yeah. Got my computer back and fixed, which is awesome, and it means I can go back to my old update schedule, allowing for other stuff of course. I'm working on the next Time Paradox, which will be hilarious, and I'm also working on a Naruto Oneshot which so far is turning out to be a pretty interesting read. Anko's in it.

Now, in preparation for the next chapter, I recommend looking up a manga called 'Double Arts'. A lot of the jokes from the next chapter make much more sense if you've read that manga.

Everyone who likes Darth Arisoto give me a great big "Come To The Dark Side, We Have Cookies!" In the comments, just to know whether or not to have that kind of scene in the future again. If not, then… I dunno, say something else I guess? Star Wars Sucks? Erm… Minato doesn't have fun… nah, neither of them make sense…

Look, if you don't like it, just say you don't. Otherwise, CTTDS, WHC. Seriously, I'm experimenting on what does and does not work in this story here.

Now, just made a few adjustments, but no major changes. mostly corrections. Sorry this one was so late, Beta forgot to send it back to me.


	49. Chapter 49

Hey everyone, it's that time again.

Judging from the reviews, there will be a lot more scenes with characters being silly. Hooray!

General Generic, the Monk is pretty awesome. However, Minato outranks him in the awesome scale. Also, unfortunately Narcissus is now below Minato's level range of thirty-seven-ish. And Koromaru does deserve a Salute.

Copyzero, that's a coincidence, not irony. Sorry.

Viktor Mayrin, I totally agree with you there on Double Arts. Turns out it was cancelled because the editors decided that no-one wants to read about a competent hero. Despite several million fanfiction's suggesting otherwise, especially in the Naruto department.

Now, I've been asked to provide a list for Minato's current Personae, so fine. It'll show in the chapter.

Second half of the chapter should be read while listening to Happily Ever After from the Gurren Lagann soundtrack, starting from the line "Bring it on!" You'll know when.

* * *

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

Junpei was left to clean up the lounge while Me, Fuuka, Akihiko, Shinjiro and Mitsuru went to Tartarus. Apparently the Wild Card is also a 'Get-Out-Of-Consequence-And-Go-To-Tartarus-Instead-Free' Card. Who knew?

Then again, I might have gotten off for trying to make an effort with Kenjamin. He's been mostly keeping to himself all week apparently.

Hey… that gives me an idea…

"Hey, Mitsuru-senpai?" I asked as we walked to the school that night.

"Hm?" She looked at me. "What is it Arisoto?"

"Can we get a home cinema system installed in the command room?" I asked, "I've gotten an idea on how to make Kenjamin feel more at home with us."

"There's already a HD overhead projector system in place." She told me. "With surround sound and a Blu-Ray player."

"Oh, oh okay." I nodded. "Can we use it on Monday?"

"Of course." She nodded. "Just be more responsible in future."

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

I was going to be more responsible in future. Soon as I got into Tartarus, I went on a fusion rampage in the Velvet Room. Now, I got Orpheus, King Frost, Take Mikazuchi, Samael, Clotho, Virtue, Eligor, Nata Taishi, Hanuman, and Casanova. Yeah, I was surprised that he was a Persona too, though it's less surprising that he's a Lovers. Sigh.

Well, onto the guardian.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

_~ It's a Natural Dancer! ~_ Fuuka told us as we approached the human sized Shadow. _~ It's the Lovers Arcana, and it's very powerful! ~_

You're telling me. It was a headless couple, waltzing while holding a sword in his right, her left hand. There was a spinning heart shaped balloon with the Lovers mask floating above their necks.

I recognised this, but I never thought it existed…

Double Arts.

The martial art based on ballroom dancing. When two people are in sync, it's next to unbeatable…

Except for itself.

"Miss Kirijo?" I asked.

"Hm?" She turned her head to me. "What is it Arisoto?"

I bowed, taking her sword hand softly, "May I have this dance?"

"A-what?" Mitsuru did not see that coming.

"I did." Pharos pointed out.

"Oh, this'll be good." Shinji leant against a wall. "Right, Aki?"

Akihiko took a wall next to him. "Knock 'em dead, Mitsuru."

Mitsuru sighed. "Alright, if you insist." I saw a flicker of a smile as we got into a waltzing stance. "Yamagishi, can you play some music?"

Fuuka was failing to not giggle. _~ A- Alright… Here you go! ~_

I tapped my foot as the ballroom music began, getting into rhythm with my partner. Once we were in synch, I gave her a twirl. "You ready?"

Mitsuru smiled. "Commencer!"

We stepped forward together as the Shadow twirled a slash. I ducked Mitsuru down below the swing, twisting as we stabbed forward. The Shadow span out of range at the last second, so I lifted Mitsuru up and twirled her as she stabbed.

"GGARRRHH!!" Nice… I pulled her back into the waltz as the Shadow lashed back violently.

_~ The enemy is losing its rhythm! _Fuuka told us, _~ Keep going! ~_

Right. I twirled Mitsuru out of the way of the Holy Arrow, and she span me out of the following stab. We stepped forward together in a stab, which was dodged, but then Mitsuru span into a wide cutting arc.

If the Shadow had a neck, that would have worked. That annoyed Mitsuru even more than it annoyed me.

STAB! "Gah!" It got me!

"A-are you alright?" Mitsuru asked, pulling me away from the Shadow.

"Yeah," I told her, feeling the back of my thigh. I turned to Akihiko and Shinji. "You know, you guys could still be using buffs on us while we dance!"

Akihiko sighed, then cast Dia on me. "Alright then, SUKUKAJA!"

BAM! Mitsuru was suddenly much faster. "Again!" Akihiko shouted, and I caught up to her.

I pulled her in as the Shadow's sword rushed through where her head would have been. We twisted together to make a large cut in the female dancer's back.

The two Shadow's screamed in unison, twirling back as fast as it could.

"Want to go for an ice sword?" I asked her, switching from Casanova to King Frost.

"Sounds interesting." Mitsuru smiled. "Alright."

The temperature in my right hand plummeted as ice crept up the handle, then smothered the blade in freezing air. We stepped together towards the Shadow, spinning and dodging the spike's it was now launching at us in desperation.

"Finite!" Mitsuru and I shouted in unison as the icy sword pierced the red mask, freezing it instantly before it shattered.

I gave Mitsuru another twirl for the hell of it as the Shadow dissolved. "Thank you for the honour." I said as I back off, kissing her hand.

She blushed slightly before laughing. And I mean seriously laughing her head off.

"Wow." Akihiko stated, "I've never seen Mitsuru laugh so hard before."

"Tch." Shinji shoved his bag of popcorn into a pocket. "I have." Wait, he had popcorn?

"Really?" Akihiko asked Shinji as Mitsuru doubled over, still laughing. "When?"

"When she walked in on you in the shower that one time." Shinji replied. Oh, you just got Burned!!

"I-I remember that…" Mitsuru fell on her knees, laughing even harder. Whoa, I've created a monster.

_~ Um… isn't anybody going to help Mitsuru-senpai? She looks like she's in pain from laughing so hard… ~_

Meh, it was worth it. She clearly hasn't had a good laugh in a while.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

"I apologise for my rudeness." Mitsuru told us a few minutes later. "I don't know what came over me…"

"Lie like that again," I threatened her as we walked up the stairs, "And you will be tickled."

"Come on," Akihiko prompted the taken aback redhead, "Lighten up! You should have fun more often."

_**I agree**_

Oh poopie.

**CLANG!!**

I turned around behind me to see a new metal wall. "HEY!" I shouted banging on it, "HEY, IS EVERYONE ALRIGHT!?"

I heard banging on the other side. Not frantic like mine, but timed…

Morse code?

One knock for dot, two fast knocks for dash? I started tapping on my end.

.-. . .--. . .- -

_Repeat._

Wait. Someone started tapping over there again.

.-- . .-. . --- -.- .- -.-- -.-- --- ..-

_We're okay, you?_

I sent a reply.

... .- -- .

_Same. _

_~ Um… why don't you just talk on the open channel? ~_ Fuuka suggested.

--. --- --- -.. --.- ..- . ... - .. --- -.

_Good question._

_~ "Why did you just send a message in morse?" ~ _Akihiko asked.

.. -.. --- -. -

_~ "Stop it." ~ _Shinji told me. I did.

_**You've been avoiding me**_

"I… suppose so?" I answered hesitantly, "Is that a problem?"

_**You cannot steal a victory like that without offering a chance for a rematch**_

"Fair point." I replied. "But can you let my friends go?"

_**I intend to**_

"Oh, okay."

_**Once you meet me on the next floor**_

Alone? Okay… "I'm going on ahead." I told Fuuka.

_~ You can't! ~_ She protested, _~ The Reaper is on the next floor! I can sense him! ~_

"I know." I told her. "But he won't let the rest of you go unless he gets a rematch.

_~ "Lucky you." ~_ Shinji said. _~ "Don't die." ~_

_~ "Wait," ~_ Mitsuru said, _~ "You're just going to let him go?" ~_

_~ "We don't have a choice." ~ _Akihiko pointed out. _~ "Promise that you'll come back alive." ~_

"I promise." I told him, gripping my Evoker. "Later."

"You sir," Pharos told me, "Are well and truly boned."

That's what she said.

"That's the best you can do?" Pharos asked. "Wow, you are scared."

Thanks Pharos. I'd almost convinced myself that I wasn't. Way to go.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

"Alright." I announced once I climbed the stairs. "I'm here. Now let them go."

…

_~ The others are going towards the access point! ~_ Fuuka told me. _~ A doorway appeared in the wall just now! ~_

"Thanks." I said aloud. "So, what's the game today?"

_**One you are familiar with**_

"Oh yeah?"

_**All you have to do is reach the barrier before I kill you**_

"British Bulldogs then?"

_**If that is what you call it**_

"Cool." Pharos, Give me a map.

Pharos entered my head. "On it." The world flashed gray as the radar appeared in my mind.

The Reaper was blocking the only pathway to the stairs.

"Oh, come on! That's cheating!" I shouted.

_**So are setting traps**_

Grr… "Fuuka, how many floors until the barrier?"

_~ Huh? Oh, it's… seven until the next guardian I think. Three more after that until the barrier, why? ~_

"Because I need to get there before the Reaper gets me."

_~ What!? ~ _Fuuka didn't like that. _~ T-that's impossible! Get out of there! ~_

Oh, I'm planning on it. I started walking towards the outermost wall. Pharos, can you give me some kinda X-ray vision?

"Er, no?" Pharos told me, "Why?"

Sigh. I wanted to do something bang out of order.

"Oh, okay then." Pharos told me. "In that case, do it six feet to your right."

I walked over to where Pharos suggested. Here?

"That's the plan."

_**Why are you stalling? Are you that afraid of death?**_

I switched to Death and put the evoker to my skull. "SAMAEL!!"

BOOM! The force of the Megido created a circular hole in the wall, right outside a parapet. Sweet!!

I clambered through the hole. "Bring it on," I taunted the Reaper. "There's more than one way up a building." Like that convenient flight of steps for example.

_~ Be careful Minato-kun! ~_

Oh, I am. I'm also running up stairs in severe winds over a hundred storeys in the air.

_**You do like to make things interesting**_

_**BOOM!!**_ The Reaper smashed through the Tower walls. Dammit!

I ran faster as the Reaper took his aim at me. BANG! I jumped out of the way. BANG! I jumped again, ricocheting off the wall to grab a hanging pole. I span on it, crouching on the steel railing like Spiderman.

Then I jumped like Spiderman as the Reaper shot again.

I grabbed the ledge and scrambled up. I grabbed my evoker to make a way inside.

BANG! DAMMIT! Not another one!

"Not a good time to drop your Evoker either." Pharos pointed out. Real helpful Pharos.

BANG! "GAH!!" He got me! I clutched my bleeding kneecap. Dammit, that's not good…

The Reaper floated up to look me in the eyes.

My left arm stung. You know, that demi-fiend form would be really useful right now, especially with the Reaper lifting a gun to my head.

_Do not be concerned with escaping safely_

_**It was a good challenge**_

_Lay your life before him_

_**But it appears to be my win**_

_Better to die on your feet, than to live on your knees_

Yeah, might as well go down with my pride. I forced myself up.

_**Your determination is commendable**_

_The man who is really serious has no style at all_

Man, Bruce Lee was really raping my thoughts lately.

_**You were a remarkable foe**_

I looked down. Wait…

_He lives only in what is_

Could that actually work?

Yes it will.

I looked down the barrel of the gun as the Reaper pulled the trigger.

I dodged to the side and swung on the barrel before throwing myself off the edge.

I'm the one doing this. "LET'S GO!" I shouted, landing on the angled rail, slipping into a grind. My leg should hav hurt, but it seemed fine now.

_**Impressive, but you're going the wrong way**_

Yeah, he was enjoying this. I watched the black lines crawl along my hands as the wind blew my hair back.

"It's all over your face now." Pharos pointed out.

That's because I know how to use it. I jumped on the rail to face the tower.

I never wanted to fight, not really.

I jumped for the tower. It's not even the risk of dying that I like.

Hell, getting to know people and manipulating everything to go my way is only something I'm good at.

I crashed on the side, digging my fingers into the stone face.

All I ever wanted…

Was the thrill of the chase.

I started climbing. Like a rock climber at first, but I started gaining speed and digging my fingers into it less, and before I knew it, I was bounding that tower like a dog. DODGE BULLET!

BANG! The Reaper was following my up, flying to match my climbing. Faster... faster…

FASTER!!

I stopped dead.

Then I fell.

Then I grabbed the wall. "What the hell was that!?" I asked.

_~ That's the barrier! You're nearly there! ~_ Fuuka shouted to me, _~ Just get inside, quickly! ~_

No need to tell me twice. I jumped off the tower face, channelling Almighty Power into my hands.

I rebounded off the Reaper's chest, breaking through the wall with my two fists.

I rolled through the rubble, then scrambled to my feet. Stairs, STAIRS!

**KRAKOOMM!!!** A Megidolaon destroyed the pathway to the stairs.

Who gives a crap? I'll just jump it.

GO!

…

…

I'm not gonna make it…

DAMMIT!! If only there was some more ground-

Hey, there was! The edge of the hole was regenerating, I'm gonna make it!

WHAM! I landed, then scrambled to the stairs. Some white stone crumpled from my face.

Wait, did I just use the Hollow Arcana there?

Is that what it does?

BANG!

Think later! Run now!!

I scrambled up the steps as fast as my legs would carry me, the Reaper closing in fast behind me.

There! I leapt for the barricade, tapping the pillar in the middle of it.

"O-one… twothree… Minato!" I gasped, forcing myself to my feet. Bloody hell, that was hard

_**Let's do it again some time**_

"Never… Again…" The Seal withdrew to my arm. "Never… ever… maybe next month… or something…"

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

It took some trouble getting back down afterwards, but I managed. Thankfully, the floor guardian had been obliterated by the Reaper's attack, so I was able to stagger my way to the Teleporter.

I paid a visit to the Velvet room once I got down. I was now able to hold twelve Persona at a time, so I fused myself a Nandi and a Cu Chulainn to fill up the holes, buying back the Persona I used to fuse them.

Then I dodged questions from everyone. "Later. Sleep now."

Got training tomorrow. Joy.

Note to self, buy a Bruce Lee book. He's been very helpful lately.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

* * *

Yeah, shorter, action packed chapter this time.

New Persona finally appeared, and a joke I've wanted to do for a while turned into a decent fight scene.

Return of Fiend form and Hollow form. The white stone falling from Minato's face was the mask crumpling up. It's supposed to be the Nyx Avatar mask, but hey.

So, yeah. Tell me what you think, as usual. Tournament will take place next chapter and will be awesome.


	50. Chapter 50

Hey everyone, it's that time again.

AND OUR 50th chapter!!! WOO!!!

And 200 Reviews! Yay!

Now to answer the newest ones. Slackerman, I hadn't, but I have now.

Viktor, I didn't actually have that in mind while writing that chapter, but you can imagine that if you want.

Anyhoo, onto the next chapter. CHAPTER 50!!

* * *

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

So, today was the last day of training. I've beaten everyone on the team soundly, including both the Coach and Mutatsu, and I had a gig tonight. Sweet.

Now, question. Who the hell lets a kid like Kenjamin drink black coffee? Doesn't it stunt growth or something? Hell, I don't really drink coffee, and a kid drinks it? Messed man.

Which was why I told him that I put soy sauce in mine. Just to see if he tried it next time. For the funnies.

I'm really more of a tea man myself.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

I dropped in the antiques shop on the way to Escapade.

She took my Cu Chulainn!

Well, she said that she'd make a decent weapon for me out of him, so I had to let her. I use my weapons more than my Personae nowadays.

I decided to buy him back from Igor though. Cu Chulainn reminds me of home somehow.

Probably because he's Irish. Or Scottish, I forget.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

Managerman lied to me. That's probably not his name, but I can't be arsed remembering.

Turns out that the gig was really a competition, and the prize was the honour to be Risette's warm up act.

Oh, yeah. Risette's some new idol they found in Inaga or something, and she's doing a show in Escapade in a month or so.

Inaba, that's the place.

Anyway, everyone competing looks like some fanboy who picked up the guitar a month ago.

"Huh? Minato?"

I turned around. "Junpei!?"

Junpei smiled. "Man, if I knew you wanted to see Risette too, I wouldn't have bothered coming!"

I pulled a confused face. "I thought we were competing to perform with her, not see her?"

"Well, duh." Junpei replied. "Why do you think everyone want's to win this?"

So they are all fanboys…

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

Oh Igor, make it stop…

Honestly, if I have to hear one more fanboy struggle through Smoke On The Water I'll smash their head in.

"Next is The Bleeding Orpheus, Minato Arisato!"

It's Arisoto idiot. And thanks Igor for making it stop.

I walked out onto the stage and plugged in the Gibson before checking out the amp.

Man, this one only goes up to ten?

I'll have to bring mine next time. I got it a couple of weeks ago in a The Who auction.

Yeah, I play at Whuh-oh.

Pfft, yeah, like I actually have the balls to play that loud. Anyway, I pulled up a stool and sat the Guitar on my lap.

I got a few dirty looks from the guys who jumped around on the stage, mostly contempt, though a few of the smarter ones showed worry. I pulled up a mic as I started hitting the strings.

Yeah, I was playing slowly, but the other competitors' faces fell, except for Junpei, who smirked, since he knew what was coming.

I drummed the guitar body and started singing as I played.

"_On a dark desert highway,"_ I sang_ "Cool wind in my hair, Warm smell of colitas, rising up through the air."  
"Up ahead in the distance, I saw a shimmering light My head grew heavy and my sight grew dim;"  
"I had to stop for the night."_

Oh yeah, I rock this song. Deep breath and…_ "There she stood in the doorway;" _I continued, _"I heard the mission bell."  
"And I was thinking to myself, '__This could be heaven or this could be hell…'"__  
"Then she lit up a candle and she showed me the way."  
"There were voices down the corridor,"_ Damn do I love this bit_ "I thought I heard them say..." _Dadadadadum!

"_Welcome to the hotel California! Such a lovely place!"_ Such a lovely place!_ "Such a lovely face…"_ Dum…dum…dum…dumdum!_ "Plenty of room at the hotel California!" _Jammy riff,_ "Any time of year,"_ Any time of year,_ "You can find it here!"_

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

Four minutes later, I was in the epic outro, to much applause. Who cares if I was singing in English? People recognise skill when they see it. "Arigato!" I shouted, before unplugging my guitar and jumping off the stage.

A young redhead ran towards me once I'd made it off the dance floor. "Wow! That was amazing senpai"

I smiled. "Thanks." I told her "Any requests for my next song?"

She thought for a second. "Can you play 'Reach out for the Truth'?"

Hmm? "I haven't heard that one before." I told her, "Sorry."

That Surprised her. "What? You applied to play in my concert without listening to my music first?"

Penny hit floor. "Oh, you're Risette?" I asked.

She smiled. "Rise Kujikawa." She corrected me. "Nice to meet you."

"Minato Arisoto." I replied, offering my hand to shake hers.

She took it enthusiastically as Junpei started a Beatles song. 'Can't Buy Me Love', I think it was. He wasn't that bad, for an amateur.

"No, I haven't heard your music." I answered her question, "I just like playing music for people." I smiled again.

"OI! YOU!!"

Oh snap not him. I got a Shinai to the back of the 'ead. "Ow!"

"You have a big match tomorrow!" Mutatsu spat at me, "You don't have time to be chatting up young ladies!"

"Alright, I'll go home then!" I glared at him, rubbing my head for show. He needs to relax, being tense won't win matches either. I turned back to Rise. "Hey, I gotta go."

"Can I have your number?" She asked, "You know, so I can cell you and tell you that you won?"

There were a dozen more contestants left who hadn't chickened out yet, but I appreciated her humour. "Sure." Any joke that makes me look more awesome than I actually am is fine by me. I wrote my number on a piece of paper hurriedly, Mutatsu glaring at the back of my head. "Here you go!"

"Thanks!" She smiled. "Good luck tomorrow!"

I smiled right back at her, "See you later!"

Aaand now for the Arcana.

…

Wait, what?

I looked at her again as she watched the stage. Lovers. Aah, that's why…

I prefer Yukari anyways.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

"Hey, Kazushi!" I elbowed my teammate on the bus to the tournament the next day.

"What?" He asked.

"I can slam a revolving door."

He blinked. "What?"

"That's not all." I continued, glancing at my iPhone. "I also counted to Infinity twice, and can win a game of Connect Four in three moves."

He facepalmed. "You're reading Chuck Norris facts aren't you?"

I shook my head. "Thanks to this app I wrote last night, they're Minato Arisoto facts now."

"Must do wonders for your self-esteem…" He sighed, looking at the window.

Hm… I typed in a few words then hit the random fact button. Ah, there we go.

"Kazushi Miyamoto once had a battle with superman on a bet." I read. "The loser had to start wearing his underwear on the outside."

He cracked a smile there. Yep, he's feeling down about not being able to compete in this tournament, but another Kazushi fact should make him feel better.

"When Mamoru Hayase goes to sleep at night," I told Kazushi, "He checks his closet for Kazushi Miyamoto."

"Who checks his closet for Minato Arisoto." Kazushi laughed. "So you gotta kick his ass in my place!"

I nodded. "Don't worry, Arses will be kicked." I looked at the phone again. "Just hope it's not mine after Chuck Norris finds out about this app."

"Quit Yo Jibba-jibba, fool! I'm the one yo should be scared of!"

MR. T!?!?

Oh, it's just Hideo. "Damn, that's a fine T." I told him. "Just warn me next time."

"Shaddup, foo!"

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

It was almost match five, and the score was 3-1 to the other guys.

So, yeah. No matter what I did against Mamoru, we were gonna lose.

Still, if I'm going down, there's only one way to do it?

"Go down swimming?" Pharos suggested, "Or take the other guy down with you?"

Close, but you're way off.

No, for me, the only way to go down is in a Dying Moment of Awesome.

"Alright Minato," Kazushi told me in the locker room as my name was called, "Since this is your first big event, let me give you some advice."

"Go on then."

Kazushi punched the air. "Just give it everything you've got! It takes guts to win! Don't give in to fear!"

I laughed and stood up. "Dude, Fear is what happens to other people." I donned the helmet thing, "Who cares that we're gonna lose? I'm gonna win!!"

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

"Minato Arisoto against Mamoru Hayase!" Shouted the ref as I faced off against the older guy, "BEGIN!!"

WHAM! Damn, he's fast, barely blocked that one! I jumped back and lowered the Shinai.

He got into his stance and faced me.

Right then, let's go! I charged at him at the same time that he came for me.

WHAM! CRACK! BASH! SMASH! WHACK! Damn, I don't know who's blocking who anymore! WHACK! CRASH! WHAM! SLASH! My point

"FOUL!" Shouted the ref, "Arisoto let go of one hand."

WHAT!? Oh, right, Kendo. "Point Hayase."

Mamoru lifted one hand to shoulder height then swung it. Wait, is he contesting that foul?

Oh, I see. "Hey, Mamoru." He turned to face me in his mask. "Want to go all out, no rules?"

"Heh, I like it." He got back into his stance. "If I wasn't restricted to Kendo, I'd kick your ass!"

Oh? "You do other martial arts too?" I got back into my stance.

"Boxing, Wrestling, Judo, anything to get the blood pumping."

"Point one-nil to Hayase." Judge shouted. "BEGIN!"

WHACK!!

Damn, did we just hit each other at the same time?

"Vital point!" Judge ruled, "Point, Hayase!"

Aw, what? Two Nil!?

"Round Three!" Ref shouted as we got back into our stance. "BEGIN!"

Dodge! Slash!

"Point Arisoto!"

Heh, I'm gonna kick his arse.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

Damn, he kicked my arse.

"They say Hayase annihilates his opponents." Kazushi told me as we left the changing room. "I thought people were just exaggerating, but man, he's insane!" He shook his head. "I mean, you were close, but we could sure use someone like him on our team..." He clutched his head. "Aghhhh! Next time, we won't lose!"

"Hey, isn't that him?" Hideo asked, pointing.

Sure enough, there he stood, with two Bokuto. Hey, He's Guy! Now I recognise him.

And he recognised me.

"Hey, looks like you're feeling better from last time."

I hushed him quiet before anyone asked any suspicious questions. "Good match." I added.

"I'd have liked it better if we could have both gone all out." He shrugged.

I took the hint. Then I took one of his wooden swords. "We've got a few minutes until we have to get to the bus." I told him, "Kaz, can you be our ref?"

"Huh?" He limped over to me, "Dude, you serious? No armour?"

"Hey, I'm hardcore." I shrugged.

Kazushi sighed. "Fine, but first point wins."

"Thanks." Mamoru told Kazushi as he limped to a safe distance. "I'll give a good fight." He got into a low stance, his sword rising up slowly.

Heh. I got into a completely different low stance. One handed, my right hand holding the sword out wide, the left hand between my legs. One of my favourite stances.

Kazushi raised his hand. "Ready?" He asked, then brought his hand down at our nods. "Begin!"

WOOSH! I swung first, changing hands on the way, then leant back as Mamoru brought his weapon up for my chin, before landing on my arse.

Note to self, I am not Neo.

I rolled out of his downward slash, scrambling to my feet in time to block the next blow. Then the next blow. Then the next blow. Then the next blow. Then my back was against the wall and our blades locked, my right hand holding the wooden 'blade' for support.

Now, if this was a film then we'd glare into each other's faces dramatically.

Since this isn't, I kneed him in the gut just as he rammed his shoulder into my face.

His abs must've been rock hard, because he didn't even budge, whereas I was now sporting a heavy nosebleed.

Still, I got my own back by headbutting him as he drew his shoulder back. He reeled, and I forced an elbow into his face.

Then, just as he was starting to regain balance, I swung my sword for his head, stopping at the ear.

Mamoru didn't have as much control.

"GAH!" I staggered, clutching my ribcage.

"Minato!" Kazushi shouted.

"Damn, you alright?" Mamoru asked, clearly concerned.

"Well… nothing's broken…" I stood up and rubbed a sly Diarama into my side. "Good match." I offered a hand to shake.

Mamoru was shocked, but took the hand. "I'm impressed, you're the first person I've seen that's this good." He laughed a bit. "You still need to work on your technique, but if you keep at it, you could be really great."

"What," I snorted, putting my hands in my pockets. "Like I'm not already?"

Mamoru laughed while Kazushi just stared. "I think you might help push me to really test my limits." Mamoru told me. "I usually grab a bite to eat at the strip mall in Iwatodai after school... Stop by sometime if you feel like a rematch."

"I won't hold back next time." I warned.

Mamoru grinned. "Neither will I."

**SMASH!**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Star Arcana…_

"I'll see you later then." Mamoru shrugged. "Didn't you guys have a bus to catch?"

I looked at Kazushi, who was panicking now.

"Crap."

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

"How's your leg?" I asked Kazushi once we got on the school bus.

"Not good…" He was massaging said leg. "That run there really hurt…"

"Sorry man." I replied. "Anything I can do to help?"

"Nah…" Kazushi leant back. "In fact, I reckon you already have."

Huh? "How?"

"Well, after that run, I realised something…" Kazushi sighed. "...I've made up my mind. I'm going to have surgery to fix my Leg."

Good choice. "I wanted you to be the first to know." He told me. "It's not like I gave up or I am being selfish... I don't want the whole team to suffer because of me and my nephew..." He laughed bitterly. "Besides, even if I managed to win, I don't think I'd feel good about it afterward..."

"That's true." I chimed in.

Kazushi nodded. "Before, all I thought about was winning... But when Coach was grilling you about my Leg... I realized I can't keep thinking only of myself."

I could have told him that months ago, but he wouldn't have believed me.

"But at the same time," Kazushi continued, "I can't just give up on winning, since that's a part of who I am." He laughed. "But for now, I won't worry about winning matches, and instead focus on winning back my health!" He shrugged. "I can't keep asking for your help all the time. ...but I do want to thank you for the help you've given me so far."

_**SMASH!!**_

_Thou art I… And I am thou…_

_The bond thou hast nurtured hath finally matured… The innermost power of the Chariot Arcana has been set free…_

_We bestow upon thee the power to create Thor, the ultimate form of the Chariot Arcana… _

_This bond shall never be broken… even as you continue his path alone…_

Damn, really? "Thanks man." I replied. "To be honest, I wanted you to take the surgery from day one."

"I know." Kazushi laughed. "It's what any good friend would've wanted." He turned to me, "Hey, is there anything I can do for you?"

Actually, come to think of it… "I need to buy an entire season of an anime to watch with this kid in our dorm tomorrow, any suggestions?"

His eyebrows flew up. "That is so bizarre…" He rummaged into his bag. "I bought this for my nephew, but he already has the movie." He pulled out a DVD box set. "Here you go!"

I took the DVD set. Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann? Looks childish…

Meh, it'll be fun.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

"Here comes the majestic loser!" Shouted Shinji as I came through the door.

"Shut up." I told him.

"It's quite impressive," Mitsuru pointed out, "Considering you've also had the Shadow's to deal with."

"Yeah," Yukari chimed, "Unlike SOMEONE I know, who doesn't participate in club activities…"

"Blah, blah, blah..." Junpei moaned, "Here we go again..." He sat up, pausing his game. "Anyway, we have more important things to worry about... It'll be a full moon soon, right?"

"Yeah, next Thursday, the sixth." Akihiko nodded. "Make sure you're ready."

Actually, looking around, everyone's here except Fuuka, Aigis and Kenjamin. Well, this'll work just fine.

"More importantly, Shinjiro, Akihiko, Junpei." I ordered, "Tomorrow, Eight AM, we're meeting in the command room with Kenjamin for some male bonding."

"Male bonding?" Akihiko asked uncertainly, "What do you have in mind?"

"Just watch some anime, eat some popcorn, basically hang out with the young lad," I replied. "Why?"

Shinji and Junpei let out sighs of relief, alongside everyone else in the room. "Why the sighing?" I asked.

"You... have a tendency to go a little overboard about these things." Junpei answered. "Remember the fishing trip? Where you kicked my ass?"

Wasn't that supposed to be a kinda-sorta secret type thing? Oh well. "Kenjamin isn't heading into battle using a sword like a Baseballer." I replied. "Anyway, we're gonna surprise him, so no sleeping in."

"...Okay…"

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

Next morning, we were watching the anime.

It started with explosions in battle, then a battle ship.

Then I heard something scary.

_/\_ "Stand fast men,"_/\_ I said from the speakers, _/\_ "Let's teach them a little something… teach them exactly who they're facing" _/\_

"Whoa, Minato, you do voice acting?" Junpei asked me with surprise, while all the other's looked at me in surprise.

"No…" I shook my head, "But we do sound similar don't we?"

_/\_ "Yeah, but they're worthy opponents…" _/\_ My voice said, _/\_ "I'll use the fabric of space-time to wring them out of existence!" _/\_

Yeah, that guy really sounds like me.

It zoomed in on the guys face, so I lipread the character and said what he said.

"_/\_ Gurren Lagann! Spin on! Who the hell do you think I am!? _/\_"

Whoa, that's scary.

This anime might be fun after all…

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

Seven hours later, we watched the end credits roll up.

There was silence.

I broke it. "Damn, that was epic."

"Yeah…" Shinji agreed.

"Dude," Junpei stood up, "That was _intense_!!"

"Better than Phoenix Featherman Ranger R." Kenjamin nodded.

"What's that?" Akihiko asked.

"Obviously something not as good as this." I pointed out. "Therefore, not worth talking about right now."

There was much nodding, followed by much reminiscing of the day so far.

It was a good morning slash early afternoon.

And to think: we got all that awesome done in one school day. There's something wrong with the educational system here.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

* * *

Yes, blatant plugof my favouritest anime ever. Closely followed by Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood and Major.

So, yeah, sorry this one took so long, I got an unfortunate case of the lazy.

Next time, we start the chariot boss battle. And it is gonna suuuuck.

For Minato, not you guys. You guys will think it's awesome.

At least, if you appreciate my kind of awesome, you will.


	51. Chapter 51

Alright, time for action.

I got on this the same morning I posted chapter 50, so I'm only writing the comments now, after writing and getting the chapter beta'ed.

But first off, I don't think I explained the whole 'similar voice' joke well. In the western translation of Persona 3, Main Character, Pharos and Ryoji were voiced by Yuri Lowenthal, who also voice Simon from Gurren Lagann, as well as Sasuke Uchiha and Suzaku Kururugi from Naruto and Code Geass respectively. He must've done a good job, because he also played Yosuke Hanamura.

Surprisingly, his Japanese voice actor, Akira Ishida, voiced Gaara, Kaworu Nagisa, and Leonardo DiCaprio in Titanic, and I just had the best idea ever for if Minato meets Yosuke.

Now, for comments. First of, DrTempo, the P4 character will show up again next chapter. And since most of you have picked it up already, I'll just come out and say it. The P4 character is Adachi. Cookie for whoever can list all his appearances so far. I make it four so far, though only three have lines.

And there will be another P4 cameo next chapter. Cookie goes for whoever can guess who it is. And no, Yosuke hasn't appeared yet. That was a red herring.

Also, I know they had the same american voice actor. Junpei's assuming that he is that american voice actor because Junpei is Junpei.

Viktor, if the last chapter was full of win... this one will be full of epic win.

I wrote this chapter to 'The Chosen Ones' By 'Dream Evil.' Never heard of it before today, but the music fits.

* * *

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

Before I knew it, it was Thursday, and time for the battle against the Chariot. We decided to stay at home today to conserve our strength.

That evening, just before the Dark Hour started, we were gathered in the command room to plan for tonight's operation.

"Any luck, Yamagishi?" Mitsuru asked Fuuka, who was inside Lucia.

_~ Yes, I've located it. ~_ Fuuka replied. _~ And this time, it's not an ordinary one. ~_

Yay. "Now, that's more like it." Akihiko agreed.

_~ It's by the deserted houses in the northern part of Iwatodai. ~_ Fuuka continued, _~ But, there is one thing that's strange... It seems like it's underground... almost 10 meters… ~_

"It must be in some kind of basement…" Yukari decided.

"According to my records," Aigis said, "There is no structure in the area that matches those criteria. However, in the past there was an underground facility that was used by the military."

"Is that true?" Yukari asked Ikutsuki.

More importantly, what kind of facility?

"Well, the architectural and geographic data for the area were uploaded into her memory bank." Ikutsuki answered, before shrugging. "Then again, the information hasn't been updated in a decade."

"That is correct." Aigis replied.

"Wouldn't that be a good idea?" I asked. "I mean, I know you've been shut down for ten years, but out of date data isn't going to help."

"So, how do we interpret this?" Akihiko cut everyone off from answering my unhelpful question.

Fuuka dismissed her Persona. "There's no way of knowing without actually going there..."

"Idiots…" Shinji sighed. "It's obviously underground in that army base."

"It seems war's scars may be deeper than we think..." Mitsuru nodded. "The situation is still unclear at this time. Therefore, we will wait until we arrive to determine who should be deployed."

"Agreed." Akihiko replied.

"Understood." Aigis responded.

"Cool." I answered. "Ikutsuki, you stay here and babysit Kenjamin."

"Kenjamin?" He asked.

"His new name for Ken-kun." Yukari told him, rolling her eyes.

"It is his name." I replied. " Everyone else, let's ride."

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

Fuuka got us to the general location of the base, and then Shinji showed us the door. Man, he's helpful.

How the hell did he know about this place in the first place? Best not to ask.

"The target should be around here…" Fuuka said, leading us through the ominously heavy gates as Dark Hour blood ran down them.

"Well done." Said someone I don't know.

We all turned around to see Revolver Tattoo Jesus walk in through the doors with Emo Grenade Man. "This is the first time we've met in person…"

"You…" Shinji growled.

"Who are these guys!?" Fuuka gasped, "Lucia didn't sense a thing until now!"

"My name is Takaya." Replied Revolver Jesus, before gesturing to Grenade Man. "This is Jin. We are known to some as Strega. We've been keeping an eye on you..." What? How? "From what we hear, you've undertaken a "righteous" battle to save the world. But, we've come here tonight to put an end to that dream. You've gained new allies, yet this land still crawls with sin. Tartarus is towering as beautifully as always..."

"But," Junpei stepped forward towards them. "Why the hell would you wanna stop us!?"

"Simple..." Answered Grenade Man, or Jin. "If the Shadows and the Dark Hour disappear, then so will our power. ...And we can't let that happen, now can we?"

"Power...?" Mitsuru asked, "Don't tell me you're Persona-users as well!"

"Hey, don't look at me!" I protested, as everyone looked at me. "I don't know these guys!"

"Why don't you use that pretty little head of yours for a change?" Takaya asked, moaning. "Only a select few wield the power of a Persona... And even fewer of those few can enter this time… The Dark Hour is a frontier that is ours alone to explore..." He smiled. "Just like the Tower of Demise..."

"THAT's your reason!?" Yukari shouted, "...Are you crazy!? There's no telling what will happen if we don't do something about the Shadows!"

"What difference does it make..?" Takaya shrugged "There will always be disasters, whether they are caused by Shadows or arise from human folly. No one can predict the future, anyway." He drew his gun, sighing. "But, that is all beside the point... Surely you will acknowledge the sense of significance the Dark Hour has given you."

"You think I like this!?" Yukari hissed.

"Is it not so?" Takaya was confused. "How about the rest of you...? Do you also wish to return to your pathetic, ordinary lives?" He looked at me. "Especially you, Minato-kun…"

"Huh?" Junpei asked looking at me, "Dude, you said you didn't know them!?"

"I don't…" I told him, before raising my voice. "You probably know already that my life isn't pathetic." I told him, "But your turn to answer a question. How the hell do you know so much about us?"

"Someone left a back door in your surveillance system." Jin replied, juggling a grenade in one hand. "It was child's play to tap into it."

"...What..?"

"I'm gonna kill the idiot who did that." I decided.

"You did it." Jin announced. "Saw it on the recording."

"...What!?"

Oh crap I did. "Oh yeah… Damn, I should've known that'd come and bite me in the backside someday…"

"Wait, you actually did it?" Yukari asked, disgusted. "You've been spying on us all along!?"

"Spying?" I asked. "The surveillance system only covers the command room, roof, ground floor and hallways right?"

"It… also covered the bedrooms…" Mitsuru admitted.

The Hell!? "Seriously!? Whose stupid idea was that!?"

"Like that matters right now." Jin announced, reminding us that he existed.

"But I'm curious…" Takaya asked, "Just who is this… 'Pharos', you speak to?" What the hell!? "I've seen you converse to this… person, but I've never seen the person with mine own eyes."

Damn, this is really going to hell. "Whoa, he's really been watching you." Pharos told me. Damn, I am so glad we have this telepathic link thing we've got going on.

"Pharos?" Junpei asked, "Dude, what the hell!?"

I sighed, then stood up, looking at the two guys. Revolver Jesus is Fortune, and Grenade Man is hermit. "Pharos is my imaginary friend." I told him much to the surprise to everyone. "You know I have multiple Personae right?" I added, "How else do you think I got that other than Schizophrenia?"

"That's somewhat insulting to me." Pharos pointed out. Sorry, but my first instinct in these situations is to lie my backside off.

"I'm afraid that if that was the case," Takaya sighed, "Then my Hypnos would be able to see Pharos."

Wait, wasn't Hypnos the twin brother to Thanatos?

Damn, if we get into a scrap with this guy, we're pretty much gonna die.

"You've each got your own reason for fighting us." Jin told us as he and Takaya backed out of the base. "'Justice' is only an excuse... And that makes you all hypocrites! So I say, to hell with you!" He stuck his thumb into the Grenade's pin before throwing the bomb behind me. "Have fun in there!" He shouted, before closing the heavy iron door.

"Shit!" Shinji shouted, running after the door with Akihiko, banging on it.

"Dammit!" Akihiko shouted, "It won't open!"

"The grenade!" Fuuka shouted!

"On it!" I barked, running for the bomb while unfurling a scroll. I picked it up, ramming the live grenade into an empty page as fast as I could.

Phew, safe.

"We will be all right." Aigis told us. "Rather then wasting our energy, I suggest we deal with the Shadow first."

"You're right." Yukari nodded as I stood up, rolling the scroll back up. "If we lose our cool, then they win."

"Jolly good." I said for the hell of it. "Yukari, Aigis and Akihiko, come with me." I pointed down the tunnel behind me. "Junpei, Mitsuru and Shinjiro, stay here with Fuuka and open that door."

"And how do you propose we do that?" Junpei asked sarcastically.

"Basic Geology." I replied. "If you freeze superheated metal, it becomes brittle, and easier for a Shinjiro to smash."

"Alright." Mitsuru said. "Prepare for battle."

"The Shadow's moving!" Fuuka declared. "I think it's noticed us!"

"Which way?" I asked, pulling Gae Bolg out of the weapon scroll.

Fuuka summoned Lucia. _~ Um… further down. ~_

"Heh, it's already retreating." I told everyone. "Let's kick its arse!!"

"And Arisoto?" Mitsuru asked.

"Hm?"

"There will be ramifications for your irresponsible behaviour concerning the security system." Wait, is she blushing? "Make no mistake."

Gulp.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

As we descended, we found a huge room full of guns.

_~ Whoa... ~_ Fuuka gasped over the link, _~ This place seems to have been some kind of weapons depot. I've never seen so many weapons before... All designed to kill...~_ She seemed almost disgusted. _~ But, I guess that's the reality of war... It's hard to believe that a time like that actually existed... ~_

The sad thing is that we're still in a time like that. We just ignore it.

_~ The target is in the next area, be careful! ~_

I'm gonna be.

I noticed the treadmarks.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

_~ There it is! It's possessed a tank! ~_

That is not a tank.

I would be happy if that was a tank.

But I used to collect Warhammer 40,000 when I was twelve

That's not a tank.

That is a bloody Space Marine Predator.

We don't stand a friggen chance…

_~ Its Arcana is Justice... Wait, it's Chariot? What the-- Why am I sensing two entities...? It doesn't make sense! ~_

This night just goes from bad to worse. I mean come on, Lascannon, Autocannon, Twin Heavy Bolters, A Storm Bolter, _and _a hunter killer missile? This thing IS overkill!

And just so you know, Regular Bolters shoot heavy calibre bullets that are both armour piercing _and_ exploding. Heavy Bolters shoot bullets the size of baby's heads. Storm Bolters shoot lots of regular Bolter rounds at once, like a shotgun. Autocannon? The bastard son of a minigun and a pirate cannon. Lascannon? Nuclear bomb shoved in your face. And I have no idea what the hell a hunter killer missile is, but the name kinda implies that it's gonna kill you.

I had one in my army back in '04. Rarely lost a battle.

Translation? We're boned.

I mean, the Reaper is one thing, but I fought an army of grim reapers with this bad boy and came out on top.

Well, badass for badass, and Dying Moment of Awesome and all that, so I switched to Cu Chulainn. "Any suggestions people?" I asked.

"Would you like me to initiate Orgia Mode?" Aigis suggested.

"What is that again?"

"I temporarily disable my limiters and gain a higher level of strength." Aigis reported. "However I will be unable to function for some time afterwards."

"Too risky." I decided. "Wait until it's almost dead for that." Now how to get it that way? Aha.

"Yukari, give support from a distance and try to take out the side mounted guns. Aigis, try to draw said gun's attention, but do NOT get hit."

"W-what!?" Yukari gasped.

"Understood." Aigis nodded.

"Akihiko? You and I will charge the thing and try to take out the big guns before it can use them."

"Heh." Akihiko grinned nervously. "Alright…"

"Okay." I announced, swinging the white spear. "Let's go!"

Akihiko and I charged, jumping onto the front ramming spikes as the tank started moving towards us. It tried to turn as Aigis span around it, bullets firing from her fingertips, always one step ahead of the Heavy Bolter fire. Slashes of green energy blasted past us, as spinning arrows were shot into the gears of the guns.

"You ready for this?" Akihiko asked me.

"No." I replied. "You?"

"Me neither." He laughed. "Alright, on three."

"THREE!!" We both shouted, scrambling up the front of the tank. Akihiko grappled the barrel of the Lascannon as I jammed the spear into the base of the turret.

The turret broke.

As if it was ripped apart by a crowbar.

This can't be anything other than good, so I forced it open.

* * *

**\_|\_ RRAARRGHH!! _/|_/  
_** - - - - - - - - - - - - - **_**  
**_/ |/___________\| \_**

* * *

That's can't be anything other than not good, since it started accelerating so fast that I was thrown off while Akihiko was left dangling on the barrel of a cannon.

"Akihiko!" I shouted, getting up off the floor as the tank charged back to the others. Dammit! "Fuuka! It's coming your way!"

_~ I know! Everyone, please, get away! ~_

Damn, this is not my night. "Come on!" I shouted at Yukari and Aigis, "We gotta go after it!!"

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

Oh, this is not my night.

"W-What the…" Junpei gasped, looking up.

The tank had reportedly rammed through the door, where Akihiko finally got off.

Then the turret flew off.

And I don't mean like it was thrown off.

As in it transformed into a Bloody Gundam And Flew Into The Air Brandishing A Laser Cannon And A Lightsaber.

Then the Predator Transformed.

_INTO A BLOODY SPACE MARINE DREADNOUGHT. _

The only way this could get worse would be if Cthuhlu came out of the ocean to say hi.

"A… A Dreadnought… And a Gundam at once…" I gasped. Dammit this is not good.

I mean, each one is ridiculously armed to the teeth, have nigh-on impenetrable armour, one is flying and the other is fifty foot tall and weighs over a hundred tonnes. "We're buggered beyond belief." I decided.

"C-Come on guys!" Yukari gasped, "W-We just need to find its weakness, right?"

_~ Um… The Chariot has a fuel tank in its back, and there's an inch-wide gap in the Justice's chest armour, but the Justice is hiding behind its shield and the Chariot is facing us… ~_

The Chariot was the Dreadnought and the Justice was the Gundam. Thankfully, they weren't attacking right now, most likely so we had a chance to get changed.

Thankfully, I had a crap before I came.

"Any bright ideas _Leader_?" Shinji asked, dripping with sarcasm.

"I suppose we could combine our powers and create an impromptu railgun?" I suggested, knowing that it would never work.

"Yeah, that'll work." Junpei snorted sarcastically, his knees shaking. "Dammit, how the hell are we supposed to do this? It'd take a missile or something to take that thing down?"

"The police station doesn't sell those…" I apologised.

"There could be a suitable incendiary device in the armoury below." Aigis suggested.

…

"Aigis?" I said, "I love you. EVERYONE GET INSIDE AND LOOK DAMMIT!"

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

Rifle… torpedo… oil tank… C-4… chainsaw… shotgun… medipack… wait, chainsaw?

I picked it up. It was a Chainsword.

IE, A sword with a chainsaw blade. Should be so heavy that it's unusable. I can handle it.

Probably because I can see black lines on my wrist between my gloves and sleeves. I put the legendary spear back into the scroll and pressed the trigger on the handle. It burst to life, ready to tear through anything in my way.

Won't do much against tank armour, but I feel braver already.

"Missile Launcher!" Akihiko shouted, "Not Chainsaw!"

I slung the Chainsword over my back, and got back to looking.

"Found it!" Junpei shouted, slinging it onto his shoulder. "And a load of spare rockets too!"

"I got another launcher over here too!" Shinji declared, holding his like a rifle.

"Nice!" I ran over to them. "You know how to load them?"

"Erm…"

"Not really…"

"Me neither." I shook my head, "Anyone know how to load a rocket launcher?"

"I will assist you." Aigis said, hefting up a missile and walking over to Junpei.

**KRAM!!**

The Chariot Dreadnought tore through the front door, apparently out of patience.

Man, Jin and Takaya must be laughing their heads off now.

"Aigis, tell Mitsuru how to load them and keep Shinji and Junpei ready to fire!" I ordered, "Yukari, aim for the joints, Akihiko, slow it down! Junpei, Shinji, Open fire!!"

"POLYDEUCES!!" Akihiko shouted, casting Sukunda on the already slow behemoth.

It didn't work on his bullets though, as it slowly raised its arms and fired.

"Damn!" I quickly broke an Attack Mirror to reflect the bullets, which only dinted it.

BOOM! BOOM! Two rockets fired from behind me, one after the other, exploding on their target.

"Alright!" Junpei shouted, "Now who's the tough guy!?"

"RELOAD!!" I shouted, running for Akihiko. "Here," I passed him all of my Attack Mirrors, twelve in all. "Break one of these each time it launches a volley of bullets, LIKE NOW!!"

I ducked as the heavy rounds ricocheted above my head, and the gigantic Shadow marched through the smoke. "FIRE!!" I shouted.

BOOM!!

"Yukari!?" I shouted, "What're you doing!?"

"Huh?" She suddenly raised her bow. "Right!" She charged green energy along the arrows and aimed, firing once she Shadow was in vision.

I switched to Eligor, since it should protect me from bullets and make me immune to the explosions. I pulled out my evoker and "RRAGH!" BANG! Fired, launching a Cruel Attack at the behemoth along with the third volley of missiles.

"There is only enough ammunition for three more volleys." Aigis warned, as the Chariot slowly marched towards us again, firing as Akihiko reflected the Bolter rounds back at the Dreadnought.

Now I know how Chris felt whenever I got my Dreadnought into close combat with his Orkz… "Tch." I replied, grabbing my Chainsword from my back. "Fuuka, where's its Weakspot?"

_~ Huh? ~_

"The fuel tank," I urged, as the fourth volley was launched. BOOM!! BOOM!! "Where is it!?"

_~ At the back, where the most armoured part is. ~_

"Figures, that plan's out the window then…" Unless… "Junpei, I need you to run between its legs and fire at its backside!?"

"What!?"

"The armour there should be weak enough for the explosion to hit the fuel tank!" I explained. "It's our best chance!"

_~ No! ~_ Fuuka protested, _~ He'll be crushed by the rubble! ~_

"Shadow's dissolve when they're killed!" I shouted. BOOM! Shinji fired another rocket.

_~ Did the train that the Priestess possessed dissolve? ~_ Fuuka countered, _~ No, the Shadow's the only thing holding all those tank parts together! ~_

Damn, didn't think about that.

"How do you know about that?"

_~ I read the mission reports. ~_

Ah, that's how.

Well, this is my mess, I'll take care of it.

"Sorry guys." I switched to Samael.

"Huh?"

"MAMUDOON!!"

BANG! Black fire surrounded the room, and Junpei, Yukari, Aigis, Mitsuru, Shinjiro and Akihiko were all knocked out, leaving me and Fuuka alone with the Chariot. Damn, that was effective.

_~ Minato! ~_ Fuuka shouted as I dropped my scrolls and Chainsword and wrestled the Rocket Launcher from the unconscious Junpei. _~ What are you thinking!? ~_

I took a couple of Attack Mirrors from Akihiko, holding one against the launcher and shoving another one in my shirt. "I might not die." I replied, tossing her a Bead Chain. "Revive everyone if I do and get them to take out the Justice."

She dismissed Lucia. "WHAT!?" She shouted as I ran for the Dreadnought's legs. "NO!!"

I twisted and fell, landing with my back on the floor as I aimed the Rocket Launcher at the Chariot's Vulnerables.

I switched to Eligor, Hoped for the best, and pulled the trigger.

**BOOM!!**

**KABLOOM!!**

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

"Hey, I found him!"

"Come on! Dig him out!"

"IO!" BANG! "ARGH!" BANG! "HELP ME!" BANG!

I coughed blood.

"He's alive! Keep going!"

Someone put their arms of my chest and started healing me.

"Look who Death sent back."

I snapped my eyes open and sat up. "Whoa!" I coughed. "Guess it worked?"

WHAM!

Simultaneous tackle-hug from Yukari and Aigis, and ribs cracked. "Hey, dying here…" So much for emotionless robots, right?

"Don't you ever do that again!!" Yukari shouted in my ear. Ow…

"I must always protect you!" Aigis shouted, "I must fulfil my mission!!"

"Alright, sorry…" I wriggled out of the hugs and stood up. "How's the Justice?"

"Still there…" Shinji admitted.

"Forget that!" Junpei shouted, "Dude, how the hell did you survive that!?"

"Cheating." I replied, pulling out what was left of the Attack Mirror from what was left of my shirt. "Sorry about knocking you all out, but…"

"We wouldn't have let you do that." Akihiko nodded. "I'll let you off this one."

I nodded. "Thanks. How long was I out?"

Mitsuru looked at her 'Special' Watch, then gasped. "We only have Ten minutes before the Dark Hour ends!?"

WHAT!? I looked up at the Justice through the gap in the ceiling.

Damn, and this one can fly.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

I pulled a Kevlar Vest out of my Armour scroll and replaced my torn shirt with it. It was still fairly cold despite it being a summer night, so I threw on a jacket over the top. "Alright!" I shouted, swinging my Chainsword as we charged though what was left of the doorway. "Let's finish this!"

"Right!" Shinji got on one knee once we were outside and launched out two remaining missiles at the Shadow. First one hit, the second one was shot before it made contact.

Damn, was it really waiting for us all this time? You would've thought that it would be detroying stuff.

Either way, it wasn't waiting any more, as it charged down at us, firing its Lascannon wildly.

I switched to Cu Chulainn and used a Power Charge while everyone else launched as many spells at is as they could, hoping to make one stick.

I pulled the trigger again. "RRAGGH!" BANG! Torrent Shot!

Maybe its shield was too busy blocking the other's spells, because that seemed to cause some damage.

Which distracted it enough for everyone else's spells to make an effect.

"RRAGGHH!!!" It screamed, curling up into a ball before uncurling, exposing all the many guns hidden in its armour.

"AKIHIKO!!" I shouted, "ATTACK MIRROR!!"

"Got it!" He smashed the mirror, and all the bullets bounced from the forcefield. Grinning, I switched to Samael. "MEGIDO!!"

**KKKZZAARCHH!!!**

That brought it down. "Let us commence with an all out attack!" Aigis asked.

I revved up the saw and charged. "KILL IT!!"

Tell you one thing. Chainsaw blade on Gundanium armour _works_. I like this weapon.

However, it threw us off and flew into the sky and began charging an attack.

"You got a problem." Pharos told me.

"I know, the Lascannon!"

"No, Dark Hour will be over before it hits and you have witnesses!"

What!? I looked where he was pointing, which was two coffins. Crap…

I had an Idea. I switched to Virtue. "EVERYONE!" I shouted, running towards them. "ABORT!"

"WHAT!?"

The sky turned black and I cast a Mahama, the light flashing just as the two coffins transformed back into people, knocking them out.

I turned back to see everyone else standing there, all covered in minor injuries, Weapons and Evokers out, amongst the rubble and craters of our battles. Thankfully, since I'd knocked those two innocent bystanders out, they'd just think that there had been an explosion.

Now how to convince the rest of the world that that's what happened?

"Dude, the Shadow just disappeared!" Junpei shouted.

"Shadow's disappear after the Dark Hour ends." I reminded him. "We're just going to have to come back tomorrow and finish this off." I undid the scroll with the Grenade in it.

"What!" He groaned. "Aww, man!"

"Anyway," I said, "Thanks to our good friend Jin, I can make everyone think that this was all just an accident." I pulled the Grenade out of the scroll and threw it into the armoury.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

That was a sweet explosion. I mean seriously, one grenade doesn't do much, but one grenade with a load of bullets, missiles, oil tanks, tanks, flame throwers and more grenades makes a nice kaboom.

It was a shame, since we probably cold have used some of that, but we need to hide the Dark Hour from everyone. Anyhoo, alibi sorted, now to figure out how to come back tomorrow night and finish that thing off.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

* * *

I've had this in mind since the first Hiatus I took, back in July, where I made plans for how I was going to combat Minato's overpowering. When I said I was going to make life hell, I wasn't talking about overfilled Tartarus floors. I was talking about THIS!!!

I mean, come on, this is one of the easier bosses in Persona 3, and it kicked Minato's backside all over the place!

And incase you don't know what I'm talking about, just Google Image Search "Dreadnought", "Space Marine Predator", and "Gundam."

So, yeah. Minato lost. Twice, really, when you consider that his suicide attack on the Chariot knocked him out, which normally constitutes losing.

As to why the Justice waited so patiently, it's Justice. Reversed or not, it believes in fair play, and either way, unlike the Chariot, it doesn't have the armour to shrug off missile launchers and collapsing roofs, relying instead on its shield and agility for defence.

And yes, Minato played Warhammer 40k. He spent the latter half of his childhood in England, and was obsessed with combat and awesome, and most kids around 13 with that kind of interests go through a Warhammer 40k phase. I went through four of those phases myself, as did my older and younger brothers.

And two chapters in two days! Could I be getting back into my old groove?

I doubt it.

And yes, those things up there are meant to be Dreadnought fangs going RWAR! I hope it worked.

I think it did.

And if you think I'm being harsh to him here, wait until you see the Hermit.

Then the Fortune and Strength.

Then the Hanged man. Oh, you are going to _love_ the Hanged Man.


	52. Chapter 52

Back again, and Happy Halloween!

New chapter for you all tonight, and I'll upload the Beta'd version later.

Jaido-Namikaze, I have no idea what the second one is, but I'll see what I can do for the Gundams.

* * *

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

"Alright." I said, pulling off my Kevlar vest and pulling out my armour scroll. "We don't have long before the police arrive, so listen carefully."

I pulled a Defender Cloak out of the scroll and put it on the floor, then swapped the armour scroll for the weapon and equipment scrolls. "Everyone, put your weapons in this scroll, and the evokers in this one." I told them. "Then, run into the alleys, split up, and walk home. Don't run," I warned them, shoving in the Chainsword. "_Walk._"

I donned the cloak as they put their weapons and evokers into the scrolls, hood over my head to cover my face, but cloak open to show my bare chest. "Meet back at the dorm separately." I warned them. "I'll make a distraction for us."

"How?" Yukari asked as I twirled my Evoker on my trigger finger.

"A hooded, tattooed man with a gun is more likely to have caused the explosion," I told then as I took my old earpiece out of the equipment scroll. "Than a group of high school kids out at a party." As I said it, I saw their concern turn to shock as the demonic seal expanded, covering my exposed chest. "I'll be back later, go!" With that, I rolled up the scrolls, put them into my pocket and ran into the street, Evoker in hand.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

"Hey, look at that guy!"

"He came from where the explosion was!"

"Holy crap he has a gun!"

"Someone call the police!"

"Police! Drop the weapon!"

Just as planned…

I bolted.

"Fire!"

BANG! BANG! I dodged the bullets, jumping onto the fire escape staircases. _/\_ _"Calling all units," __/\_ I heard over the police broadcast through the reciever in my ear, _/\__ "Suspected terrorist found fleeing the scene of the explosion. Suspect is male, covered in tattoos, and shirtless but wearing a gray cloak and hood. Suspect is armed with a handgun and presumed dangerous. Shots have been fired, requesting backup."_ _/\_

Just as planned.

Know who else is male, covered in tattoos, shirtless and has a handgun?"

Revolver Jesus.

I climbed onto the roof and jumped onto the next one, and kept running.

_~ Minato-kun! ~_ Fuuka called into my mind. ~ _The police are chasing you! ~_

"I know!" I replied. "That's what I want them to do!"Apparently she can send messages without summoning. Who knew?

I jumped again, but I landed weird.

Damn, my gut hurts.

"Your liver's bruised." Pharos said, running to keep up with me. "Dia spells only heal tissue damage, but organs can't be repaired magically."

Now you tell me. Well, keep running.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

While I ran, I ended up thinking about the scrolls.

I think they work on perspective.

I mean, I think the arms scroll can only hold things I consider to be weapons in themselves, the armour scroll able to hold things I consider wearable, and the tools scroll only able to hold things I consider useful, but not weapons in themselves.

I mean, I've got my iPhone, Darkplayer, Leatherman, Wallet, Laptop, Evokers, loads of gems and gemstones, medicines, souls of the chewing variety and even lunches in the tools scroll, but I can't fit a spare shirt in there. Meanwhile, I can't put spiked shoes into the weapons scroll, or spiked knuckles in the armour scroll. Yet I can fit gloves into the armour scroll, and Glasses in the tools scroll.

It's too specific yet vague for them to have pre-programmed criteria, and considering how most things seem to work for me lately, it's a good bet, right?

And why does that sound like a helicopter behind me?

"STOP NOW AND GET DOWN TO THE GROUND!" Shouted the megaphone behind me. "DROP YOUR WEAPON! DO IT NOW!!"

Man, they're really pulling out all the stops for me, huh?

I jumped off the next building, into the alley below.

_/\_ _"Suspect just jumped off a building, suspected suicide. Search for body."_ _/\_

My legs curled as I landed, taking in the impact.

I ran through the alleys.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

Damn… tired of running.

_/\_ _"We lost him… get a description from the witnesses and put out a bounty. We didn't find a body, so we can't assume he's dead. All units withdraw from chase."_ _/\_

Sweet!

Click.

Buggeration.

"Put your hands in the air and drop your weapon." Ordered the cop.

Well, got no choice now. I dropped the Evoker and switched to Virtue.

Then I shoved a Hama down my arm and shoved it in the guys face.

Nothing happened to him.

"Now why is a Persona user like yourself a terrorist?" Asked the cop.

I pulled my arm back. Justice. He looked familiar. "You a relative of Tatsuya Suou?"

He kept his gun raised. "A brother, now put your hands in the air now."

I pulled my hood down. "I'm not a bloody terrorist, alright? I'm destroying the evidence."

"Evidence?" He asked, gun still at my head.

"General public don't know about the Shadow's right?" I reasoned, "And the last one caused some serious damage. Terrorists are a much safer explanation than a giant walking tank."

He lowered his gun slightly. "What's you name?"

I let the released the seal, the black lines withdrawing to my arm. "Minato Arisoto. 3rd generation wild card."

He lowered the gun all the way this time. "Katsuya Suou." He replied. "You the fool who blew up Shirakawa Boulevard?"

"No one got hurt, right?"

"Scared the hell out of one of my detectives who was staying the night." Replied Katsuya. "Alright, what happened this time?"

I pulled out some spare clothes and got changed while I talked, since it was getting cold. Dark Gray suit with waistcoat, black shirt and tie, my trainers and a brown overcoat.

"Fits with what Tatsuya told me…" Katsuya admitted as I loaded my pockets with my various devices and glasses. "So what's with the tattoo thing?"

"Demonic Seal." I told him, looking at my watch. "Got it on my arm to save my life once, but I learnt to use it to give me a powerup." 00:53. "Powered by adrenaline, can you get me onto the crime scene as a detective?" I asked, "Since the cops can't solve it without knowledge of the Dark Hour or the Shadows."

"Why should I?" Katsuya asked, "I'm doing enough favours for you by letting you off the hook here."

"Fair point." I replied, combing my hair back. "I'll see you later then…"

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

"Good morning Sergeant Suou." I told Katsuya fifteen minutes later at the crime scene, "What do we have here then?"

"You.!?" Yeah, he honestly expected me to go home.

"So, it looks like several explosions from the abandoned munitions warehouse that have gone on to-"

"Whoa there…" interrupted Matsuda. "Who are you exactly?"

Think fast. "Oh, I'm The Doctor. And, sorry, you are..?" Dammit David Tennant!

"Um, Tohru Adachi" Replied the young detective. Ah, it's the copper I talked to about the Fuuka case! Looks like he got promoted to Detective. "Um… Doctor… Who exactly?"

Groan. He had to say it, didn't he? "Just The Doctor." DAMMIT! The suit is controlling me!! "So, what've we got?"

"Not much I'm afraid…" Adachi reported me while Katsuya protested silently in the background. "Because of the explosions, there's no fingerprints, and the only two witnesses were knocked out by the impact, and they saw nothing…" Come to think of it, I think my sheer gall just stole his ability to speak. Does that happen to everyone?

"Well…" I crouched down and pulled the fake glasses out of my pocket and put them on. They were thicker than the usual ones, but they made me feel smarter. "If we look here…" I shone my torch into a certain crater, "We have one here that looks like it was made by a vertical impact," I took my glasses off and stood up, "Whereas the other craters around here are at an angle…"

"Which suggests that this was made by something falling, not a piece of shrapnel…" finished Matsuda.

I smiled and said "Oh, yes!" Before rushing off to the warehouse.

…

DAMMIT DAVID TENNANT!

Oh well, I'm running the place now, best just run along with it.

"I'm sorry, but I am investigating this scene with my grandson."

Hm? There was an old man in an old-school cloak with a blue haired kid, around Rise's age I'd guess, in a blue hat. Sun and Fortune.

"Grandson?" I asked, looking at the girl. If that's a dude, I'll eat her hat.

"My name is Naoto Shirogane." The kid said. "My grampa is teaching me how to be a detective."

I bowed to them. "Right you were. I'm The Doctor, by the way," I offered my hand to shake theirs, "And I was wondering if I could be of any assistance?" Hey, if I gotta be damned, then girl I wanna be damned, dancing through the night with you.

Heh, I love that song.

"Very well." Replied detective Shirogane. "Sorry, Doctor..?"

"Just The Doctor, apparently." Groaned Katsuya. "So, what do we have on this case so far?"

"Well," Naoto stepped forward, "It appears that the door was broken from the inside by a large blunt force _before_ the explosion took place," _He _said, "Which suggests that the door was opened then closed by normal means beforehand."

"Well done Naoto." Commented _his_ grandfather.

"That's not all." Naoto continued. "Many of the stock in the warehouse were moved around shortly before the explosion, some even being unaccounted for."

"Couldn't they have just been destroyed in the blast?" Adachi- I mean Matsuda scoffed.

"One whole Type-one Chie-He tank turret could not have just disappeared that easily." Naoto scoffed back in turn. Damn that kid is good.

"And whoever it was," The old man finished off, "They somehow managed to completely bypass the electronic lock, because the military database registered no entry into the warehouse, forced or authorised."

Aaaah… So that's why the door was unlocked… Train mistake all over again.

Then how did Strega lock it again?

Then I heard rock music. With violins.

_/\_ _Mary belongs… to the words of a song… __/\_

"Oh, that's mine." I said, "'scuse me."

_/\_ _I try to be strong for her… try not to be-_ _/\_ "Yellow?" I asked.

_/\_ "Hey, where are you?" _/\_ Yukari?

"I'm at the crime scene." I replied. "They weren't able to ID the suspect, but I don't think there'll be another attack tonight."

She sighed happily. _/\_ "Thank goodness… We're all here waiting for you." _/\_

"Just a few more things I gotta do here." I said. "Then I'll be right there. Love you."

Silence.

_/\_ "Hey, uh… you're on loudspeaker ya know." _/\_ Crap, Akihiko!?

"Sorry, gotta go," I waved back to Adachi. "The others need my attention, and I promise to buy something for Kohta on the way back to make up for not tucking him in tonight, alright?" Damn, I am good.

_/\_ "Are others listening to you right now?" _/\_ Mitsuru asked.

"Yeah…" I replied, nodding with a smile. "I'll see you as soon as I can. Night." I hung up.

"That the wife?" Adachi asked.

"Yeah…" I nodded. "Got married right out of high school."

Adachi led me away from the others. "Except you're in high school, _Doctor_."

Snap.

"Don't worry, I won't tell the others." He frowned. "Look, I know you want to find out what happened, but just leave this to us, alright?"

I sighed. "Yeah, sure." I put my hands in my pockets. "Just tell them to look for the missile fragments on the rooftops to the northeast.

"The-the what!?" But I walked off.

Damn, I like that feeling.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

"So you pretended you were a detective, and then faked a phone call from your wife to protect your cover?" Junpei asked. "Suspicious."

"Well…" I wiggled my head, scrunching my face slightly, "Yeah… but you lost the right to question my reasoning when I saved all of our arses by acting as a decoy there, while getting the police on the hunt for Strega at the same time."

Junpei sighed. "Fine, whatever…"

"Cool." I whacked the whiteboard with my pointing stick. "Now what the hell happened back there?"

"You had a panic attack." Shinji pointed out.

"Twice." Akihiko added.

"Then you pulled a suicide attack." Shinji added.

"After knocking us all out." Akihiko pointed out.

"Then we spent ages digging you out." Shinji continued.

"Then you blew the place up with a grenade." Akihiko finished.

I nodded. "Yes… those were all my fault…" I accepted, "But the bigger question is; _where the hell did the turret go?_"

Everyone's faces said the same thing. _Huh?_

I sighed. "Look, if a Shadow possesses something, then that something returns to normal once the Shadow is destroyed _or_ the Dark Hour ends. If the Arcana Justice possessed the turret, then where the hell did it go?"

"Is that really so important right now?" Akihiko asked, but Fuuka hushed him.

"No… no that's a good point." Fuuka said. "The Shadow vanished, but the tank parts _should_ have fallen to the ground when the Dark Hour ended."

"Right." I nodded. "Any suggestions as to what the hell happened to it?"

"Perhaps the Shadow destroyed the Turret during its transformation," Aigis suggested, "As the only physical attribute the Shadow had to the Turret was armour of similar appearance, the decorations on the turret, and the cannon itself."

Yukari nodded. "That's right… we only assumed it was the turret, but in reality, it could be something completely different…"

"Good theory, I like it." I wrote a summary of that on the board. "We'll go with that for now."

_Justice ate turret, is not turret. _∆ _Shadow can possess completely + partially, + evolve through that. _

"Anything else?" I asked, as I continued writing.

_Shadows hate = us. __LOTS!_

"Nothing?" I asked. "Something? Anything? Fuuka, you mentioned a one inch armour gap." I asked her. "What is that exactly?"

"Oh," Fuuka exclaimed. "Well, it's about an inch tall, but it's wide, like a seam, and it's jagged like a zip…" I drew my interpretation of what she described.

__/''\_/''\_/''\_/''\_/''\_/  
_/''\_/''\_/''\_/''\_/''\_/_

"Kinda like that?" I asked.

"Yeah," Fuuka said, "But that pattern went across its chest like this…" She took the pen from me and drew a 'W'.

"Right…" I said. "Now what the hell is that?" I asked as Fuuka sat back down. "Why would it have such a blatant, purposeful weakness?"

"Maybe it's a cockpit?" Junpei asked. "I mean, it _is_ a Gundam, right?"

"Then… who's the pilot?" Mitsuru asked.

"There were some human shaped Shadow's last time." Shinji pointed out. "Remember? They fell out of the Lovers when it turned to a tree and attacked Victorian gentleman over there." He pointed at me.

"Don't diss the waistcoat." I warned him. "And if that's the case, then is it being driven?"

"Hey…" Junpei leaned forward on the couch, "Maybe one of _us_ could drive it!"

…

"Junpei?" I said, "That is the best idea you have ever had, and it doesn't even involve lightsabers." I clapped my hands. "Rightho. Can anyone pilot a flying mech?" I asked.

…

"Anyone?"

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

We went to bed after that, deciding to sleep on it and come up with an answer the next day.

I got called to the Velvet Room that night.

"Look, Igor, I know I screwed up, alright?" I said as soon as I came in, "But can we just spare the lecture and holy crap what is that on your head?"

Igor(?) chuckled. "Welcome to the Velvet Room, Hee ho."

"...King Frost..?"

"Correct!" Replied the... thing sitting in Igor's suit on his chair. "Hee Ho!"

Alright, I submit myself for insanity. "What is this about Sire?" I asked, sitting down.

"We have lent you our powers." King Frost told me, "But you were defeated..."

We?

Oh, Jack Frost is serving drinks, Pyro Jack is behind the bar, and Queen Mab is singing on the stage. "I'm sorry," I said, "But I'll try my best tomorrow."

SLAM! King Frost slammed his Sceptere on the desk, his eyes glowing red.

**"TRYING ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH."** He roared. **"HEE. HO."**

Damn, this place is getting cold. And dark. **"WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT THIS DISHONOUR MORTAL!?"** Roared the King, as his subjects advanced on me. **"HEE! HO!"**

I fell out of my seat. Dammit, I am tripping balls.

**"WELL MORTAL!?"** King Frost tore out of his suit, now in his full power. **"WHAT DOEST THOU SAY, BEFORE THOU ART EXECUTED FOR THINE INSOLENCE!?"**

"Nothing." I said, getting to my feet. "What do you have to say for yours?"

**"WHAT DID THOU SAY!?"**

"What did you ever do to help me in that battle?" I asked. "Nothing. That's because you couldn't have done anything. Your power was too weak to face against the Chariot." I told them. "If it was too strong for me, then it was far too strong for you."

The temperature rose slightly. Good, I'm regaining control. "You do not _lend_ me your powers." I told them. "I _am_ you. And you are me." I looked at the other Personae in the room. Wow, there were a lot of them. "All of you. You are all facets of my soul." I didn't recognise the ones further to the back. "If I die, you die. And I will not let that happen." I walked over to Igor's chair and leaned on it. "But for that to work, I need your cooperation." I glanced at King Frost. "Further attempts of dominion like this will not be tolerated. Do you understand?"

**"I AM THE KING."** Roared the Frost. **"YOU DO NOT RULE OVER ME."**

I sighed, raising my hand to his face. "If only that were the case..."

The demonic seals rose from my hand and crawled to his face, covering his entire body. He screamed as they forced him down, flattening him into a card.

I bent down and picked it up. "Do you all accept this contract?" I asked.

I could see fear in the Personae's eyes, and I knew why.

I never raised my voice. Not once.

I was facing gods and demons, threatening them, forcing dominion over them. And there was not a hint of heasitation or fear in my soul.

I didn't even blink as I crushed the King of Frost, who has power to freeze the earth in an endless winter, and made him nothing.

These things wanted to use me so they could use their power?

Let them.

But there will be an exchange.

"All who still wish to lend me their strength," I told them, "Stay, but remember this._ I_ am using _you_. There is no other way around here. If you do not wish to bow down to a human, then the door is right there."

Some stood and left. These aren't just Personae, these are the true gods and demons who are channeling into my mind through my Personae.

That is the power of the Wild Card.

A truly open mind.

The door did not close afterwards.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

I woke up to find Pharos sitting on my bed. "'Morning..." I said, sitting up. "What time is it?"

"Eleven..." He told me.

Seriously!? "Damn!" I threw off the covers and started pulling on some jeans. "Going somewhere?" He asked.

"Gotta meet Maiko at the shrine! I promised I'd take her for lunch!"

Pharos stared as I shoved a T-shirt on, then laughed.

"What?" I asked, rooting through my sock drawer.

"It's just... this? After last night?" He shook his head happily. "You really are a wild card, aren't you?"

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

* * *

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

Yes, he is.

And yeah, confirmed Matsuda- I mean Adachi (Seriously, I am not the only person to ever think that.), and Naoto.

Interestingly, I actually did think Naoto was a dude until the reveal, since Yugioh has no female characters, only increasingly girly men (Marik being the girliest man of them all.), so I was duped. The scary part was that I now find her the most attractive P4 girl. Why? Probably the whole competence thing. It's a rare attribute among fictional women, since most seem to be there to look pretty and get rescued.

Ahh Ichigo. You know how it goes down… Yeah, Bleach plug.

Now, the songs mentioned in this one are 'Bet out of hell' by Meatloaf, and 'Gifts and Curses' by Yellowcard. Two of my favourite bands.

And some of you may have guessed, research I did for correcting Minato was Doctor Who. Yes, Doctor Who. Yay.

And my reasoning behind converting attributes of Doctor Who into Minato Arisoto was because I didn't like the way he was going. I wanted confident, brilliant, and funny, but he's getting arrogant and constantly gets hit by the humility hammer without learning his lesson. So, I researched (watched) some of David Tennant's stuff as the Tenth Doctor, and pretty much decided that that was close to what I wanted. Now, don't panic, I only made it blatantly obvious in this one for the joke. New Minato will be seen for reals next chapter.

And that meeting with the gods in the dream? I was going to just fuse Black Frost early, but it wrote itself like that. I am not complaining with how that turned out. Might have him visit velvet room and find that Black Frost has come to offer penance or something next chapter.

Minato Arisoto. A man even gods fear.

And, not sure if I told you this already, but I've just done a oneshot called Team Nine, you might wanna check it out.


	53. Chapter 53

Alright, first of all, The reason why the writing in the last chapter was so jumbled was because Minato was very tired when it happened.

Actually, that's a lie. I want to apologise if any of you felt that there was a drop in quality in the last chapter. I wrote it when I really, really should have been sleeping, and I'm sorry if the story suffered because of it.

Now, General Generic, I fixed the mistakes in the last chapter. No, Minato does not think that Naoto is a guy, it was meant to be sarcasm, not emphasisation. Should have made that clear. Probably with a 'dammit, sarcasm in Japanese is still hard…' type of line. Ah well. And Naoto is my favourite P4 girl too, she's kinda like a cross between Tifa and Batman, only not at all. And not useful? Dude. Light, Dark _and_ Almighty? Sure, not a good choice for boss fights, but she makes short work out of mooks. Also, if she was a Persona user by this point in the story and could channel like the rest of S.E.E.S., then can you imagine the kind of damage she could do with a Light and Darkness infused bullet? That was my original plan to kill Shinji.

Also, sorry for bland Katsuya. Remember, I haven't played P2, and tired. I watched a good amount of the cutscenes from eternal punishment to get a grasp on his character, and remember, should've been sleeping.

Now for the shameless plug of the day. I've started doing Beta work for Uatu's 'What If? Naruto', which is a lot like your standard over-powered Naruto story, only instead of amping up Naruto's power levels, he makes him a Magnificent Bastard. Well worth reading.

And now, we return to our hero who is running very fast to catch a date with a little girl.

* * *

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

"Pant… Pant…"

"You're late!" Maiko pouted. "You promised you wouldn't forget!"

I lifted the Game Panic paper bag to her as I gulped in the air. "H-happy…" I gasped, "B-birth…day…"

"It was yesterday you know." Maiko sighed, taking the bag and opening it. "WOW! A Jack Frost Doll!" She smiled. "You didn't forget after all!"

I stood up, smiling. I actually had forgotten until on the way here, so I got the doll out of a vending machine on the way here. Luckily, the person before me gave up without getting a prize, so I only had to play a couple of times. And Jack Frost Dolls go down well no matter who you're giving them too. You just gotta love the little guy.

Last night's freaky dream excluded, but that was King Frost. He's probably a dick.

"Hey! Stripe-shirt!" Maiko called, turning around, "Look what Ao-san got me for my birthday!"

I followed her gaze to see a thin young man who looked like he was knocking on death's door. "That's…" He smiled. "Very nice…"

"He's more than knocking." Pharos told me. "He's braying the door down."

"You don't look so good…" Maiko pointed out. "Are you sick?"

"Kinda, yeah." Replied the terminal young man. "I'm surprised you could tell."

"Huh?" Maiko's eyes near popped out. "S-So, you are sick?"

The guy laughed. Sun Arcana. "I'm kidding. You're so easy, Maiko"

"No fair!" Maiko pouted, folding her arms under her doll. "I'm an innocent girl, so I actually believed you!"

How long does he have?

"He's past due." Pharos told me. "If you're gonna do a social link with him, best be quick about it."

Damn… "Hey, Maiko?" I asked. "Do you wanna go get some Takoyaki?"

Maiko smiled. "Yeah! The nice lady promised me one as a present!" She ran down the stairs. "I'll be right back!"

Once she was out of sight, the young man collapsed on a seat. "And you are..?" He asked me.

"Minato Arisoto." I replied, sitting down next to him. "I'm a friend of Maiko's."

"So you're the guy she was talking about." He nodded. "I wondered what you were like... Are you 'too old' to play with kids?" He asked, "Or are you still young at heart?"

I smirked. "Men are forever boys." I quoted "We are never too old for toys."

The guy shook his head, leaning back. "It's weird to see people hanging around the temple..." He said, not necessarily to me. "It's usually a graveyard around here."

"Yeah," I agreed, "But I like graveyards."

That got his interest. Gets most people's actually. "It's the peace." I replied. "You just feel at peace with everything. Life, Death, and everything in between."

He scoffed at that, though not sarcastically. "How long do you have?" I asked.

"I… beg your pardon?"

I leaned forward on the bench, looking ahead. "You're dying and you know it. Do you know how much time you have?"

He sighed behind me. "Doctors say that I won't live to see spring."

"Plenty of time." Pharos pointed out. Dude, time and place.

"Hey!" Maiko called, running up the steps. "I got the Takoyaki! You eat with us too striped shirt!"

"Nah, I'm okay." He declined. "Thanks, but I'd better head back. It's starting to get chilly."

In this heat? Man, he really is dying. "Looking for something?" I asked.

"Somewhat…" He said. "I lost something important to me… it was taken by a red eyed demon…" He sighed. "But, it appears to be lost forever…"

Red eyed demon?

Koromaru used to live here right?

"I'll keep my eye open." I called to him as he walked down the stairs, but I'm not sure he heard me.

"I usually see him around the shrine on Sundays" Maiko told me. "On my way to cram school sometimes too. Oh well!" She opened the box. "Takoyaki time!"

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

"It's so hot I might burn up!" Maiko said. "I remember last night, at the party, Dad burned his mouth on this takoyaki! ...'Cause I put too many in his mouth at once. He was like_, 'Fungaaaaaah!'_"

That'd be hilarious to see actually. "I told you that they'd remember."

Maiko nodded. "...We haven't really eaten together as a family for a while." Okay, this is the part where we all feel down… "We used to eat dinner together every night... How come Mom and Dad don't get along anymore?"

Okay, now how to answer that one.

"I know!" Maiko exclaimed. "I'll just ask them why they wanted a divorce!"

Aaand the simple solution wins.

"If I can get rid of the reason, everything'll be fine, right?" She asked. "I'm going to do whatever it takes to get my parents back together! You'll do what you can to help, right?" She asked, smiling. Hey, whatever works.

**SMASH!**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Hanged Man Arcana…_

You bet I do.

Now to visit the Velvet Room.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

"Well well." Igor announced as I came in. "You carried yourself quite well last night."

Well? "What are you talking about? I lost, remember?"

Igor chuckled. "While the lack of a conclusion against the Arcana Justice was disappointing, I am in fact referring to what transpired afterwards."

Hm? "Running from the cops?" I asked. "Entering the crime scene? What?"

"Why, your incident with King Frost, of course."

Wait, what?

"It had been a long time since one has stood up to him like that." Igor replied. "Until recently, the Demonata were free to interact with the human world however they pleased, and conversations between man and demon were not rare." Igor chuckled. "Were it not for the actions of Kishima a few years ago, then this would still happen today."

"You're being surprisingly talkative for once." I told him. "Normally you sit back and let me figure it out myself."

"Indeed." Igor nodded. "But I feel that I must warn you of the world you are about to enter into."

Hm? "Go on." I told him.

"Very well." Igor replied. "A few years ago, this world was destroyed by the rampant actions of the Demonata."

"First," I interrupted, "What's the Demonata?"

"They are the gods and demons that reign over the other side." Igor explained. "Until recently, they roamed freely between your world and theirs."

"And this world is in between, right?" I asked. "We are reality, theirs is dream."

Igor chuckled. "Correct. As such, they would often create contracts with mortals in exchange for power over in your world."

"This power destroyed it?" I asked.

"Correct." Igor replied. "With the human race extinct, the Demonata had free reign over in your plane, and the earth was laid to waste."

"And Kishima hit a reset button."

Igor chuckled. "He had a power very similar to yours." He explained. "He became a demon himself, and restored the human world to how it was before the apocalypse, with one exception." Igor smiled. "In the new world he created, the Demonata cannot roam freely."

"So they become my Personae then?" I asked.

Igor chuckled. "They will try anything to influence this world." He said. "Some influence cyber space, others the world of dreams. However, the most prominent doorway from their world to yours is you my boy."

I nodded. "That makes sense, since Orpheus is my only Persona that looks like everyone else's."

Igor chuckled. "Orpheus is indeed a true persona; a manifestation of your psyche, a façade you wear when you brace life's hardships. The rest however are indeed the influence of gods and demons sharing the power and refuge of your mind, in exchange for their name and strength." Igor chuckled. "You could say that you represent them. However, this also means that a defeat on your account may suggest weakness on theirs, and many will not accept that."

"Like King Frost?"

Igor nodded. "Despite his playful appearance, he is a rather cruel character. However…" He held up a card.

It showed the King Frost, but showing an expression of fear behind chain motifs covering his image.

"You rejected his authority." Igor explained. "And robbed him of what little freedom he had. Some demons may take this as a threat, while others may see this as a challenge." Igor smiled. "The longer you keep the King of winter sealed within that card, the more attention you will draw from more… malevolent beings…"

"Not all of it bad though! Hee ho!"

I turned around to see… "Jack Frost?" I asked.

"It's Black Frost!" it corrected. "Don't confuse me with that weakling! Hee ho!"

"Black Frost was once a Jack Frost." Igor explained as Black Frost waddled over to us and took a seat at our table. "However, upon remembering his true memories as a demon, he gained much greater power."

I looked at the Frost properly. It's bigger than the regular Jack, and his skin is black instead of white, with red ebil eyes and a purple hat. It also lacked the normal blue glow that Persona normally have.

Wait, does that mean…

"I'm the real deal, Heeho!." Black Frost told me. "The Black Jack. The master of Fire and the Ice, The Darkness and the Despair. Hee Ho!" Damn, he's almost terrifying until he adds that little tic.

"I see." I said. "And… what're you doing here?"

Black grinned. "You put that cold bastard on ice." He told me. "Anyone with that kind of skill is bound to make me even stronger." He grinned. "And besides… kingy and I go way back, Hee ho."

Although, when he says it quietly and calmly like that, the nightmare fuel burns again. "…So..?" asked.

Black Frost slapped his head. "Igor, you said the kid was smart, Hee ho!"

Igor chuckled. "He is new to the concept of forming Demonic Contracts, so please, give him some time."

Demonic Contracts?

Click.

"So as well as Persona, you want me to wield the power of a demon?" I asked.

Black Frost chuckled. "Nah, why would I do that, Hee ho?" He smiled. "I'm offering you the power of _my_ Persona, on the condition that you keep King Icy locked up in that card."

I got a better plan. "Or, we could create a Demonic Contract, where I get you."

The room got cold. "And why would I do that, Hee Ho?"

I reached into my pocket and handed him the Chained King Frost card. "Because I'll give you the King."

That shocked him into silence while Igor chuckled. "Splendid."

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

"So, you made a contract." Pharos commented to me dryly as I walked up the alley out of the Velvet Room. "What did you sell for the demon's services?" He asked.

King Frost.

"Oh." Pharos replied. "Well, that's not too bad. King Frost was a liability anyways, and for something like that…"

I get a very loyal ally out of Black Frost.

"Ah, Doctor-san." Oh, I recognise that voice.

"Young Naoto." I replied, turning around. "How can I help you?"

"I was wondering if you could possibly help me with my investigation?" 'He' asked. "May we talk somewhere in private?"

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

"So, what is this about?" I asked Naoto once we got to the shrine.

"I would like you to tell me about your involvement with the incident at the munitions warehouse last night."

I sighed. "Look, I told you, I was investigating the scene."

"There is no record of any 'Doctor' in any of the police detective records." Naoto told me. "What's more, your attitude and manner of carrying yourself is much closer to that of a high school student than that of a private detective."

"What're you getting at?"

"How is your wife?"

"She's good." I nodded, wanting out of here.

"And your daughter?"

"She's already walking." I told Naoto. "Why the personal questions?"

"Because last night you mentioned that you had a son."

…

"Oh, she got you good." Pharos pointed out. "Hook, line and sinker."

"Alright, you got me." I shrugged. "I lied about having a family and being a detective, alright?"

Apparently, Naoto wasn't. "And you ran straight too the irregular crater." The detective said. "Suggesting you knew the situation of the scene beforehand."

"And if I did?" I asked.

Naoto smiled. "Then I will take a recording of our conversation," She pulled a Dictaphone out of her pocket and showed it to me, keeping it out of reach, "And let the police decide how to deal with you."

Now, I could try to bargain with the kid, but that'll just make me look guiltier, and this kid's obsessed with being proper detective. I could threaten the kid but again, proper detective. Running would be useless and not helpful, so I did what I did best and cheated.

I groped the detective's chest.

"AH-HEY!" She yelped, (Yep, I was right), bringing her arms into her chest instinctively, which made grabbing the Dictaphone easy.

When in doubt, Grope.

"HEY, return that this instant!" Naoto's hand shot out for the recorder, but I ran past her and jumped onto the back of a bench.

"He shoots…" I said as I rebounded off the bench and threw the damn thing to the ground as hard as I could. "HE SCORES!" I finished as it broke into little pieces. "Who's your daddy!?" I taunted, "Who's your daddy!? Who's-?"

Holy crap I am acting like Tanaka. I stood up straight and apologised. "Sorry." I said, "But I'm not going to let you ruin yourself like that."

"Me?" She asked, shocked. "What the hell are you talking about!?"

I sighed then walked to the steps. "If you want to be a detective, you can't just go for the easiest answer. Most people's lives are based on what is reasonable and common sense." I leaned on the fence to face her. "Truth is apt to be neither. Now, you can go run along to the police with the first sniff of a clue that you find," I warned, "Or, you can realise that clues get in the way of an investigation. You dig past all the clues, assumptions, lies and unknowns until you find the truth."

Think man, finish this... "And once you get the truth," I added, "Real detectives try their damned hardest to smash it into lies, just to see if the truth you found hold weight." I got up. "Also, if you really want people to believe you're a dude, don't deepen your voice as much and shove a sock down your trousers." I started walking down the stairs and waved with the back of my hand. "A pair if you're ambitious."

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

I got back to the dorm around at around three O'clock to find everyone gathered in the lounge. "There you are." Yukari said as I came through the door. "The Chairman took Ken-kun out for the day so we can plan our attack for tonight."

"Cool." I said. "And I got some bad news."

"What now?" Junpei asked wearily.

"The police are still crawling all over the case." I said. "In fact, they'll still most likely be there tonight."

"So?" Akihiko asked. "We go in after the Dark Hour begins."

"That's not it." Fuuka told him. "The Shadow was about to launch a powerful laser attack when the last Dark Hour ended."

"So all the transmogged cops will get caught in the blast…" Shinji groaned. "Shit."

Akihiko turned to Shinji. "I thought you swore off swearing?"

That was a surprise to everyone else. "I deserve this one." Shinji retorted. "People are gonna die and it's our fault."

"We need to get the police out of there when the Dark Hour starts." Yukari stated. "If we can figure out how to do that, then we can focus on figuring out how to beat the Shadow."

"Alright then." I set my iPhone on top of the TV with a countdown set.

**(08:00:00)**

"We leave at eleven so we get an hour's grace time." I looked around the team. "Let's get to work."

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

**(07:52:05)**

"Got it!" Junpei announced. "We get a van full of donuts and coffee and hold a party two blocks away!"

"Real cops are professionals." Akihiko sighed. "Even if we could do that, it wouldn't get many officers."

"We gotta keep trying." Yukari said.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

**(07:41:32)**

"Could we purchase the property and ask the police to vacate the premises?" Aigis asked.

"Property exchange takes a good few days." Mitsuru sighed. "And even if we could do it in time, the warehouse was military property, and the government has no reason to sell land that is currently being investigated by the police."

"Understood." Aigis replied monotonously.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

**(07:37:17)**

"Why don't we start a riot somewhere else?" Shinji asked. "All the cops gather for that."

"Good plan." I told him. "We just need someone who could ignite a riot for us with perfect timing and keep it going through midnight, which is when most people are in a particularly non-riotous mood."

"Tch…"

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

**(07:25:25)**

"Wait, didn't you say that you encountered a police sergeant who was a Persona user?" Fuuka asked me.

"Yeah, but I doubt that he'd have the authority to order off an investigation like that."

"Why don't you give it a try regardless?" Mitsuru suggested. "It's the best option we have so far."

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

**(07:25:10)**

"Hey, Tatsuya?" I asked. "Look, can you call your brother Katsuya and get him to make sure no-one's around the warehouse at midnight tomorrow night?"

_/\_"Call him yourself."_/\_ Tatsuya replied. _/\_"Want his number?"_/\_

"Thanks."

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

**(07:24:25)**

Ring…Ring…

Ring…Ring…

Ring…Re-Click!

_/\_"Sergeant Suou."_/\_

"Hey, it's me." I told him, "Minato, from last night?

_/\_"How did you get this number?"_/\_

"Your brother gave it to me." I told him, "But listen-"

_/\_"He hates me."_/\_ He sighed. _/\_"He really does."_/\_

Oookay? "Anyways, we need you to clear the area of last nights explosion for midnight, or people are gonna die."

_/\_"We don't have the units to patrol that area tonight as it is."_/\_ Katsuya replied. _/\_"You're open."_/\_

"Thanks." I replied, hanging up. "They were gonna do it anyway."

Junpei couldn't believe it. "Well, that was a waste of half an hour."

Sigh. "Alright, now how're we gonna kill this thing?"

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

**(07:12:46)**

"Missiles?" Akihiko suggested. "Worked last time."

"Last time we _had_ missiles." Mitsuru told him.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

**(06:32:46)**

"Hey, how does your Persona thing work?" Shinji asked me. "I mean, you can change Persona and all, but you keep changing the ones you can change between, right?"

That's right, Shinji didn't get the memo, and even then I didn't go into detail. "Well, I can hold twelve at a time." I told him. "As I get stronger, I can fuse the Personae I have to make stronger ones."

"Fusing?" Junpei asked. "What, like in Dragon Ball?"

"Kinda." I told him. "Though I can also get Personas from killing Shadows, though they're weak as hell compared to the fused ones."

Junpei clicked his fingers. "So all you have to do fuse a bigger one!"

"I do that all the time." I told him. "I got the biggest ones I can handle right now."

Yeah… this planning session is going crap.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

**(06:15:46)**

"I've got it!" Fuuka shouted.

"Let's hear it…" Junpei replied oh so very enthusiastically.

Fuuka looked very enthusiastic, for reals this time. "Well, I've been going over the Aerial photos of the battle ground," She told us, "And I figured out what we were doing wrong!"

YES! Progress! "What is it?" Mitsuru asked.

"We were fighting it on the ground!" Fuuka explained. Wow captain obvious, I really thought you were onto something there. "But if we were to fight from the rooftops," Fuuka continued, "Then we would be fighting on equal ground!"

"Uh, newsflash?" Junpei told her, "but the thing can still fly."

Fuuka shook her head. "Not far. In fact, I don't think it can go more than fifty metres in the air, from floor to foot." Fuuka countered. "Judging from its wingspan and size, I'm guessing that it can actually only hover and propel itself in the air. It lacks the ability for true flight."

SNAP! "Fuuka, how big was that thing's gun?"

"Um… at least thirty metres long." She said. "I'm sorry I can't give you an exact figure…"

I shook my head. "But if what you're saying is true, then it won't be able to manoeuvre its gun up to eye level because of the buildings."

Everyone was impressed by that except Shinji "Unless it decides just to smash through the buildings with it…"

"That is not the case." Aigis replied. "The barrel of the cannon is hollow and designed to withstand internal damage. It could collapse against the steel structure of the building if used as a blunt instrument…"

"So that's why it waited outside…" Fuuka gasped. "Not because it didn't want to fight indoors, but because it couldn't…"

I nodded. "Yep. It'll be like punching Junpei in a barrel."

"Hey!"

"Since you couldn't move your arms." I explained.

"Oh, okay."

"Aren't we forgetting something?" Yukari asked. "It had a shield and an energy sword too."

…

Damn.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

**(05:34:02)**

"I'm hungry…" I pointed out. It was half five after all.

"Want me to order take-out?" Junpei asked. "Don't have the money to pay for it though."

"I'll pass the bill onto the Chairman." Mitsuru replied, passing Junpei the dorm phone. "Make sure to get us something good."

"No Takoyaki." I told him. I'd eaten too many of those today.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

**(05:21:48)**

DING!

"I'll get it." Akihiko sighed, getting up for the door. We'd still made no more serious progress in our strategy.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

**(05:20:23)**

Tell you what though. These noodles are good.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

**(04:47:19)**

"Maybe…" Shinji suggested, "You can make a bigass drill and stab straight through it."

I sighed. "If only…"

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

**(04:34:59)**

_You could use my magic, Heeho._

Huh? I snapped my head up to see a transluscent Black Frost standing in the corner.

_Now that you've given me the King's power, hee hee…_ Black smiled malevolently, _I can just drop an avalanche on the guy's head._

"Sweet!" I said aloud.

"Huh?" Yukari asked. "What is?"

Dammit, forgot other people were in the room. Well, new information should be shared. "Apparently I can drop avalanches on Shadow's heads now."

"Hey, not bad!" Junpei shouted.

"But, that wouldn't hold it for too long…" Mitsuru admitted.

…

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

**(04:32:24)**

Aigis lifted her voice.

"What if you melted the ice?"

"Then the melted water would turn to blood, flowing into the street." Mitsuru told her.

Akihiko raised his head. "Hey… Blood's got iron in it, right? So it should conduct electricity really well…"

"It would also freeze pretty hard." Yukari said with a smile. "That should hold the Shadow, right?" She asked everyone.

I like this plan.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

* * *

Oooh, where am I going to go from here!?

Yeah, this chapter dragged on for longer than I expected, but Justice will be fought next chapter, I PROMISE!!

And is this plan going to work?

No seriously, you guys tell me because I have no idea.


	54. Chapter 54

Hey everyone, finally time for the Arcana Justice.

Sorry for making this drag out for so long, I actually intended this to happen sooner.

First of all though, don't feel it necessary to only review when you have something useful to say. I just like being told that you like it.

And yes, I'm working on the next Kingdom Hearts chapter and the next Naruto: Ours. It's coming along slowly, but it should be worth the wait.

GG, of course groping Naoto was unorthodox. That's why he did it.

Now to clear up the confusion. Snow melts to water. Dark Hour turns water into blood. Black Frost and Mitsuru then freeze said blood. Frozen Blood is stronger than Frozen Water.

Jaido Namikaze, go watch Gurren Lagann and see what LordGenome does to the Lagann. No one- NO ONE else has delivered a No Holds Barred Beatdown to the strongest mecha in the series WITH HIS BARE HANDS!!

Fireblast, TvTropes is one of my favourite sites. Often if a chapter is late, it's because I spent a couple of hours looking something up on there. Oh, I find it almost straight away, but then I look something else up, then something else, and before I know it it's three hours later and I've got a completely full tab bar.

And concerning reviews, it's nicer to get in depth reviews, but I also appreciate the short and sweet ones that say 'good job', or 'nice chapter'. They're the ones that keep me going.

Now for the long awaited fight with the Justice. Yay!

* * *

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

Finally, we're on the rooftops in the northern district, waiting for the Dark Hour. We spent a few hours going over the plan, back ups, eliminating snags, and generally getting prepared.

We were all on the surrounding rooftops, looking down at where the Justice will show up. The police had removed any more explodables, so we had a free reign.

All would have to clear up will be the big mass of frozen blood, and if we do it right we won't even have to do that.

I hope Black Frost pulls through.

"You called? Hee ho."

That's right; he's not a Persona, so Evokers don't work for him. We're gonna have to work out a summoning routine later so the others don't suspect anything. "You know the plan?" I asked him.

"Yep." He replied, swinging on the balls of his feet.

"You gonna follow through on it?"

"Yep." Black Frost replied happily. "It's an evil plan, Hee ho."

"Well, I suppose it is a bit cruel, but it needs to work."

Black Frost sat down on his bottom. "See, that's why I like you humies, Hee ho."

Humies? "What do you mean?"

He smiled. "Well, some demons are evil and all, and Loki's pretty tricky, but they'd never think of something like this, Hee ho."

"They're too proud to work together." Pharos told me. "And they lack the sheer ingenuity humanity has."

"Yeah, you're right." I replied.

**DONG!!!**

The Justice appeared before us, looking down. It lost its concentration and its gun lost its charge as it noticed that we'd moved since the last Dark Hour, and it hadn't.

Showtime. "BLACK FROST! NOW!"

The demon had already flown above the Shadow. "You will respect mah authoritah!" It shouted. "Heee… HO!"

BOOM! Giant snowmen fell from the sky, each one with an oversized Jack Frost head and cap. They beat down on the Justice, knocking it into the ground. Soon, it wasn't even visible anymore.

That's my cue. "RANGDA!" I shouted, pulling the trigger and Junpei called out "HERMES!"

BOOM! Fire fell from the skies and melted the snow into water, the water staining red as the dark hour turned it into blood. "AIGIS! YUKARI!" I shouted.

"On it!" Yukari called back as Aigis jumped from one building to the other, firing bullets into the blood as a hurricane span in the pool, dragging the blood up around the Shadow as it forced itself to its feet.

"POLYDEUCES!" Akihiko shouted as he blew his brains out. The spinning blood was struck by lightning, charging through the lumps of metal spinning around in the red liquid. The charged shells collided against the trapped Shadow, though they did little damage themselves. They served their purpose, however, as creating small, electrified cracks in the armour was just what we needed.

"THIS ENDS NOW!" Mitsuru shouted as she and Black Frost froze the bloody tornado solid.

The Shadow was alive: Cold, trapped, but alive.

And the cracks in the armour were expanding.

"We did it!" Yukari shouted, cheering.

"Yeah, but now what?" Junpei asked her.

"Outta my way." Shinji called from his building. Wait, is that a construction girder? "RRARGH!" He jumped from his building and swung it onto the Shadow as hard as he could.

The head smashed off as he landed on the shoulder pad. "Hey, check it out!" He shouted. "There actually is a cockpit down here!"

Really? This I gotta see. I stepped back and took a running jump onto the Shadow's shoulder pad.

He was right; there was a tunnel down to what was probably a cockpit.

I leaned back as a small laser rushed past my face from inside the tunnel. What the hell!?

_~ I get it! ~_ Fuuka announced. _~ The Shadow is really the pilot! It has a smaller laser on its person, so be careful! ~_

"But the mask is on the head!" Akihiko shouted. "How can it really be inside him if the mask is on the head!?

_~ There were humanoid Shadows inside of the Lovers. ~_ Fuuka pointed out. _~ Maybe the Justice has one inside of it to pilot it? ~_

Makes sense. I pulled out Gae Bolg and threw it down the hole.

"Skree!"

_~ The pilot Shadow is dead! ~_ Fuuka told us, _~ Now we just need to destroy the mask! ~_

"Right then." I said. "Shinji, get down there and get ready to catch me."

"Huh?"

"The cockpit will disappear after I blow that thing's head to pieces." I told him as I jumped down the hole.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

I slid into the cockpit seat and tried to familiarise myself with the controls. First things first, I moved the spear out of the seat; it was waaay to close to the nads for my liking.

Then the hole above me sealed.

_~ Minato! Are you alright!? ~_

"Somewhat trapped," I told her, "But otherwise fine."

_~ Minato-kun! Minato-kun! ~_

"Yeah, I hear you. What's up?"

_~ It's no use… he won't respond… ~_

Oh.

Well, that's not good.

Then the black screen flared to life.

**-{ UNAUTHORISED PILOT DETECTED }-**

Oh, that's even worse.

**-{ INITIATING PILOT TAKEOVER }-**

The what? "GAH!" What the hell just stabbed me in the back of the neck!?

Cold rushed into my brain from the stab.

**-{ UPLOADING DATA: 000% }-**

Oh crap this is gonna be just like the matrix isn't it?

**-{ UPLOADING DATA: 005% }-**

Only backwards.

**-{ UPLOADING DATA: 010% }-**

I suddenly started learning things.

**-{ UPLOADING DATA: 015% }-**

Like, how to make this move, bit by bit.

**-{ UPLOADING DATA: 020% }-**

How to fight it.

**-{ UPLOADING DATA: 025% }-**

How the Shadow thought.

**-{ UPLOADING DATA: 030% }-**

No, I wasn't learning.

**-{ UPLOADING DATA: 035% }-**

I was being taken over.

**-{ UPLOADING DATA: 040% }-**

Screw this crap, I'm going home.

**-{ UPLOADING DATA: 045% }-**

Didn't you hear me? I said SCREW THIS CRAP!

**-{ UPLOADING DATA: 050% }-**

I SAID **STOP!!**

**-{ UPLOADING DATA: 051% }-**

**-{ UPLOAD STOPPED: 051%}-**

EUYES! Minato Arisoto! Still in control!

**-{ UPLINK REPAIRED: 052% }-**

Bugger.

**-{ UPLOADING DATA: 055% }-**

I'm gonna die aren't I?

**-{ UPLOADING DATA: 060% }-**

Hells no if I'm gonna die like this.

**-{ UPLOADING DATA: 065% }-**

I said that I AIN'T DYIN' LIKE THIS!!!

**-{ UPLOADING DATA: 070% }-**

Then I saw my reflection on the black screen.

A white mask was growing onto my face.

**-{ UPLOADING DATA: 075% }-**

A white arm-controller thing grew from behind me: materialising into existence by my right arm like it was being built like a jigsaw puzzle.

**-{ UPLOADING DATA: 080% }-**

I took it and pulled.

**-{ UPLOAD STALLED: 082% }-**

Then I grabbed the one to my left and roared.

**-{ UPLOAD SEVERED – ATTEMPTING REBOOT }-**

"Oh no you don't!" I headbutted the wall behind me as hard as I could.

**-{ HARDWARE MALFUNCTION }-**

"HELL YES THERE IS!" I shouted. "Now get that freaky plug outta me so I can make yo head asplode!"

**-{ YOU CANNOT DO THIS }-**

"Try to stop me." I challenged, setting the aim for the mech's dismembered head.

**-{ I AM JUSTICE }-**

"We all have our reasons for fighting." I told it. "'Justice' is only an excuse." I raised the gun arm into position, forcing through the melting blood. "And that makes you** _the_** hypocrite."

**-{ … }-**

"And I'm breakin' the law." And pulling the trigger!

**BOOM!**

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

"Nice catch." I complimented Shinji. "You can put me down now."

He dropped me instead. "OMPH!" I said as I hit the floor. "Prick!" I shouted at him.

"Hey, it's all over now," Yukari pointed out, "Right?"

Yep, no-one knows how close I came to killing them all. Why do the Shadows always try to make _me_ give the beatdown to my teammates?

Probably because it'd work. Hold on… "You laughing?" I asked.

She giggled. "Maybe…"

"That's seriously not nice Yuka-tan." Junpei laughed. "Laughing at a guy when he's down… that's like making him go to school during the holidays!"

Wait, is that guilt on her face? I jumped up and leaned closer to her. "Wh-what?" She asked, turning red.

"Why did you look guilty when Junpei asked about school in the holidays?"

"N-No reason!" Yukari insisted, "I- Uh…"

"That would be because summer classes start next Monday." Mitsuru pointed out. "I'll see to it that you all graduate."

"H-Hey... Good one, Senpai." Junpei laughed. "You almost had me there."

"Oh, it's no joke." She told us. "We'll be taking intensive courses. I've already applied for all of us." She said as horror fell down every male's faces, boredom rising on mine. "I know how difficult it's been balancing school and our late night excursions." Mitsuru continued nonetheless. "You haven't had much time to study. I apologize for that. That's why the Chairman agrees that this is a good idea."

"So it's his idea?" I asked, cracking my knuckles.

"Actually, it was mine." Mitsuru said. "The Chairman only gave me permission to sign the rest of you up too."

I sighed. "First, it's school on Saturday, and I can deal with that." I glared. "But to rob me of my summer holiday is crossing the line."

"It's actually standard practice to attend extra classes during the break." Mitsuru replied. "After all, students are meant to study."

"BURN THE WITCH!" I shouted, pointing an inquisitor's finger.

"I'll get the firewood…" Shinji replied, walking away before Akihiko grabbed his shoulder.

"Hold it Shinji…" Akihiko sighed. "You skip school too much as it is… maybe you do need this."

"BURN THE WARLOCK!" I shouted at Akihiko, pointing an inquisitors accusin' stick. I found it on the floor. It's a stick that's good for accusing people with.

"If you're that against it," Mitsuru pointed out, "You don't have to come."

EUYES!

"Just expect to be severely punished if you don't."

AGH!

Junpei whimpered. "Man… this sucks…"

Tell me about it.

It's not like I even need the qualifications anyway, unless I want to live over here for the rest of my life.

Hey... do I want to stay here?

I mean, yeah, I want to go back to England, but where do I want to _stay_?

...

I'll think about it later. Sleep now.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

"Hey, Minato?"

I got up from the bed. "Yeah Pharos?"

"I remembered something else." He said. "The end won't be brought about by anyone in particular..."

"Seriously?"

Pharos nodded. "It's coming because there are many people who wish for it... as if it was destined from the start." He shook his head. "But, doesn't that seem like a strange thing to wish for?"

"I suppose some people would choose death over suffering." I admitted. "At least on some level."

"I see." Pharos sighed. "Otherwise, one might end up hating everything in this world…" He sighed. "Well, enough about that for now. There's something else I wanted to tell you today..."

"Go for it." I told him.

"Soon, the poisonous flowers will bloom... One in your own garden, and three in the garden opposite yours."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"I'm not sure…" Pharos admitted. "I don't know whether or not this has anything to do with the end, but you should be careful."

One in my garden, and three in the garden opposite… "Alright, you brought this up, so you're gonna help me bounce ideas." I told him.

He smiled and span on the swivelly chair. "Shoot."

"My Garden, and the garden opposite. For now, we assume my garden is SEES and the other one is Strega."

"Alright." Pharos nodded.

"So if poisonous flowers are Persona users that want to hurt me, then there is another member of Strega."

"But if that was the case," Pharos hesitated, "Then would that mean that there is a traitor in your midst..?"

I rubbed my head. "We can't rule out that possibility, but we were jumping to conclusions anyway." I lay back down. "I'll sleep on it. Night."

"Night."

**SMASH!**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Death Arcana…_

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

Mitsuru called us all up to the command room the next evening. I'm actually pretty curious about thi-

Koromaru!?

"Koro-chan!?" Fuuka asked behind me. She and Yukari immediately ran towards the dog and started fussing over him. "Are you okay!?" She asked. "...Where'd you get this collar?"

Forget the collar, what the hell is that ridiculous suit!?

"That collar is designed to help control his Persona." Mitsuru explained. "In other words, it's an Evoker for dogs."

"Wait..." Yukari asked. "Does that mean he'll be going into battle?"

"It was a surprise for me as well." Mitsuru admitted, "But according to the tests, it's quite possible. In fact, it was the Chairman's suggestion. ...We'll be looking after him here in the dorm."

Best thing he's ever done for the team.

Dark player was for me, so that doesn't count.

"Is that okay with you, Koro-chan?" Fuuka asked Koromaru. He barked.

"He said 'I will return the favour'." Aigis translated.

"Man, you're one loyal dog." Yukari smiled.

Koromaru barked.

Awesome.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

Then came the summer classes. They were as dull and painful as I expected.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

Day two was even worse. I don't think I'm gonna come tomorrow. Mitsuru's punishment might be slightly less painful than this.

"Today's subject is Tarot." Edogawa announced.

I immediately perked up. Was I actually gonna learn something useful today?

Edogawa went on to explain the history of the cards. Booring.

The came the composition of the deck. "The modern 78-card tarot deck is divided into two parts:" He explained. "There are 22 Major Arcana--the face cards--and 56 Minor Arcana, or number cards... The Minor Arcana are also sometimes called pips."

Heh. Pips. That's what you call the seeds in an apple core. "The Major Arcana feature a variety of illustrations on their faces." Edogawa continued, "Beginning with "The Fool" and ending with "The World"... they tell a story in numerical order that is a metaphor of an individual's journey through life."

I did not know that. Seriously?

"Each Major Arcana represents a stage on that journey..." Edogawa continued. "An experience that the individual must incorporate to realize his oneness. They are all important, so let's take a look at each of the 22 cards, one by one."

"The first card, numbered 0, is The Fool." Edogawa explained. "It represents the beginning and suggests infinite possibilities. The next card, The Magician, represents action and initiative... but also immaturity."

"The Priestess represents contemplation and inner knowledge." He continued, "The Empress represents motherhood and the life it brings forth. The Emperor is an opposing card." He started pacing the room. "It represents fathering and relates to leadership and decision-making skills."

I poked Junpei to wake him up. This was important. "The Hierophant represents formality and knowledge, and stands for religion. The Lovers card represents choice." Oh yeah, it does. "Here, the individual's consciousness has finally surfaced."

"The Chariot represents victory for the individual," Edogawa told the class "But only a momentary one." Junpei smirked and asked for a subtle five. "Justice represents the knowledge of what is right, and what is wrong." I gave him it. "The Hermit represents the individual's search for answers by looking inward, deep inside his heart."

Really? Ms. Toriumi seems to be projecting all of her problems so far. "Fortune represents fate," Edogawa continued, "And the opportunities that come with it. Strength represents both passion and self-control. It is depicted as power with reason. The Hanged Man reflects the individual's inability to take action."

He stood behind the podium now. "Spiritual death awaits the individual with the 13th card," Edogawa taught, "Which is aptly named Death. Death is considered a transitional card..." Really? "The old ends, and the new begins. Now," Edogawa smiled. "Let us continue along the path, following the transition."

"Temperance is the balancing of opposites." He said. "Opening his eyes to the world allows the individual to grow... And as the Devil represents, he then faces temptation..." Yeah, That's Bebe and Tanaka all over.

"At The Tower, his values collapse on him. It seems as if he no longer has anything to believe in, but..." He sighed. "He then finds a glimmer of hope, represented by The Star; and he is suffused with a serene calm."

He started pacing the room again. "This bliss makes him vulnerable to the illusions of The Moon." Ooh, don't have that one yet. "Fears arise, and he follows the dim path in his heart with trepidation... But he is rewarded with a bright future, represented by The Sun, which signifies true achievement."

That's some twisted irony, considering that Akinari has no future. "The final card is The World," He said. "Which represents the individual's full awareness of his place in the world."

"That is the growth of an individual as explained by the tarot cards… Yes, Arisoto?"

I lowered my hand. "Sir, are there any instances of the Arcana being linked to people's psyche?" I already knew the answer, but Yukari and Junpei could use this.

Edogawa smiled. "Interestingly, yes. Carl Jung, for example, based his psychological archetypes on the major Arcana. Have you heard of him?" He asked. "He was best known for his theories on Persona."

Yukari and Junpei immediately snapped to attention. "There any other major theories he brought forward?" I asked.

He chuckled. "This isn't a Psychology lesson…" Aw, exposed. "But I admire your enthusiasm. You may be interested in studying his theories on Evocation, Shadows, and Philemon."

He turned to the blackboard as Yukari's and Junpei's jaws dropped. "Now, you can use all 78 cards to divine the future in detail..."

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

"Alright Minato." Yukari asked once the lesson was over. "Who was this Young guy?"

"Jung." I replied. "He was German or something." I leaned back. "Basically, he was a psychologist back in Freud's day who believed that people had a false 'self' that they show to the world to protect their real 'self'. Shadows, to him, were repressed parts of yourself that you didn't like, or even hated, and you project them onto everyone else. Take Kenji for example." I said. "He hates being a child, so he projects that immaturity onto everyone else and goes for older women."

"That kinda makes sense actually…" Junpei admitted.

I was saved from having to do more teaching by a text from Akihiko.

_Shinji's b day 2 day. B thr / b []_

Look, Akihiko, I don't care if you're phone's got a camera in it, but when you text to me, you type correctly.

"Does his phone have a camera in it?" Pharos asked. Probably, it's a song I heard once.

Either way, I gotta cake to bake.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

"SURPRISE!" We all shouted. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

"You guys?" Shinji asked as Akihiko slapped him on the back.

"Happy birthday man."

"Um… Cheers, I guess?" Yeah, he didn't see this coming.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

"That was a fun party." Yukari pointed out was we were cleaning up afterwards. "We should do it again sometime."

"Good idea." I said. "When's everyone's birthday?"

"Nineteenth of October." Yukari told me. "Yours?"

"April First." I told her, laughing. "I always had to check my presents for traps."

"January Sixteenth!" Junpei declared, thumbs up with his non-broom hand. "Remember it."

"Will do." I said.

"Twenty-second of December for me." Fuuka said. "What's yours Aigis?"

"I do not have a birthday as I am a machine." She pointed out.

I rolled my eyes. "Fine then, when was the first time you was activated?"

"I doubt she'd remember that…" Yukari told me.

"September Tenth." Aigis reported. "Year 2000."

Huh. How 'bout that? "Anyone know the Senpai's birthdays?" I asked, as they'd already gone to bed.

"I think Mitsuru Senpai's is the eleventh of April…" Yukari said uncertainly. "I'm not sure about Akihiko Senpai's birthday though…"

"September Twenty-Second!" Junpei announced. "I sent him a fruit basket last year!"

"That's not creepy at all." I said. "And today's August Eleventh, so remember that for Shinjiro's birthday next year."

I know I will.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

The party did little to make the rest of the week bearable though.

What did was a text I got from Yukari on Saturday.

_You wanna go to the summer festival together?_

I thought about it.

For the amount of time it took me to type 'YES' and hit send.

[}~~~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~{]

* * *

There we go. Hope it lived up to your expectations.

Yes, those are the official birthdays as published by Atlus. Sorry for skipping through stuff, but I've not been skipping enough lately.

Like I said, if you like it, review, if not, review and tell me that it sucked, and why.

Next chapter will involve the summer festival, and I'll replace going to all those films with the occasional whacky event. Or a training montage. Vote for what you want. Everyone gets two votes in the reviews.

Back to school by chapter 56, 57 at the latest.

And expect the summer festival to go badly. Not going to spoil it for now, but Yukari isn't going to be the only girl there.

Prize for whoever gets the right number of interferons.


	55. Chapter 55

Alright, chapter 55 go!

First of, yay, I finally finished watching the Persona 4 Endurance run. Yep, it was funny, and I have a better understanding of P4 now. Yay.

Now to answer reviews. First off, I haven't been sleeping well recently, but last night I got a solid twelve hours done and I promise to take better care of myself in future, so future chapters should make more sense.

That being said, it's hard to describe what other people are doing when talking in first person, and even then, you have the trade off: Description or pace. When I get into fights, I find it hard enough to keep up with my own thoughts, let alone think about what's going on. However, that's still no excuse, and I'll try to improve on that in future.

Also, sorry if my switching between tenses is confusing some people. I do that subconsciously all the time in this story, and didn't consider it a problem up until now. I normally do past tense in general, then switch to present when something big is happening, so sorry if that confuses people.

Corynv, I copied Edogawa's speech direct from the game script, so yeah, Judgement was in there.

ByLanternLight, so did I, but I gotta keep these fresh.

Lone Effortz, NightmareSyndom, Fireblast123? This one's for you.

* * *

[}~~~~{ }~~~~{]

* * *

I got the fortune tellers advice on what Pharos told me. Wanna know what she said?

"Three blades close in on you, tearing the shadow apart... A brave howl confronts them... Things seem to be stirring around you once again... There is more... In the depths of the abyss, another blade watches you closely..."

Which is pretty much what Pharos told me only with swords and Koromaru.

Ah well. SUMMER FESTIVAL!

* * *

Yukari told me to wait at the shrine for her, so I did. It would have made more sense to walk together, but it's one of those things.

So, here I am, outside the steps to the shrine, waiting on a date. This is a new experience for me.

"Hey!"

I turned around to… wow. Yukari looks good in a whatchacall it…

"How do I look?" She asked.

"Great." I told her. "Really… Great." It's not a Kimono; it's a… what's the word…

She smiled. "Though, it is kinda hard to move in a Yukata…"

Yukata! That's the word, yukata. I knew it, really.

"Sure you did." Shut up Pharos. In fact, don't say a word for the rest of the night.

"Fiiine…" Pharos groaned, walking up the steps.

"Shall we go?" Yukari asked, offering her arm.

I smiled and took it. Yeah, I know that she knows it's fake, but it's not a bad habit.

"Minato-senpai!"

What, what? Someone short redhead grabbed onto my other arm. DAMMIT RISE!!

"Oh… hey…" I said. She was in a red yukata

"Um, who's this?" My date asked.

"Huh?" Rise asked, spinning on my arm to see Yukari. "Oh, I'm Risette! Nice to meet you!"

"Oh, hey…" Yukari was angrily confused, whereas I was angrily annoyed. "I'm Yukari Takeba…" She turned to me. "So..?"

I sighed. "She's Rise Kujikawa; we met at Escapade a couple of weeks ago."

"We're working together!" She said happily.

"Wait, what?"

"Didn't I tell you?" She asked. "You passed the audition! You're playing with us at the concert on Friday the Fourth of September!"

Yukari's eyes widened. "That's the day before the next full moon!"

"Is it?" Rise asked. "Wow, you're really smart Yukari-senpai!"

Oh hell I'm a dead man. The safest way out of here would be to run like hell, only Yukari knows where I live.

"Rehearsals are at the club every weekday until then," Rise told me, "So remember to come, alright?"

Aww… I was going to check out some of those film marathons. Ah well. "Fine… Fine…" I rubbed my head. Gotta make it clear to both of 'em where I'm standing on this.

"Rise-chan!" Called a voice from behind us. Some guy in a suit.

"Oh, Manager-san!" She called back. "Hi!"

He stopped just before us, catching his breath. "Don't… run off… like that…" He suddenly glared at me. "May I ask who you are?"

"I'm the guy who's playing at your concert next month?" I suggested to the guy.

"Oh yeah?" He looked at me suspiciously. "Well, just remember to keep your hands off Risette; she's got a reputation to keep."

"Manager-san!" Rise shouted.

"What!?" Yukari shouted.

"Dude!" I shouted. "My girlfriend is right here!?" I nodded to Yukari.

Managerman glanced at her, then gave me the evil eye. "Just watch it kid. Come on Rise-chan."

"Seeya tomorrow Minato-senpai!" Rise called as she ran into the festival, blowing me a kiss with a wink.

"She one of your 'social links'?" Yukari asked suspiciously.

"Thankfully no." Which suggests that she's saner than Yukari? I'm worried. "Shall we go?" I asked.

Pushing the previous event out of her mind, she nodded. "Yeah, alright."

* * *

Alright, I admit it.

I suck at catching goldfish in little nets.

I mean, really. You wouldn't think there was much to it, but I simply suck. Why?

I guess something's I'm better off not knowing. Yukari was alright at it, winning a couple of fish.

Now to fail at the hoop throwing game thing.

* * *

Once again, I suck.

I think I saw Fuuka out of the corner of my eye, but she escaped.

"Wow, I'd have thought that you would be good at these games." Yukari said with a laugh.

"So did I." I replied. Pharos was chuckling in the background.

"So… um…" Yukari hesitated.

"You want to know who Pharos is." I answered. It wasn't a question.

"Well, yeah." She replied. "I-I mean, you didn't exactly deny it when Strega asked you about it."

I shrugged. "Honestly, I have no idea who or what he is, but he's damned helpful."

Eyebrow raise. "Oh yeah?" She asked.

I nodded. "Remember the night I arrived, I asked you about a contract?" She nodded. "Well, Pharos got me to sign a contract that I'd take responsibility for the consequences of my decisions, then disappeared." I shrugged. "He warned me about the Priestess battle, and he's been following me around since."

"Wait, you knew about the Priestess _before_ it happened?"

"Only that I'd face an 'Ordeal' on the full moon." I told her. "I suspected that it'd be another Shadow, but since I had no evidence, I kept my mouth shut and kept us training. He's also the Death social link."

Pharos started whistling behind me. Smug little...

"So…" Yukari looked uneasy. "Is he here… now?"

I nodded. "Right there." I pointed over my shoulder. "You can't see him though."

She looked anyway. "Yeah, I know. No-ones there." I shrugged. "Maybe I'm only hallucinating, but he's been more help than harm."

"Harm!?" Pharos shouted. "When have I ever done you wrong?"

Alright, fine. "Actually, he hasn't led me wrong yet, so I'm assuming that I'm sane and he's something else for now. Anyways, wanna try the shooting game?" Must come across as sane.

Yukari was mildly stunned, but shrugged. "Sure, okay."

Hey, after you've seen what we've seen, you'll believe pretty much anything.

* * *

Let the world know. I rock at the shooting game.

I mean seriously. Crappy toy rifle and I hit all three Jack Frost Doll's right between the eyes _one handed._ The guy running the stall said that it was sharpshooter level, and I haven't even played paintball before.

Why is it that most of my skills revolve around culture or killing things?

Then again, Orpheus and Thanatos…

Oh, right. Prizes. "Here you go." I said, handing one of them to Yukari.

"Hey, thanks!" She said, taking it happily. "What're you going to do with the other two?"

"Dunno." I shrugged. "Probably give them to some kid then."

"I'll take one thank you."

HOLY HELL ELIZABETH!?

"You two know each other?" Yukari asked me. Holy hell did I just say that out loud.

"Yes." Pharos said.

Did I just say that last thing out loud?

"No." Pharos replied

What about the last thing?

"No, but you really should get back to the situation at hand." Pharos suggested.

Good plan. "Oh, Mr. Arisoto calls on my services regularly."

"Really?" Yukari asked, looking at me with suspicion.

Must… not… run from… potentially life threatening… situation…

"For Persona." I told her. "She hold records of my old Personae. Elizabeth, this is Yukari, Yukari, Elizabeth."

"Pleased to meet you." Elizabeth introduced.

Yukari smiled at her. "Nice to meet you too."

Elizabeth smiled back. "I wonder if I could perhaps steal Mr. Arisoto temporarily?" She asked Yukari.

"What for?" Yukari asked her.

"So he could please escort me around the festivities?"

"Wh-what!?" Yukari gasped in surprise.

Must… not… run from… actually life threatening… situation…

"Yes, it has been a while since he last escorted me around the human world." She said as Yukari looked at me with what looked a lot like anger. "So could I-"

"Well, no!" Yukari snapped back. Wow, she's surprisingly possessive. "No, you can't!"

"I see." Elizabeth bowed slightly. "May I ask for your answer Minato?"

GONE!!

* * *

Damn… I can run pretty damn fast.

"Whoa, chill out Minato-kun."

Huh? "Oh, hey Kenji." I bent up to face him, then looked around for any sign of danger. "What's up?"

Kenji grinned, holding two stick of candyfloss. "I'm looking for Emiri." He said. "She should be around here somewh-…" He trailed off as his face contorted in horror.

I followed his gaze. I didn't see anything that horrific.

"Is that Emiri?" He asked, candyfloss shaking in his hand as he pointed. "Who's that guy with his throat down her neck?"

"Hey… did you actually propose to her?" I asked him.

"Y-Yeah!" He said, his voice cracking.

"Like, actually put a ring on her finger?" I asked.

"Not a ring…" He said, "But who's that guy?"

"From the engagement ring, I'd have to say it's her fiancé." I told him. "I'm sorry…"

"S-stop it! Why are you trying to make me feel better?" He shouted, starting to cry. "I'm an idiot…" He said, dropping one of the candyflosses, which I caught with my foot. "You should be laughing at me!"

I confronted him. "Dude, you had no idea that this would happen!"

He started running away, covering his face, muttering "Baka. Baka baka baka baka…" To himself.

"There you are!" Yukari said, jogging up to me. "I've been looking all over for you! What just happened back there?"

I handed her the candy floss and my spare Frost doll. "I'll be right back."

"Huh?" She grabbed by arm. "Where you going now?"

"Kenji just found out about Kanou's fiancé." I told her. "I need to go talk to him."

"Wait, isn't she the teacher that was leading him on for the past few weeks?" She asked. "If you ask me, he had this coming."

"He loved her." I told Yukari. "I mean, he really, really loved her." Then I set off at a sprint. Dammit, I am just too nice.

* * *

"Hey, you alright?" I asked him, finding him sitting on the swing.

He didn't say a word, but he was still holding onto the candyfloss.

I sat down next to him and took the floss. Hey, why let a good piece of confectionery waste, right? "Look, I know how you feel."

"No you don't."

"Alright, I don't." I said. "Every time I went through this it was my fault."

"This _was_ my fault." Kenji replied. "I should've known this would happen."

"With how much you loved her?" I asked, munching his sugar. "I'd have been surprised if you did see this coming."

Kenji chuckled miserably. "I'm an idiot, aren't I?"

I smiled. "Still, if you did know this was going to happen, what would you have done?" I asked him.

"Huh?"

"If you knew she was seeing someone else, would you have dumped her?" I asked him. "If you could've known that she was already taken and she was just playing with you, would you have called it off?" I asked him. "Or would you have stayed, hoping to be with her for just one more day?"

Kenji didn't say anything, so I took another bite while I thought about what to say next. "Now, if it was me, I'd go find the filthy bugger who dared touch my woman and beat him black and blue." Munch. "Wouldn't change anything, but I'd feel better."

Kenji smiled for half a second, "You would wouldn't you?"

"Yeah." I replied. "Couldn't do that last time though."

He perked up "What happened?"

I shrugged. "There were these two girls I hung out with. Nice girls, but I didn't like them that way. Thing is…" I sighed. "They thought that I was dating them, and I never cleared it up."

"So, you were two timing two girls you didn't even like?" Kenji was shocked.

"I wanted to get to know them." I defended. "But I, being a remtard, didn't think to clear that up." Munch. "Guess what happened?"

"They found out and kicked your ass?" Kenji suggested.

"Pretty much." The scary part was that I got away with it. "Point is, these things happen." I said, taking another bite outta the candyfloss. "You just gotta get over it."

Kenji laughed bitterly. "Easier said than done man." He smiled. "But thanks."

**SMASH!**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Magician Arcana…_

"Hey, is that my candyfloss?" He asked as I finished the pink fluff.

"…No?" I suggested. No way he'd believe me, but I reckon I can make him laugh it off.

It worked. "It's cool." He stood up with a smile. "You're paying for the ramen next time though."

Isn't it my turn to pay next anyways? "Alright then." I sighed. "I got a date to get back to."

Kenji laughed. "What, after your failure you two timing scumbag?" He said jokingly.

I shrugged. "I'm a playa. It's how I roll."

"Nice." Kenji shook his head. "I'll see ya at school then. Later."

"Later." I said, watching him go down the steps. Now to try and find and appease Yukari.

* * *

Amazingly, all it took was a box of octopus balls to share and Yukarri was happy.

Only, Elizabeth said at the stand that there wasn't any actual octopus in it. I asked what was in it, but she said that the human mind is cursed forever with any knowledge it gains, so she decided that I was better off not knowing.

Meh, I've eaten Dibbler level pies. Whatever's in it, I'll live.

So long as the Octopia lady isn't called Dibbler in any way.

"Who, Cheeks?" Yukari asked when I told her this. "No, why?"

"Wait, Cheeks?"

Yukari nodded. "Yeah, her nickname is 'Cheeks'll fall off Debby'."

No. Bloody. Way.

I'll never eat from there again.

* * *

We saw Mitsuru and Aigis checking out a mask stall on our travels.

We escaped before they noticed us.

Summer festivals are hard.

* * *

You know what I miss? Fireworks.

Yeah, we have fireworks now, and Japanese fireworks are better than the English ones, but you know what I miss?

Proper Fireworks.

Back in the day, you asked for a Banger and that's what you got. A Banger. Nowadays they're just unimpressive.

And the safety instructions. They used to be worth reading.

_Light blue paper. Stuff in small child's hood. Run._

Hey, is that a fireworks stand over there?

…

Pharos, wanna go do something _bang_ out of order?

"I'll find Kenjamin." He told me, licking a huge lollipop. How the hell did he get that?

Pharos just shrugged and walked into the crowd.

* * *

Sadly, Kenjamin didn't come. Wise decision on his half, since he escaped my experiment on natural selection.

The kids who are fit to survive notice the explosive and get rid of it. Fast.

However, the festival ended with little more incidents, and I escaped with my scrotum intact. Yay.

Now for a day of guitar playing tomorrow. Joy.

* * *

Then started my two solid weeks of concert practice. So much for relaxation.

But hey, I downloaded the game I play with Ms. Toriumi / Maya onto my iPhone, so at least I have something to do on the train as I went to and from band practice on Monday.

Now it was said Monday, and I'm on the train to band practice, so I whipped out the phone and started playing.

I hadn't been on in a while, so I didn't know about this notice from the staff in my inbox.

-{ Attention players, }-  
-{ Although we initially planned to allow "Innocent Sin" to run indefinitely... }-  
-{ Recent feedback has shown that player participation is not adequate to continue. }-  
-{ We are terribly sorry for any inconvenience this causes for active players. }-  
-{ However, the servers will remain open until the official end date. }-  
-{ We hope that you understand and that you enjoyed your time with "Innocent Sin." }-  
-{ Sincerely, -"Innocent Sin" staff }-

Dammit! That was a wasted app.

Maya appeared behind me. –{ u got that message from teh admins, rite tatsuya? T_T}- Her avatar 'said'

I typed the affirmative. –{ it said their cancelling innocent sin. ...think its for real?}- Maya asked.

I checked the date and typed a reply. –{ End date next week, so most likely. }-

Maya's avatar started crying comically. –{ tatsuya... do u think we'll still be able to see each other? T_T }-

Start September I can guarantee it. –{ I think so. }-

Maya stopped crying. –{ yeah... we can meet each other in different ways I guess ¬_¬ }-  
-{ maybe there will be another MMO or we could hook up irl, but still =S }-  
-{ NO! we have to stop wasting our tiem! }- Maya did a super saiyan impression.  
–{ maya's not goin quietly! )=/ i'll beat them to the punch! }-

Interesting. –{ What's the plan? }- I asked.

-{ ...oh dun worry tatsu. i won't do ne thing dangerous ¬_¬ }- Well, she seems a little happier.  
-{ im gonna send them a log fo the convos we've been havin together here ^_^ }- That may not be a bad idea really.  
-{ if they knwo this game is important to us, maybe they'll reconsider =D }-  
-{ even tho tatsuya's just some lonely kid and maya likes to bitch too much... ;) }- Me? Lonely? Well, I suppose that's how I come across to her.  
-{ that shouldn't matter!!!1 }-  
-{ (to tell u the truth, i kinda hope ur a handsome guy tho...) }- Oh don't worry, I am.  
-{ don't worry, maya will protect u! we'll always be partners, k? }-

**SMASH!**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Hermit Arcana…_

-{ alrite! i'm gonna go write my email w/ our convo log! ^_^ }- Maya sent me.  
-{ don't mess w/ maya & friends or u'll regret it! MwahAHaHhaHa! }-  
-{ next time we'll celebrate our victory, k? bai! }-

BING! _/\_ _We have arrived at Port Island Station. Please take all your belongings with you. __/\_

-{ Alright then. You on later tonight? }- I hit enter.

Maya's reply was fast. –{ k. c u them }- She logged off. I did the same.

* * *

I'm beginning to suspect that the reason behind this practice is to make sure I'm good enough to not embarrass Rise, but not so awesome that I upstage her. Apparently the manager was against picking me for some reason, but Rise insisted. Thanks Rise. Really.

But hey. I got two free tickets to the concert and a paycheck out of it. It's all good.

Note to self, buy one of Rise's CD's on the way home, need to set up a playlist that her fans will like.

* * *

I logged back onto Innocent Sin on the train home that evening. I got teleported to some beach within five seconds.

Maya was there as well. –{ i saw you log on so i brought u here w/ magic. sry ^^; }-

-{ It's cool. }- I sent back.

-{ ...i should apologize }-

About teleporting me? –{ Oh, no worries. }-

-{ no tatsuya, if u keep being nice i won't ever move fwd =S }-

Wait, is this the max social link conversation?

-{ remember how i said i would send our chat log to the admins before? ¬_¬ }- Maya sent.  
-{ i dun think i will... }-

Oh? –{ Is that why you're sorry? }-

-{ Kinda, but... i meant sumthing else too ._. }- Maya kicked the ground in an Emote.  
-{ i read over our chat log and i didn't like waht i saw =/ }-  
-{ what kind fo person plays an MMO jus to bitch about coworkers? -_- }- More people than you'd think, I suspect.  
-{ u shouldn't have had to put up w/ me doin that. im sry m(_ _)m }- Hey, is that a grovelling smiley? That's awesome!  
-{ sum teacher i am, rite? =/ }- Fair point.  
-{ i kno it'll look like i'm chickening out an stuff, but... }-  
-{ im thinkin bout quttin the MMO today i... dun think i'll c u again T_T }-

This was sudden. –{ I'll miss you. }- For like, two weeks.

-{ i'll totally miss u more *^_^* }- Yeah, since you don't know you'll see me back at school.  
-{ since nobody can see my face on teh intarweb, i could be mean... =( }-  
-{ so i jus have to look myself in the mirror and make it rite! ^_^ }-  
-{ shyeah rite. =P i never would've figured this out w/out ur help }- That's how I roll.  
-{ tatsuya taught me to be thoughtful even when im not around ppl =) }-

And cue the level up.

**SMASH!!!**

Right on cue.

_Thou art I… And I am thou…_

_The bond thou hast nurtured hath finally matured. The innermost power of the Hermit Arcana hath been set free._

_We bestow upon thee the ability to create Arahabaki, the ultimate form of the Hermit Arcana..._

_This bond shall never be broken… even as you part ways…_

But we're not parting ways! We'll see each other in two weeks!

You know what, never mind.

-{ ...well, i better go now ¬_¬ }- Maya posted.  
-{ i drew something in the sand for u }- Wait, you can do that in this game?  
-{ check the ground once i log off, k? ^^; }-  
-{ its kinda embarrassing, but i worked real hard on it }-  
-{ if u upload a screenie to ur cellphone, u can keep it always! }- Or I can just save it since I am playing on my phone.

-{ i dun even cry during romance movies but my eyes'll be red tonite... T_T }-  
-{ remember, let's think positive! }-

-{ Sure. }- I sent back, getting my avatar to wave.

-{ gg, tatsu. thx 4 everything }- Maya logged off.

I got to work finding the thing she did.

Found it. She wrote something in the sand.

C {3 –

I tilted the screen to read it. The display tilted with it, so I uttered a sly "Buggery" and tilted my head.

…

Wow, Kenji would love to be in my shoes right now.

Screen shot, save to images, and delete Innocent Sin App.

BING! _/\_ _We have arrived at Iwatodai Station. Please take all your belongings with you. __/\_

Yay. Now for sleep.

* * *

"'Sup dude?" Junpei shouted when I got in. "Let's go to Tartarus man!"

Sigh. This is gonna be a looong summer.

* * *

[}~~~~{ }~~~~{]

* * *

Yes it is.

Gonna take a break while I try to organise my social link guide so I can make the most time skips. I really need to make up for lost time. By which I mean a few hours. So you won't really notice it.

Gonna skip the next two weeks, so chapter 56 will be the first day of the new term. Yay. Gonna get some focus on the Priestess Arcana done in the new term, as well as Fortune and others.

As always, review. I'm taking suggestions for Minato's set list; give me your suggestions because I got nothing.


	56. Chapter 56

Yay, new chapter.

Derek Barona, I'm glad you enjoy the story so far. Hope it stays that way.

Ranmyaku Arashi, sorry about that. More detail, coming up.

GeneralGeneric, Slayer0 is good for the persona soundtrack. In fact, most of the persona themes on my MP3 player I downloaded from him. However, I won't be using those songs for Minato's playlist. I have something better in mind.

Sytang, that is awesome. However, you can only use one kind of weapon now, and going to the base floor of Tartarus doesn't heal you anymore. You have to buy magic leaves from the clock. On the upside, you can teleport back to the floor you just left, and there's no stamina limit; you only become tired once you leave the building. Unfortunately, I think it makes persona 3 too much like persona 4.

Don't get me wrong, I love both games, and while I think that persona 3 had a better storyline, p4 definitely had better gameplay. Thing is, I think that the changes made in P3P take from P3's charm.

Now, for those of you who read The Breaker, I just read the new chapter and am now in a FANTASTIC mood right now.

Moving on, and time for the actual chapter.

* * *

]=[

* * *

So, it's finally the end of August. Not much happened over the summer, other than practicing and training and summer homework. Junpei appeared to have found a lady friend, but I don't believe him.

Anyhoo, now we were gathered in the command room for what I reckon will be a back to school lecture from Ikutsuki.

"Good, you're all here." Ikutsuki said before turning to the door into his office. "Please, come in."

The door opened and Kenjamin walked in with a cross spear and a black jacket over his orange jumper. "Sorry to interrupt…" He said.

Damn, black jacket over orange hoody looks awesome. "You must be kidding…" Akihiko gasped while Shinji grunted. Wow, they're pissed.

"After running several tests, we've learned that he has more then adequate potential." Ikutsuki explained while gesturing to Kenjamin. "I called this meeting so that I could introduce him, since he'll be joining our squad."

"B-But Mr. Chairman, he's still in elementary school." Mitsuru protested. "Besides..."

"Besides… what?" Ikutsuki asked. "His ability is quite promising. With the proper training, he could be a big help."

For once, I agreed with him.

"Is HE okay with it?" Shinji growled.

"Actually, I asked to join." Kenjamin answered. "I believe I can be of some assistance... Now, I finally know why I was given this power."

"...So, as you can see, it was his own decision." Ikutsuki added, defending himself. I really don't like him.

"Nice to meet you all." Kenjamin smiled. "I'll try not to get in anyone's way."

"Nice to meet you, Kenjamin." Aigis responded.

"It's Ken." Kenjamin insisted.

"Name data is Kenjamin." Aigis responded. Good work Aigis.

"Hey, don't worry, kid." Junpei flashed him a big thumbs up. "We got your back. It may be hard at times, but stick with it."

"Yes, got it!" Kenjamin beamed.

The Senpai didn't seem as happy about this though. Neither did Yukari for that matter.

* * *

Once everyone left the room, I got to work tapping back into the surveillance systems. Sure enough, there were camera's in my bedroom, but it looked like everyone else's camera's were gone. I don't really blame them.

"So, what're you gonna do about it?" Pharos asked.

"Mass Firewall, purge the video data of everyone's bedrooms." I responded, typing. "What do you think?"

Pharos nodded. "Can you actually do that?"

I shrugged. "I sealed the data and left a back door, so I think I can."

"You copied everything into a folder and put a password on it!" Pharos countered. "Junpei could do that."

"He probably does…" I shrugged, spinning the chair from the monitor. "You're right, I'm outta my league." Although…

I spun back around and looked through the remaining cameras. "If I set them all to cover the entrance points, including windows and fire escapes…" I muttered as I typed in the commands, "Then mute the sound and lock the settings with fourteen separate passwords, each only allowing three attempts, then we get a decent security surveillance system without the risk of Strega compromising the security."

Pharos nodded. "And the video data?"

"Delete." I replied, getting to work. "Should be fine so long as they don't come and steal the actual hard drive."

Pharos sighed. "You know, the next full moon is coming soon."

I nodded. "We're ready."

Pharos smiled. "Are you sure?" He asked. "That's what you thought last time."

"So long as this isn't the last time and we fight four at once," I shuddered, "Then we should be reet."

"I hope so." He replied with a smile. "Only a few trails remain."

Hooray for that.

* * *

School the next day. I popped into Bookworms on the way there to find Bunkichi snoozing. "...Please... wait a while longer…" He mumbled in his sleep. "...Even if the tree is gone... you'll still live on... inside us..."

Man, he must be worried about that tree. I picked up a mop and poked him with the dry end.

"Whu-whuzzat?" He asked blearily, forcing himself up. "...Oh, Minato-chan, you're here?" He yawned. "You didn't have to wake me up... Or were you just eager to see my pretty face?" He asked with a grin.

I poked him again. "Oof." He said with a laughing smile. "You wound me…"

"You shouldn't be sleeping when you're open old man." I told him.

He put his hand over his chest and died from an imaginary bullet. "Argh…" We laughed.

"I feel relieved now…" He said happily. "Probably because the problem has been solved."

"Solved?" I asked genuinely puzzled. What's he talking about?

"I'm deeply touched that you and so many other people tried to help us, Minato-chan..." Bunkichi told me, "But, we sent a letter to Gekkoukan." He sighed. "...I told them to cut the persimmon tree down."

Wait, what!?

"Wait, what?" I asked aloud.

"I thought you'd be more surprised..." Bunkichi sighed. "Well, I guess I needn't have worried."

Dude, if I don't look surprised, that means that I am! Well, whatever, just roll with it.

"Sorry that we did it without asking you." Bunkichi scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "But recently, I went to visit the persimmon tree, and I met a student on my way back." Oh yeah? "He told me that the school is planning to build a new computer lab." Oh. "It would be selfish of an old man like me to deprive those young people of new learning opportunities..." He continued with a kind of sad happiness. "I think it'd make our son happy, too, since he was a teacher." Bunkichi chuckled. "Helping those kids is more important than hanging on to his memory."

"Yeah…" I replied. "Yeah, I guess you're right…"

Bunkichi smiled. "We're hoping, as we believe our son in heaven is too, that more kind students like you, Minato-chan, will graduate from Gekkoukan."

I looked him in the eye. "I'll make sure that happens."

Bunkichi chuckled. "Hoo, you're determined aren't you?" He smiled. "Here, take this."

He handed me on orange tomato thing. "It's the first fruit produced by the persimmon tree. ...It's a little rough around the edges, like our son..." He chuckled. "Mitsuko is the one who suggested we give it to you, Minato-chan."

**SMASH!**

_Thou art I… And I am thou…_

_The bond thou hast nurtured hath finally matured. The innermost power of the Hierophant Arcana hath been set free._

_We bestow upon thee the ability to create Kohryu, the ultimate form of the Hierophant Arcana..._

_This bond shall never be broken… even as you break free from the chains of memory…_

Another Kingdom Hearts reference by the Arcana… though I think this was a different context from last time.

"...Now, we have to cheer up and get on with our lives!" Bunkichi shouted. "We're too old to waste a single day! Our son would want us to be happy..." He smiled. "I'm sure he's smiling down on us from heaven."

"Don't you think he'd have better things to do?" I asked him. "Like scoring with hot angels?"

Who cares if lust is a sin? Heaven is Heaven.

"Woohoo…" Bunkichi smiled. "You're probably right Minato-chan…" He pointed a fist at the ceiling. "Go on my son! Get in there!"

Ah Bunkichi. You are awesome.

* * *

School, however, was not awesome. In fact, it sucked.

Nothing like the summer holidays to make you miss school, and nothing like school to make you miss the summer holidays.

On the plus side, Bebe was happy to see me.

"Minato-samaaa! I 'ave come up wiz a great idea to show Japan's charm to my uncle!"

Oh yeah, he was doing that… "What's the plan?" I asked.

Bebe pointed to the sky like Kamina. "I will show 'im a kimono, and make 'im understand the beauty of Nihon!"

"Good plan." I told him. Hey, it could work.

"Since you agree, Minato-sama, I 'ave nozing to be afraid of!" Hm, French will do anything under an English commander it seems. "Ze kimono eez a Japanese treasure!" He continued enthusiastically. "If I show it to my uncle, he will surely let me stay in Nihon."

I nodded. "What's the design?" I asked him.

He thought for a moment. "Ze design will be..." He clicked his fingers with inspiration. "ze mascot of ze Sweet Shop!"

What the hell? That's a stupid idea.

"I zought of zis design because Minato-sama took me zere!" Bebe explained. Aww, that's kinda touching.

**SMASH!**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Temperance Arcana…_

Nice. "How about I come up with something else?" I suggested, quickly pulling out a notebook.

"Ie!" He replied in Japanese. "I am no longer confused! I will 'urry up and make ze kimono!" He shouted, running for the sewing room. "I will sew like ze wind!"

Well. I tried.

* * *

Kenji collared me after school, taking me downstairs. Ms. Kanou had moved to Okinawa, and he wanted to go see the new Ethics teacher.

"Her name's Kashiwagi…" Kenji told me. "And she's supposed to be really hot…"

Junpei grabbed Kenji's shoulder. "Did… did you say Kashiwagi?" He asked with sweat forming on his face. "As in… Noriko Kashiwagi?"

"Yeah!" Kenji replied. "How'd you know?"

Junpei looked pale. "Oh hell no…"

"My my… we meet again young man…"

Gah! We turned around to face the owner of the sultry voice. A brunette woman with a rather large cleavage was standing behind us, apparently scaring the living daylights out of Junpei.

Wait, didn't they meet some teacher during the babe hunt?

"N-N-No way…" Junpei stuttered in fear. Yep, it's this teacher.

She giggled. "Well, you two are also very handsome young boys…" She folded her arms to push her boobs up. "My name's Ms. Kashiwagi… but you can call me Noriko…" She giggled.

Holy crap she's as perverted as grandma but not old enough for it to not be creepy.

I felt Kenji grab my wrist and sprint, ordering me to "RUN FOR IT MAN!!"

"AAAGGHH!!" Junpei screamed, running in the opposite direction to us. Good plan, she can't catch both teams!

* * *

Kenji and I jumped onto the train just as the doors were closing, and started panting for breath. "Man… she's… scary…" Kenji panted. "Alright, from now on, no more teachers!"

I put a hand on his shoulder. "You owe me like, three bowls now…"

Kenji nodded. "Yeah…"

* * *

Man, free ramen tastes almost as good as skiving ramen.

"Damn this is good!" Kenji declared. "This ramen is the bomb! There's no way I can leave this city, dude!" He laughed, then sighed. "Well, Ms. Kanou must be in Kyushu by now." Oh, I thought she was going to Okinawa… "She's probably getting ready for her wedding ceremony..."

Dammit man I thought you were over this by now. Now, I could either leave him be, which would make him feel worse, strike up a conversation, which would only dodge the problem, or I could do what I wanted to do.

…

Stuff it, I'm stealing his egg.

"Hey!" Kenji shouted, furious. "Give that back, dude!"

I held the egg out of his reach with my chopsticks. "Not a chance!"

"That egg's all I got in this world, man!" He begged. "Give it back!"

I grinned and popped the egg into my mouth whole. "Asshole!" Kenji shouted, pouting.

Then he smiled. "Man, hanging out with you is never boring!"

Hey, that's what I'm here for. "But, that being said…" Kenji sighed. "I want a girlfriend, dude."

That's what I'm here for. "I'll hook you up." I offered.

He sat up, interested. "Someone from your place?"

"No." I replied. "Not a chance."

He sighed, depressed again.

"Well, I'm doing a gig later this week at escapade." I suggested. "Want a free ticket?" I pulled one out of my pocket and showed it to him.

He beamed. "Yeah, dude!" He snatched it. "You'll be my wing man. Let's go pick up some chicks!" He looked at the ticket and his jaw dropped. "Dude, you're gonna be on stage with Risette!? You gotta introduce me!"

"I thought you were into older women?" I asked.

"An Idol's different!" He insisted. "They got a special charm that normal girls just don't have!"

I laughed. "She's pretty normal actually." If clingy. "You'll have a problem getting past her manager though."

"Oh well." He grinned. "You distract him, and I'll talk to Riii~sette!"

I honestly wouldn't be surprised if he started emitting a happy pink glow.

"Anyways, I've been thinking..." Kenji said, pocketing the ticket. "When Emiri left, I was really sad, but I'm not sure what I was sad about..." Her leaving? "Did I really love Emiri, or did I just love the idea of being in a relationship with a teacher?" He asked.

Pretty good question now that you bring it up. "I've been thinking about it and thinking about it..." He continued as I remained silent. "And I just don't know..." He looked right at me and put an arm on my shoulder. "But what I DO know is... you're my friend." He told me seriously.

"Gay." I pointed out while slurping up noodles. He immediately took his arm off me in sheer horror.

"Dude, what the hell!" He shouted. "This is my heart we're talking about! Can't you feel the love!?"

"I can." I said, gulping down the soup. "That's why you're gay." I put down the bowl and smiled. "Another bowl here!"

"GAH!" Kenji shouted, recoiling in shock. "Uh, dude, sorry about that... Ugh, I'm such an idiot!" He shouted, bashing his head in with his fists. "I'm so embarrassed!"

He seemed to be regretting what he just said, while I was not regretting getting another bowl of ramen.

"Dammit, now this'll be all awkward…" Hm? "J-just take it man!" He said, forcing a leather strap onto me. "Man, now I feel like a real puff…"

Ah, good old homophobia. Excellent tool for manipulating schoolboys since 1999. "Thanks man." I told him, pocketing the leather choker. It'll never go on my neck, but I'll find a use for it.

**SMASH!**

_Thou art I… And I am thou…_

_The bond thou hast nurtured hath finally matured. The innermost power of the Magician Arcana hath been set free._

_We bestow upon thee the ability to create Surtr, the ultimate form of the Magician Arcana..._

_This bond shall never be broken… even as you burn through the world of fog…_

Wait, didn't Surt set the world ablaze and start Ragnarok?

Dayumn. That'll be a decent 'sona.

"Dammit! What the hell's wrong with me!?" Kenji asked himself angrily. "Why am I acting so weird all of a sudden?"

"Maybe you're coming out of the closet?" I teased him.

"Grr…" Kenji growled before slamming the counter. "CHEF!" He shouted. "Gimme 10 more eggs!"

Man, this is fun.

* * *

"...Oh, you're back." Yukari said when I came into the dorm. "Perfect timing."

She was standing around in the lounge with Kenjamin, Junpei and Koromaru. "Hey, Fuuka!" She called up the stairs. "Is Aigis ready?"

Ready for what?

"Ready for what?" Junpei asked.

"Coming!" Fuuka called from upstairs. Fuuka and Aigis both came down the stairs wearing the school uniform.

Oh hell no.

"She said she wanted to go to school, so I said something to Mitsuru-senpai as a joke..." Yukari explained as Aigis and Fuuka walked towards us. "But, the Chairman overheard and thought it was a good idea. So as of tomorrow, she'll be a junior."

"Seriously!?" Junpei asked. "He's down with that?"

"He said something about studying her behaviour in a social environment..." Fuuka explained.

Junpei grinned. "Well, as far as I'm concerned, it's a great idea... Just look at how cute she is in that uniform!" Yes, we have established that she is cuter than your toaster.

"The camouflage Fuuka-san has provided me with seems to be the appropriate size." Aigis reported, moving around in the uniform.

"It looks very natural on you;" Kenjamin complimented. "No one will suspect a thing." He suddenly looked thoughtful. "But, why does he want you to go to school? It's not like there's anything special about it."

"With the commencement of the second semester, I intend to synchronize my schedule with the other members." Aigis pointed out. "If I were to remain here on standby, it could delay our deployment. Therefore," She turned to me. "I request to accompany our squad leader."

"Delay our deployment?" Yukari asked. "Won't you going to school create more problems?"

"I will make any necessary adjustments as problems arise." Aigis replied.

Man, can you feel the love?

"Nope." Me neither Pharos.

"Koromaru said, 'I want to go to school, too.'" Aigis translated as Koromaru barked.

"Sorry, Koro-chan..." Yukari balanced her hands on her knees and bent over to him. "You have to stay here."

Koromaru whimpered.

"I have a question, Minato-san." She asked. "Why can't Koromaru-san attend school? I do not understand why I am permitted to go to school while Koromaru-san is not."

"Because he's a dog." I told her.

"Nowhere in the school regulations does it state that canines are prohibited from attending school." Seriously? Wow. "My question remains unanswered."

"Didn't know that." I told her. "But there doesn't need to be. Dog's can't go to school because it's common sense."

"A tacit understanding that is not listed in the school regulations..." Aigis processed. "My question has been answered. Thank you very much."

"Dude, I think she's really cute..." Junpei hissed in my ear. "I bet there will be a ton of guys who's gonna get a crush on her. The way she walks..." Like Sonic the Hedgehog? "The way she talks..." You mean like a robot?

Yeah, I can see how that will be attractive. Mind you, I'm probably the only guy who'll notice.

* * *

I walked Aigis to school the next day. "I see…" Aigis told me when we got there. "So this is Tartarus during the daytime… I comprehend."

Okay, now to get her through the school day without anyone finding out she's a robot.

* * *

"Class, we have a new student who will be joining us." Ms. Toriumi announced at the start of form. "She just transferred here. ...Please introduce yourself."

"My name is Aigis." Aigis explained. "I am pleased to meet you all."

"Aigis... What a strange name..." Ms. Toriumi pondered. "I wonder if she was born overseas. Let's see... Anything else I should know...?" She began checking her file. Dammit, didn't she learn to do that _beforehand_ after the last transfer student IE me?

_Welcome to the school Minato. Let's see, 1999 is when your parents died. Haha._

"Hm?" Toriumi found something interesting in Aigis's file. "...Humanoid tactical weapon?"

WHO THE BLOODY HELL IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS FIASCO!?

"What on Earth...?" She wondered.

IT'S IKUTSUKI'S FAULT ISN'T IT!? I'LL SKIN HIM ALIVE!!!

"...Clearly, that's a mistake." Ms. Toriumi announced. "It just goes to show, you can't believe everything you read."

Ikutsuki, you get to live for another day. "You can sit..." Ms. Toriumi said while browsing the classroom. "Right over there, in that empty seat." She said, pointing at the seat next to me.

Doesn't somebody sit there? "Um, Ms. Toriumi, that spot's already taken." Junpei told her. "He's just playin' hookey."

Toriumi glared at Junpei. "Which means he's not here." And therefore important. "So, it's free to be used, right?"

Aigis nodded and sat next to me.

"This spot will be perfect..." She announced loudly while looking at me, "Because I wish to always be by his side."

WHO THE BLOODY HELL IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS FIASCO!?

Yukari got to her feet violently. "Aigis!" She shouted.

IT'S IKUTSUKI'S FAULT ISN'T IT!? I'LL SKIN HIM ALIVE!!!

"Is there a problem?" Aigis asked her.

"...Um, Yukari?" Asked the girl next to her, "why're you standing up?"

"My, aren't we just full of drama today?" Ms. Toriumi smiled. "Do me a favour and save the antics for after school."

I am running straight home to safety after school.

Or Kendo club! Yes, I can hide there!

* * *

"You're off the team." Coach told me.

Ya-what!?

"You were caught fighting with Mamoru after the tournament." He told me. "We don't tolerate that kind of behaviour at this school, so you are hereby banned from the Kendo club."

…

Man, this is the worst school day ever.

* * *

]=[

* * *

Yes it is.

Interesting little tidbit, I actually wanted Minato and Bebe to be at war with each other as part of the whole 'England Vs France' thing, but turns out that Persona3 FTW got to it first. Well, I'm kinda glad I dropped it anyway, it'd ruin what little believability the story has left.

Next chapter, concert and hopefully start on hermit.


	57. Chapter 57

Hey everyone, it's that time again.

Let me repeat what I said last chapter and add to it. The Breaker is my favourite Manwha (Korean Manga), which updated with a most excellent chapter the day I uploaded the last chapter. Last night, Akumetsu and Wolf Guy, two of my favourite Manga, also updated, as did Hayate the Combat Butler, so I'm in a very good mood.

Finally got around to doing the new Naruto: Ours chapter and I wrote a sequel to the one shot I wrote a few weeks ago: also worth checking out. Just to let you all know; Naruto: Ours relies very heavily on your input, as I'll only write a new chapter when one character gets a certain amount of votes, and the next chapter will be focused around that chapter. The polls are currently very close to deciding a winner, but it could still go either way so vote!

Now for your reviews. General Generic, I also love writing the social link chapters, but unfortunately I'm constrained by a time limit. I'm going on a mission, doing voluntary service for my church for two year, which I'll be doing in about 8 months and won't be able to do any writing until I get back, so I hope to be able to finish this story by then. As for Alice, go on then. I really liked her as a persona too. Die For Me is awesome.

The reason I called Surt Surtr in the previous chapter was because Surtr is the traditional Norse name. Minato thought of it as Surt, and thus referred to it as such. However, from now on, it will be Surtr.

Fireblast, it wasn't meant to be a P4 reference. I just started adding something at the end of each max social link Arcana speech, and that one sounded best out of what I could think of. Well, either way, chapter time!

* * *

**=] [=**

* * *

When the day for the concert came, I got up early to make a decent breakfast, only to find Fuuka in the kitchen, already making rice balls.

"Oh, Minato!" She called. Come to think of it, all of the people in S.E.E.S. had stopped using honorifics to me. Probably because I stopped using them towards them. Or maybe it's because battle brings people closer, who knows?

What I do know is that I owe Fuuka some cooking lessons. "Just making rice balls?" I asked, getting some mincemeat out of the freezer.

Fuuka nodded sadly. "...I want to make something other than just rice balls..." She sighed. "I don't mean to bother you, but..."

"Quick lesson right now?" I asked. "That's the plan!"

"Oh!" Fuuka gasped. "Thank you…. I started cooking because I wanted to thank everyone for what they've done for me... But, I need to know how to make more than just rice balls..." She packed away the ball she just made. "I need to learn new recipes... I know it's a lot to ask, but-"

"Hey, we're doing this." I told her with a smile

Fuuka nodded happily. "I just want to thank everyone for helping me find my place in the world." Not a bad thing to be thankful for really. "I just want to be as helpful outside of battle as I am during it. If I can do that, then maybe I can help you too, Minato." Fuuka smiled. "That's all I'm trying to do."

**SMASH!**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Priestess Arcana…_

I fired up the hob and put the frying pan on it. "Alright, chilli." I told her. "If you can chop some onions, I'll get the other ingredients out."

"Hai!" She quickly bowed, before rushing to the knife drawer.

* * *

Chilli makes a good lunch. It really does.

I ended up giving my spare tickets to Fuuka and Yukari. I thought they'd enjoy the concert tonight.

"You only did it because you social linked Fuuka this morning and you want to get into Yukari's panties." Pharos pointed out.

Meh. You're probably right. But I gave one to Kenji out of pure kindness.

"I'll give you that one." Pharos admitted.

* * *

Anyway, time for the concert after school. I was on first, so I was backstage right now tuning my guitar.

With me were Yamoto and Kashima, who my bass and drummer for the night. They were both older than me and decent musicians, but neither really seemed interested in talking with me, so I didn't know their first names, or much else about them other than they were substitutes for Rise's backing band.

Besides, I already have the Chariot and Devil social links.

Yamoto took a peek through the curtains. "Full house." He told us. "You up for this kid?"

I grinned. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Kashima chuckled, but didn't say anything.

* * *

Soon, the club manager announced that I would be opening the show, and asked everyone in the bar to accept me. I was expecting him to ask for a warm welcome, but I suppose Japan's like that.

Well, let's roll.

* * *

First off, slow, powerful intro to build up the suspense.

Then amp it up to an epic before bringing it down.

"_It's early morning, The sun comes out."_ I sang softly. _"Last night was shaking, And pretty loud."  
"My cat is purring, And scratches my skin… So what is wrong, With another sin?"_

I started hitting a string repeatedly to build up the pressure. "_The bitch is hungry, She needs to tell."  
"So give her inches, And feed her well. More days to come, New places to go."_

"_I've got to leave; It's time for a show!"_ I called, getting ready for the epic chorus.

"_Here I am!"_ I sang. _"Rock you like a hurricane! Here I am, rock you like a hurricane!"_

Hey, they just don't make songs like this anymore.

* * *

"_So go ahead aaand…. JUMP!"_ A shouted as we closed the fifth and final song. The concert ended at elevenish, so our warm up act had to be pretty short.

I'd sung old school western rock songs all night, but looks like it went down well.

Though honestly, we were set to do a few more songs, but there was something up with the equipment, so we had to get off stage while they fixed it for Rise.

* * *

"Dude, that was awesome!" Kenji told me as I came from backstage afterwards.

"You really are good!" Fuuka complimented me.

"Thanks!" I told them. "Where's Yukari!?" I asked them.

"Holding the table!" Kenji explained. "Come on, let's go!"

Go on then. We've got a good twenty minutes until the headliner comes on.

* * *

When we squeezed through the crowd to our table at the back, I saw some older guy talking to Yukari, who was clearly not interested. Now, normally I'd kick his backside out onto the street, but I recognised the guy and thought we could have some fun.

Hey, the table had five seats after all.

"Detective Adachi!" I shouted over the music as I wrapped my arm round his neck and shoulder. "How you been!?"

"H-hey, Arisoto-kun!" He shouted back. "Nice music!"

"Thanks sir!" I laughed. "Hey Yukari!"

"You were really good!" She shouted back with a smile.

"Oh, you to know each other!?" Adachi asked, clearly flustered.

I smiled. "Wanna join us!?" I asked as Kenji and Fuuka sat down. "We got room!"

"Oh!" Adachi shouted over the music. "Sure, okay!"

As we sat down I introduced everyone. "Guys, this is Detective Tohru Adachi!" I shouted over the music. "He's a friend of mine! Adachi, this is Yukari Takeba, Fuuka Yamagishi, and Kenji Tomochika!"

"Ah!" Adachi called out. "I thought I recognised you Fuuka-san! I worked on the team looking for you when you disappeared!"

"Oh!" Fuuka didn't expect that. "Um, Thank You!"

Adachi smiled politely. "You're welcome!" He replied, taking a swig of his beer.

"So, how long you been a cop!?" Kenji asked him.

"Ah, well, not too long really...!" Adachi replied awkwardly. "In fact, I only got promoted to detective about a month ago!"

The conversation was flowing pretty well, but Yukari wasn't happy about the guy.

"Probably because he was just trying to pick her up." Pharos pointed out. How the hell can I still hear him over the music? "Who knows?" He asked.

Either way, it didn't look like the sound system problems were getting any better, other than for playing the pre-recorded music, which runs on a different system.

* * *

Things didn't seem to be going well at all, so I excused myself from the table to investigate.

"It's an absolute disaster!" Rise's manager shouted at the Escapade manager. "It's a stain on Risette's career!"

I slunk over to Rise, who was in red hot pants and a loose white vest. "What's happening?" I asked her. The costume was surprisingly effective.

Rise seriously looked upset. "The sound system's down." She said. "The microphones aren't working, the light's are down, the stage is useless!" She was almost at the verge of tears. "My big debut… ruined…"

What! Music cancelled?

Not on my watch.

I stormed out of there and Bourne walked over the table and grabbed Adachi, dragging him out of the club without an explanation. "Hey, what!?" He asked.

It's time to get dangerous.

* * *

"So, basically, you want me to act as a witness," Adachi asked after I explained my plan to him and was working on it, "To you breaking into and robbing a music store so I can say that you didn't do anything wrong because I'm a cop?"

"No." I replied. "I want you to sign the statement I'm gonna leave there alongside a large check so nothing comes from this."

Adachi sighed as I picked the lock with my Leatherman. "Look, Minato-kun. I know you think you're good and all, but you're out of your depth here."

"I'm earning millions under the alias of Orpheus Mochizuki." I told him as I lifted the metal grille. Thankfully, the alarms didn't go off. "And I lied my way into a police investigation." And would've gotten away with it to if it wasn't for that meddling Matsuda. "I think I can get away with this."

Adachi sighed. "Alright, fine. Whaddya need?"

"Microphone, lead and portable battery powered amp."

"H-here!" He shouted, grabbing the products from the shelves while I selected a decent acoustic guitar. "Comes to nine thousand yen."

"Add a five thousand yen guitar, plus damages…" I began scribbling a cheque. "Twenty grand should cover it." I tore off the cheque and placed it on the counter, then started scribbling a note.

"T-twenty thousand yen!?" He asked. Yep, roughly two hundred dollars. "How much you getting paid for this gig?"

"Ten thousand yen." I said, signing the note and sliding it to Adachi. "But I was hired to make Rise look good. That's what I'm going to do."

"Man…" Adachi replied with astonishment as he signed the note explaining everything. "You really do take this seriously don't cha?"

I slung the guitar over my shoulder and grabbed the other goods. "'Course. Wouldn't be happy with myself if I didn't."

* * *

"Ladies and Gentlemen, sorry for the delay!" I shouted into the mic, sitting on a barstool on the stage with the acoustic guitar. "May I present to you the first ever performance of Rise Kujikawa, Unplugged!!"

Rise come onto the stage nervously while people cheered. It's a crazy idea, and it meant that all those hours of rehearsing dance routines and working with the band was now gone to waste, but it should keep the audience happy and, if I'm right, make Rise a huge hit from the bootlegs.

Rise got onto the stool next to me and took the mic, clearing her throat. "Ahem. H-hi, I'm Risette!" Her voice came out of the small amplifier by her feet so the audience was quieter than she was used to. "Um, sorry for the delay, but let's do our best!"

I leant over to her as I began strumming the intro to one of her songs. "Listen. Just forget about Risette for tonight." I told her. "No lights, not dancing, just you and the crowd." I leant back and began to pay attention to what I was doing, then tapped her in.

"_We are living our lives…"_ Rise sang. _"Abound with so much information…"_

She loosened up here and got more used to what she was doing.  
"_Come on, let go of the remote; don't you know you're letting all the junk flood in?"  
"I try to stop the flow, double clicking on the go, but it's no use; hey, I'm being consumed."  
"Loading loading loading, quickly reaching maximum capacity."  
"Warning warning warning, gonna short-circuit my identity, ahhhh"_

Quiet but happy cheers here. _"Get up on your feet, tear down the walls. Catch a glimpse of the hollow wooooorld."  
"Snooping 'round will get you nowhere. You're locked up in your miiiiiind"_

"_We're all trapped in a maze of relationships! Life goes on with or without you…  
I swim in the sea of the unconscious! I search for your heart, pursuing my true, sellllf!"_

It sounded… surprisingly good. Simple yet nice.

* * *

I was right, as usual.

Rise and I signed the acoustic guitar and gave it to the bar manager as a present. But, since she signed it '_Risette ~X'_ I thought I might as well use my nickname too.

_B.S. Orpheus _(/`

"B.S.?" Rise asked me. "What's that for?"

"Bloody stupid." I told her. "Or bloody strings." I shrugged. "Either one really. See ya!" I told her, walking off to my friends. We need to get out of here and lose Kenji by midnight.

"No you won't." She said with a smile. "But thanks for your help."

I flashed her a smile before I sunk into the crowd. "Sure!" I shouted over the music. "You're welcome!"

**CRACK.**

Oh what the hell.

_Thou hast laid the foundation for the future fool..._

What, what?

Okay, I'm gonna guess that she's gonna get screwed up later on in life and then someone else gonna social link her.

"Hey, we going or what?" Yukari asked.

Not my problem! Do not get involved! Someone else will!

…

Man, I really want to go back there and do the social link now.

* * *

Next evening, we were all in the command room waiting for Junpei and Ken. While we were waiting, Fuuka had Lucia summoned and was looking for the Shadow.

_~ It's near Paulownia Mall... I think ~_ Fuuka said.

"You think..?" Mitsuru asked. It wasn't like Fuuka to be uncertain about these things.

_~ For some reason, I can't quite pinpoint its location... But, I'm trying to narrow it down... ~_

"Is that its power?" Akihiko asked.

_~ I don't know… ~_ Fuuka replied, about to apologise.

"We have enough to go on..." Shinji told her. Hey, I'm not the only observant one here.

Kenjamin ran in through the door, panting. "Did you find Iori?" Mitsuru asked him. Oh, that's where he was.

"I can't find him anywhere." Kenjamin replied, shaking his head. "His backpack isn't here, so I don't think he's been home yet."

Yukari ground her foot into the carpet. "That idiot... He knows tonight's the night!"

_~ I don't sense him anywhere nearby... Should I take more time to look for him, just in case? ~_

"No, it's okay." Ikutsuki told her. "You're all young; sometimes you just get in one of those moods."

"So, you think he got dumped then?" I asked Ikutsuki.

Ikutsuki ignored me. "Anyway, we should focus on the task at hand." So you do think he was dumped then. Right.

"We can't afford to waste any more time." Mitsuru ordered. "Let's go."

Fuuka dismissed Lucia and followed everyone out of the room, but Shinji held me back and waited for everyone to leave.

"Wait..." He ordered me. "Did he say anything earlier?"

"Actually, he seemed pretty stoked for this mission." I told him. "So unless he's suddenly caught the emo…"

Shinji grunted. "Yeah, I suppose so. Come on."

Hey, I thought I was the leader here?

"No, you're just the Field Commander." Pharos told me. "Kinda like a Sergeant."

My favourite rank.

* * *

Once we got inside the main lobby of Paulownia mall, I was immediately freaked out by the fact that the fountains were now spewing blood. Everyone else shrugged it off though, and Fuuka summoned Lucia to look for the Shadow.

"Detect anything?" Mitsuru asked.

_~ Only a faint presence. It seems so close, but... why...!? ~_

"Alright, teams of two." I ordered. "Shinjiro and Akihiko. Yukari and Aigis. Mitsuru and Kenjamin. I'll take Koromaru." I drew the Chainsword from the scroll. "Yukari and Aigis, you two stay with Fuuka as she continues to look. Everyone else, split up and look for clues."

_~ Wait! ~_ Fuuka shouted. _~ Please, give me a moment! This is my responsibility...! ~_

"Alright." I said. "But team's formation stays."

Fuuka nodded and closed her eyes in concentration. _~ Tell me, Lucia... What is this thing that deceives me...? Hear the wind's answer in your ear... Touch the earth's answer with your fingertips... Taste the water's answer on your lips... ~_

Man, Fuuka is trippin' balls.

"Hey, is she okay?" Akihiko asked.

"Quiet." Mitsuru ordered. "You'll break her concentration."

_~ Right beneath our feet... Some kind of... webbing..? ~_

"Perhaps it has something to do with the old power cables underground." Aigis suggested. "They were just left there when the island's construction was completed."

"Power cables?" Mitsuru asked.

Aigis nodded. "Yes, they run underground in many directions, like a web."

"And they're interfering with her ability?" Akihiko conclusion jumped.

_~ Thank you, Aigis. I understand now. Interference isn't the problem... The cables themselves have been possessed by the Shadow! ~_

"They what...!?" Yukari shouted, before asking "So... it's underneath this whole area!?"

"Now it all makes sense…" Akihiko nodded as Shinji grunted.

Kenjamin was clearly shocked. "H-How are we supposed to beat something like that!?"

I grinned. "Kenjamin, if Kamina was here, what would he tell you to do?"

"Huh?" Kenjamin asked.

"I'm serious Kenjamin." I told him. "WWKD?"

"Um… pierce the heavens with my drill or something?" Kenjamin asked. "But that's got nothing to do with anything!"

I sighed. "Kenjamin. Replace heavens with ground and drill with a big kaboom."

"No." Mitsuru ordered. "No more property damage."

"Huh. Boring…" Too right Shinji. Where's the fun if there's no craters?

"But this is a problem..." Mitsuru admitted. "We have no means of attacking it."

_~ In your notes from previous battles, it said there was a Shadow that took control of the monorail. Just like that one, this Shadow must have its own body. ~_ Fuuka deducted. _~ Let me see if I can find it... ~_

Akihiko sighed. "Even if we know where it is, we might not be able to get to it..."

"Akihiko." I ordered. "Stop being so pessimistic and think with your balls for once."

"A-what?"

"I have a bloody Chainsword for crying out loud." I told him. "Nothing's gonna get in my way."

_~ What!? ~_ Fuuka gasped. _~ EVERYONE! MOVE!! ~_

It was the first time we'd heard such urgency coming from her, so we all managed to avoid the FREAKIN GINORMOUS DRILL PIERCING THROUGH THE FREAKIN FLOOR!!!

_You've got some nerve coming out here_

"WHAT THE SATAN!?" I shouted as the beast leapt from the hole it just created, ignoring Fuuka completely.

_Into the eye of the storm_

The Hermit Shadow was a cross between an ape and a wolf. I wouldn't say bear because it had the muscle build of an ape, but the skeletal structure and pose of a wolf.

_With a noose 'round your neck_

It was big, about as tall as Shinji from fore leg to head, and about two or three Shinji's in length.

_Knowing that you're going to be dead_

Electrical wires ran over the Shadow's black body, and sparks flew across its white mane.

_What's mine is mine, what's yours is mine_

And it had four drills stabbed in its back.

_No choice in matter everything's fine_

It turned around, looked at me and stood on its hind legs.

_If you stay where you were_

It reached across its back and grabbed one with its hand, pulling it out and pointing it at me.

_Obey Don't think Consume_

The drill swelled up to the size of a car and roared to life.

_Don't even start to assume_

It roared and charged at me with his dr- Bloody Hell This Thing is FAST!!!

_Evacuate to the underground_

I dodged just in time to get my ribs torn open by the aftershock. "GAARGH!!!" I screamed.

_This is no place for you_

The Hermit twisted around and ground to a halt as the drill shrunk and flew into its back again.

_I know I got what you need_

_~ W-what is that thing? ~_ Fuuka asked. _~ I- I thought it had possessed the electrics! ~_

_I know I got what you need_

The Hermit jumped up and grabbed onto the ceiling like a spider.

_I know I got what you need_

Then thunder started gathering around its back.

_I know I got what you need_

"Bloody hell..." I said aloud as the Hermit released the hellish thunderstorm upon us.

_I know I got it but it's MINE!!!_

* * *

**=] [=**

* * *

Yep. Hermit is awesome. A friend commented that the Hermit Shadow was easy in the game. Yet so far, it's the only one to do any serious damage to Minato when he was in competent mode.

The song was 'To Hell With Gattai' from Gurren Lagann.

And yes, I'm going away for two years in about eight months. Don't worry, this story will be finished by then and I'll get to work on a sequel when I get back. And yes, I have told you this before. Several times in fact. Look through the previous author notes if you don't believe me.

Next chapter will take a while to do, as all of it will be dedicated to killing it. Yes, one three thousand word long fightscene. It shall be awesome.


	58. Chapter 58

Yep. New chapter time.

Now, I promised that this chapter will be 100% Hermit fight, and I'm gonna deliver.

GeneralGeneric, sorry about that. Don't know what came over me. Also, I'm gonna finish the story _before_ I leave, and I'll put up the first chapter of the sequel before I leave as a teaser too.

Derek Barona… Nope. Sorry about this, but Adachi's lying. **CHALLENGE!** In your review, guess when Adachi's first appearance in this story was. Winner gets named and boasting rights.

Nightmaresyndom? That is a very good idea. Now I can combine someone's idea about the consequences of the 82% upload from the last fight. Hooray!

And I didn't deny any claim because I honestly forgot. I actually left that open to interpretation. Did she bump into Minato and hide? Or are you right? I honestly don't know. You pick.

Now, on with this thing.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

Damn… That was one helluva blast!

Good thing I had Thoth on me or I'd be dead right now, what with me having an exposed ribcage and all.

Wait… "YUKARI!!" I shouted, gritting my teeth as I forced myself onto my elbows. "AIGIS!!"

"We're fine!" Yukari shouted.

"Status is stable." Aigis added.

"RrraRGH!" I shouted as I rolled over. Dammit, bone is not meant to touch floor.

Kenjamin and Akihiko had jumped in front of the two girls, blocking their weakness to electricity with their own resistance to it. "Thanks…" I grunted, coughing up blood.

"Hold on!" Yukari shouted as she ran for me, summoning Io as she got to work healing me.

WOOOSH!

I forced myself to my knees as Yukari approached, grimacing. "What the hell just happened?" I asked.

"The Hermit just fell down that hole!" Kenjamin told me as Yukari got to work. "Think that attack killed it?"

"Not a chance." Shinji spat. "Probably tired it out for a few seconds though."

"Right then." I looked down at my torso. The muscle was back, and my skin was rapidly reforming. "Aigis, Yukari and Fuuka are to get the hell out of here before that thing comes back."

"Denied." Aigis declared.

"No way!" Yukari shouted as she finished healing. "We're fighting!"

I got up to my feet. "You won't be if it does that attack again! I need you two to go find Junpei!"

"Is Iori that much of a priority?" Mitsuru asked, looking somewhat singed.

"Fuuka can't find him." I told everyone. "Just like she couldn't find Strega. I just realised that they could have another member who can hide people from her." Three poisonous flowers, huh?

"Y-you really think so?" Fuuka asked, Lucia dispelled.

The floor started rumbling. "It's up." I said. "Fuuka, give support from the outside. You two, get the hell out of here and find Junpei!"

"Understood." Aigis reported, running for the door.

Yukari glared at me, then ran after the robot.

Now for the hard part.

The thing with a drill is that it's only pierce if it hits you head on. Get hit from the side and its slash damage. Get hit while its not spinning and it's strike damage.

Damn, these Persona resistances are weird. Shouldn't a physical resistance block anything physical?

_~ Here it comes! ~_ Fuuka told us. _~ Get ready. ~_

"Into the teams!" I shouted. "Surround the hole!"

Of course, right now we're down a healer, we have two Persona users specialising in one hit kill attacks which don't work on Arcana Shadows, and two people who use electric attacks, which won't work on this thing will they? "Fuuka, will electric attacks work?"

_~ No, it absorbs them! ~_

Right then. "Kenjamin, your priority is to heal the injured!" I ordered. "Other than that, fight with your spear only. Physicals only to you too Akihiko."

"I understand…" Kenjamin sighed.

"Got it!" Akihiko got into a stance.

"RRRAARGGH!!" The Hermit shouted, bursting from the same hole again, drill first.

"Everyone else is to act freely!" I shouted, revving my Chainsword. "GO!"

It blocked my saw with one normal sized drill hand, Shinji's axe with another drill, shrugged off Akihiko's and Kenjamin's blows, but Mitsuru got a decent Bufula on it and Koromaru bit into its shoulder. Hard. It screamed, so I swung again with the Chainsword, this time connecting with the beasts arm.

Bloody hell this weapon is good! It's just chopping through the flesh and Ichor of the Hermit like so much wood! It screamed as it got its face smashed in by Shinji's axe, and Akihiko summoned Polydeuces to do a Sonic Punch into its face, when I got an idea.

The Hermit flexed and an electric pulse, weaker than the last one, forced us all back from it. As soon as I landed, I opened the scroll of arms and pulled out Gae Bolg. "Kenjamin!" I shouted, throwing the spear at him. "Use this!"

Kenjamin caught the spear, dropping his own. He tested the weight of it and seemed satisfied, siding up next to Mitsuru as the Hermit jumped up into the upper floor. "Let's go!" I shouted.

_~ Wait! ~_ Fuuka shouted. _~ It's trying to split you up! ~ _She warned. _~ If you think about it, there are three areas that it can move between quicker than you can. ~_

"The ground floor, left side of the balcony and right side of the balcony…" I agreed. "Alright. Shinji and Akihiko, stay here. Mitsuru and Kenjamin, take the right side of the balcony. Koromaru and I will go to where the Hermit is right now."

_~ You're going along with its plan!? ~_ Fuuka asked.

"We wouldn't be able to move freely as a party up there anyway." I shrugged. "Might as well cover all the bases. Anyone else?"

Everyone nodded. "Let's do this." Shinji grunted, and everyone got into position.

As I ran, I switched to Cu Chulainn. I wouldn't be immune to the Hermit's electricity attacks anymore, but I'd be safer against its drills and I could dish out more damage this way. I put the Evoker to my head and summoned the hero to case Matarukaja to increase everyone's strength, then gave myself a hefty Power Charge, revving up my Chainsword as I approached the Hermit Shadow and swung with the sword.

It jumped. The arsehole!

"At least you're still charged." Pharos reminded me. Well, that's a small mercy, but right now Mitsuru and Kenjamin are dodging the Hermits attacks.

I pulled my Evoker out again and summoned Cu Chulainn. "Torrent Shot!" I shouted, before pulling the trigger. The legendary hero appeared, standing on the handrail infront of me and held its spear horizontally as thousands of glowing spikes were shot at the Hermit. It screamed as they pierced, but then the drills in its back started spinning and grew, forming a shield for its back, and the rest of the attack was useless.

But the attack wasn't useless. It distracted the Hermit enough for Kenjamin to get a decent stab with Gae Bolg into the Hermit's throat. It screamed before jumping down to the ground floor, then pulling a drill out from its back and growing it to a stupidly large size.

_~ It's going to use that rush attack again! ~_ Fuuka shouted. _~ You need to dodge it by a good metre, or you'll still get hurt! ~_

"Tch." Shinji grunted as he faced off against the Hermit, ready to dodge like a bull fighter. "I hate Giga Drill Break."

The Hermit lifted the drill into the air and we heard a very familiar voice. _/\_ "GIGA..!!!" _/\_

Wait, is that Simon the Driller? _/\_ _"DRILL…!!!"_ _/\_

No freakin way… _/\_ _**"BRRRREEEAAAAKKKKAAAAHHH!!!!!"**__/\_

Shinji and Akihiko both dodged, missing the epic attack just enough to avoid getting any major damage done the them. "Now how the hell can it talk!?" I shouted.

_~ There's a speaker on its chest! ~_ Fuuka explained. _~ It must be using audio clips from the nearby media storage devices to speak! ~_

"Okay, but how the hell can it talk!?" I shouted.

_/\_ "From _Your_ **Data**." _/\_

Wait, what? "What data?" Mitsuru asked it.

_/\_ "_Justice!!!_ Initiated a link! With _the_ Shinigami!?" _/\_ Hermit said, channelling a bit of Kira. _/\_ "**Data transfer** went _two_ ways." _/\_

"Wait." I asked. "Do you mean when it tried to take over my head!?" I asked it.

_/\_ "**Indeed.**" _/\_

"Him!?" Kenjamin shouted. "A Death God!?"

"You talking about what happened to the Magician?" I asked Hermit, trying to make this last as long as possible while everyone got their breath back. "Do you mean Thanatos?"

_/\_ "No." _/\_ The Hermit replied. _/\_ "**Thou** **Art** _Become Death; the destroyer of worlds…_" _/\_ That was English. It was quoting the nuking of Japan back there. _/\_ "I **Have** _Seen __Your Future_ Fool." _/\_ It pointed a drill at me.

"What did you see?" I asked it as Akihiko discreetly started healing and Shinji got behind it for a sneak attack. Good work.

_/\_ "Fire and ice and rage." _/\_ The Hermit told me. There Doctor Who DVD's around here? _/\_ "A _Father_ Of Death." _/\_ Aaand that's somewhat unsettling.

I realised that Kenjamin was charging something onto the spear, getting ready to throw it. "NOW!" I shouted, leaping from the railing with a roaring Chainsword as Shinji charged with his axe and a white spear of lightning launched from the opposite balcony.

It tore straight through the Shadow. Holy crap Kenjamin what the hell did you just do!?

The Hermit Roared as Shinji and I tore through it with our weapons. The drills on its back burnt and froze under the combined force of Koromaru and Mitsuru, and Akihiko grabbed the Gae Bolg from its crater and jammed it into the Hermits throat.

"RRAARGGH!" The Hermit screamed with its own voice, blasting us all back again as it leapt into the ceiling.

_~ It's going to use that thunder attack again! ~_ Fuuka shouted as the Hermit started glowing. _~ Get ready! ~_

I switched to Thoth as Koromaru jumped behind me. Akihiko threw the spear towards Kenjamin, who caught it and got ready to act as a barrier for Mitsuru, gritting his teeth in anticipation.

The hit never came. The glow disappeared, and Ichor stopped dripping onto the ground from the Shadow's gaping wounds. Or rather, the gaping wound's weren't there anymore.

_~ It, it used the attack on itself to heal!? ~_ Fuuka gasped. _~ This is really not good! ~_

You're telling me. Two golden drills grew from the Hermits shoulders and two red horns grew from either side of its mask.

"Kenjamin?" I asked. "What did you do earlier?"

"It was a railgun." Kenjamin told me. "I used my electricity like I practiced, and the wind magic in the spear made it spiral, turning it into an electromagnet and shooting the spear faster than the speed of sound."

Nice! "And you thought that up yourself?"

Kenjamin looked embarrassed. "Actually… I kinda got the idea from an anime I saw last year…"

I wanna see that Anime. "Alright then. Get charging another one. Akihiko, get up there and give him more juice. Mitsuru, you're on the front line now."

"You do realise that thing understands our plans now, right?" Shinji asked me as everyone else followed their orders.

"What's it gonna do about it?" I asked. "Railgun's a railgun. Just like a Bigass Drill is a Bigass Drill."

"Fair point." He shrugged, swinging his axe over his shoulder as he looked up at the Hermit, which was staring at us while clutching the ceiling. "You think that thing's coming down any time soon?" He asked.

"I hope so." I told him as Mitsuru arrived. "I wanna know more about that whole Father of Death thing."

"Probably just means that you're gonna have one skinny baby." Shinji joked.

"Regardless." Mitsuru pointed out. "Let's finish this."

"Right." I nodded, putting the Chainsword onto the floor pulling out the scroll of arms and withdrawing a large Sniper Rifle from a middle page.

"Where the hell did you get that!?" Shinji asked.

"A Cop sold it to me." I told him. Kurosawa is one crooked cop. "Now hold on while I get this thing pointed up."

**KOOMMM!!**

"It just landed didn't it?" I asked, not bothering to look.

"Yep." Shinji replied, picking up my Chainsword. "Need me to buy you some time?" He asked.

"If you can get it down that hole, that'd be also great." I said, lowering the gun and firing wildly as Shinji charged.

I could hear him say "Who does he think he is?" Before driving the blades into the Hermit's flesh as Mitsuru stabbed forward with her sword and Koromaru sliced with the knife in his jaw.

Wait, didn't he bite earlier? Where did that knife come from?

He's obviously a smart dog. I pulled a couple of short swords from the scroll and got stuck into the melee.

_/\_ "GIGA…!!!" _/\_

"RUN FOR IT!" Shinji shouted as we did so.

_/\_ "DRILL…!!!" _/\_

Yay.

_/\_ **"MAXIMUS!!!"** _/\_

Wait, what?

_~ Look out! ~_ Fuuka shouted. _~ Drills everywhere! ~_

I turned around and blocked a drill aimed for my face, dodging the other ones as they formed a spinning steel web with in the shopping centre, the Hermit in the centre. Everyone was unharmed, but trapped as the drills stopped spinning.

Then the Hermit started glowing again. _~ It's going to use that thunder attack again! ~_ Fuuka screamed. _~ LOOK OUT!! ~_

I did, and saw a beautiful white spike skewer through the steel web and through the Hermit's chest, removing most of it.

The drills evaporated into a black mist as the Hermit collapsed onto the ground, screeching in pain. I guess it was just a Shadow like the rest of them after all…

I ran towards it and it looked at me. _/\_ "Please don't do this!!" _/\_ It screamed in a woman's voice as I stood in a puddle of it's Ichor. _/\_ "_You_ Know not what _You_ do!" _/\_

I reached down and grabbed it by the mask with both hands. "And now you will steal words from my God's mouth?" I asked it. "You dare take the words of the Messiah and use them to beg for mercy?"

_/\_ "If you Have NO! **Mercy!** Then you-" _/\_

"MERCY, n." I quoted, as if from a dictionary as I cut off the Hermit mid sentence. "An attribute beloved of those with no right to ask for it."I glared into the hollow behind its mask. "Anything else?"

_/\_ "Don't do this!!" _/\_ Hermit screamed.

"No."

I tore off the mask and smashed it on my kneecap.

_~ Great job guys! ~_ Fuuka shouted as the huge hole filled up mysteriously. _~ Oh, and also... Aigis think's She's found Junpei. He's back at the dorm, but something seems strange... The Chairman's there too, so he should be okay. But, let's hurry back just in case! ~ _And...how, pray tell, is the Chairman gonna keep anyone 'safe'?

I nodded. "Last one there doesn't get to kick his teeth in!"

* * *

Turns out that there was a good reason why Junpei didn't come to the mission. I took the roofs home for the funnies and saw some red haired goth girl holding an axe to a tied up Junpei on some roof somewhere. Either he's into some kinky stuff or he's about to die.

Punch first, ask questions later. I jumped over and smashed her head in as Yukari and Aigis burst through the door, weapons pointing at the goth.

"Chidori!" Junpei shouted. So, that's her name.

She clutched her head and forced herself from the ground, then grabbed an evoker and where the hell did she get that from? I blame Ikutsuki.

Junpei jumped into her arm to knock it away and pin her down. Not bad for someone covered in chains.

"The others will be here soon." I said, grabbing 'Chidori' and forcing her against a wall. "I'll take you into custody for now." Man, I always wanted to say that.

"MEDEA!" Shouted the girl, reaching desperately for her Evoker. "MEDEA! GIVE HER BACK!"

Man Junpei, you sure know how to pick 'em.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

Indeed he does.

The railgun idea was from To Aru Majutsu No Index, and the spinoff call To Aru Kaguku No Railgun, which came out in october, thus hasn't been shown yet in Personaverse.

Next full moon boss in about ten chapters or so, maybe more, maybe less. I want to get Minato in a boxing match with Akihiko and an Shinji during this time, before he dies.


	59. Chapter 59

Alright, reviews.

-, I'm pretty sure Ken had a resistance to electricity. If he doesn't, I'm going to pretend that he does.

Fireblast, that was the plan. It's getting to the point where even the Shadow's are afraid of him. I found a fantastic quote that I wanted to use, but I couldn't make it work, so I'll use it later. And I put in plenty of TTGL references! Any more would have been silly.

Grayjack, not really. Hermit in the game didn't move around much and just took a beating while it charged up its electrical attack. This one was amped up with drills, healing and super speed, and jumped out of the way while it charged its attack. The only boost Chidori gets is fire powers.

Viktor Mayrin, most likely, but the Index anime will have been out for longer.

General Generic, I prefer the anime over the manga with the exception being that one scene you mentioned. There is not enough Touma in Railgun as it is without them taking out his scenes and replacing them with average fight scenes. And if you remember, this is only the third Arcana Shadow that has communicated with Minato. But this was my favourite method so far.

Also, announcement. P3P is insane. For example, if you max out the Moon Arcana as a girl, Shinji (Now to Moon Arcana), lives because the bullet hits the pocket watch you gave him. He's hospitalised for the rest of the game though, because love steals your badass. Don't get you your hopes up though; that 'aint happening in my story.

Also, Ryoji is datable, Bunkichi ends up in Tartarus, Koromaru is a social link, and Mitsuru fights with a giant drill. WHAT THE HELL ATLUS!?

Also, Kenji has a pretty hot childhood friend called Rio Iwasaki, who is the Female Protagonist's new Chariot Social Link. She will turn up in this story and yes, Minato shall make a Duran Duran reference when he meets her, and there will be hilarity.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

Chidori was taken to a Kirijo-run hospital, and Mitsuru and Akihiko spent the night with her interrogating her. Junpei visited her in the morning, but everyone else was too exhausted to get out of bed.

Except for Koromaru. He offered me a red pen as I went to the front door the next day, and I remembered that Striped Shirt guy from before was asking about a red eyed demon taking it.

"So it was you…" I said to Koromaru as I rubbed his head, taking the pen. "I'm gonna go give this back now, okay?" I have some time before work.

* * *

The guys name was Akinari Kamiki, but after I gave him his pen back, we got onto first name terms pretty quickly.

"...I remember you." He told me as I sat down next to him on the bench in the shrine. "You're the guy who was playing with that elementary school girl."

"Maiko." I told him.

He nodded. "She was very...bright. Her face shone with the warm light of new life." He sighed. "...And then there's me, cooped up in here, struggling to breathe. Compared to her light, I'm but a vanishing shadow." He chuckled bitterly. "Misery is a harsh mistress. I feel as though I'm lying in an unyielding darkness." He looked at me. "...Can you understand how I feel?"

At first I was about to nod, but my ears stopped my neck in time. This is serious. "No." I said. "I couldn't even begin to imagine that."

"I didn't think so." Akinari shook his head. I knew how it felt to face death, but there had always been a way out.

"Any day now... I'm going to die." Akinari told me. "I have a genetic disease without any known cure. Unless you're in my situation, you can't understand what it's like." He smiled then. "But I prefer it that way."

Ya what? "Really?" I asked him.

He nodded. "I wouldn't wish this on anyone." He said. "There isn't anything you can do to slow this down or make things better."

I sighed. "You're a better man than I am."

"Sorry about that." Akinari didn't chuckle. "I didn't mean to depress you or anything. I haven't spoken to someone my own age in a long time." He looked at his feet soberly. "It's natural for those in darkness to yearn for the world of light. I'm glad we could meet, though." He added, turning towards me with a smile. "If there's a god, I'll be able to thank him soon enough..."

**SMASH!**

_Thou art I… And I am thou…_

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Sun Arcana..._

"I would rather you not come here ever again." Akinari said, looking down at his feet, lying his arse off. "You only live once, right? So why waste your life among the dying?"

"A good conversation is never wasted." I said, getting to my feet before turning around to shake his hand. "I hope we can talk like this again sometime soon."

He seemed genuinely surprised, but smiled as he shook my hand.

Though the smile reached his eyes, I could tell that he didn't expect me to come back.

I'm gonna ask for the day off next week.

* * *

I didn't get it. Should've known better really.

Naoya tapped me on the shoulder as I left the office that day though. "Yo, Mochizuki." He said as I turned to face him. "What gives?" He asked. "Full moon last night and nothing blew up? You're losing your touch."

Dammit, did I really have that bad a reputation amongst the Persona users? "Hermit undid the damage as it died, not my fault."

That surprised him. "Hermit?" He asked. "Thought you were fighting the twelve Arcana in order, Magician through to Hanged?"

I nodded. "So? Sometimes two turn up at once."

He sighed. "Man, you guys are hardcore. And none of you have met Philemon?"

I shook my head. "None, why?"

Naoya shrugged. "Just thinking, if it had nothing to do with Philemon, then how the hell did you all awaken to your Persona?" He asked. "All things considered, you guys might actually be Naturals."

"Naturals?" I asked. "You mean people who awakened to their Persona on their own?"

Naoya nodded again. "Yeah. Shouldn't be possible, of course, but you have a better idea of how you guys can do it?" He asked.

"I'm Zero." I shrugged. "Empty yet full of possibilities. Just special I guess."

He laughed at that. "Whatever, I'm talking about the others in your team."

"Dunno." I shrugged. "I'll ask them."

**CRACK**

"AH." I said aloud.

**CRACKCRACKCRACK**

"What?" He asked.

**CRACKCRACK**

"Hollow Arcana." I told him.

**SMASH!**

_THOU SHALT CREATE THE TRUTH THOU SEEKETH_

"Does creating the truth defeat the object of seeking for it?" I asked Naoya once the wind died down.

"Probably." He shrugged. "Dunno though."

Sigh. "Well, see you later then."

* * *

"Minato Arisoto?"

I turned around to see a young man with brown hair in a green jumper waiting for me on the corner outside. "My name is Kazuya Futsuo." He told me. "And you will come with me."

That sounded like an order. "Where are we going?" I asked him as I approached. There was a nice dark alley behind him.

He got up from the corner. "That doesn't concern-GUK!"

He stopped talking because I grabbed his throat and shoved him down the alley by a good ten feet. "_Who Are You!?_" I hissed as he struggled. "WHY are you after me!?"

His eyes glowed gold and he spoke. "**Kerberos**"

I got forced back by a white lion that jumped from a portal in the wall, forcing me to the ground. "**RRR…**" It growled as it whipped its scaled tail angrily.

I knew it. "You're the first World I've ever seen." I stated angrily. "Answer the question"

"You're rather confident for someone with the guardian of the underworld about to tear out your throat." Kazuya noted. "Don't bother summoning your demon;" He warned as I reached for my Evoker. "It cannot face this."

Demon? "Don't you mean Persona?" I asked him.

"Hee means me, ho."

"Long time no see, Black Frost." I pointed out as the demon walked onto the scene.

His purple hat had been replaced with a dark golden crown and he wore a silver cloak. "It's Lord Frost now." Black Frost boasted. "But you can call me Blackjack, Humie."

"**Good.**" Kerberos spoke. "**We can eliminate the both of you with one fell swoop.**"

Wait, what?

"I'm not sure you could do that, Hee ho." Blackjack replied. "See, that Billy-No-Mates from last night had some interesting things to say about this one." He grinned in a way I didn't like. "So I reckon that he could make a pretty interesting Demon, Heeho."

Wait, what? "What the hell is going on!?" I shouted.

"Because of your actions, the Black Frost has turned the Jack clan into an army." Kazuya explained. "Because of that, we need to sever the contract to negate his power. In other words;" He pointed at me. "You."

I sighed. "Right. Blackjack, from now on, neither you nor your clan may act in violence, or I will revoke the contract of power between us, and release the King Frost, understand?"

"And why should I humie?" Blackjack asked, his eyes narrowing.

I gave him the Glarius Maximus. "_I Asked If You Understand._"

Blackjack recoiled, then sighed theatrically. "Yes sir."

"Good." I turned back to Kerberos. "Does this settle the matter?"

"**Indeed it does.**" The Lion stepped back off my chest, allowing me to get up. "**Well chosen, human.**"

I dusted myself off and grinned. "Blackjack?" I asked.

"What!?" He snapped.

"Notice how I said nothing about _Re_acting in violence." I taunted with a smile. "Wanna do something Bang Out Of Order?"

I looked at everyone's faces. Shock on Kazuya, incomprehension on Kerberos, and absolute unprecedented glee on Blackjack.

"YES!!" He shouted, doing a backflip out of sheer joy. "Let's Gattai!"

It was only then that I realised that we'd been speaking English the entire time. "Go for it." I shrugged, reaching for my Evoker.

My hand never made it; I was both frozen and torched from the inside as the Lord of Winter and Flame entered into my body. As his powers surged through my bones, I suddenly found the words to say.

"**I Am Fire And Ice And Rage.**" I said in a dual voice as I felt the fangs in my mouth grow and my hair turn white. "**I Am The Oncoming Storm.**" Damn, I am Badass._ "_**The Destroyer Of Worlds, The Father Of Death, The Blackest Night.**" Wow, I'm really coming across as evil here. "**The Brightest Dawn, The Brother Of Life, The Mender Of Hearts.**" That's better.

"**I AM LORD JACK ALL.**" I said calmly, my voice filled with enough power as it was.

Wait, Lord Jack All?

That's seriously the best you can come up with?

'_I like it, Hee Ho!'_

"You do realise that your ultimate name is a synonym for the king of complete and utter crap?" Pharos asked.

That's exactly my point! "Could be worse." Pharos said. "It could be Lord Jack Off." DAMMIT PHAROS!!

Worst. Badass. Name. Ever.

Yet it seemed to intimidate those two. Are we speaking English?

"Demonic actually." Pharos explained. "Kinda got a Gift of Tongues thing, but your name came out as Zenbu Jakkai"

Nice. "**ZENBU JAKKAI**" I repeated, for effect. Wow, that sounds much more intimidating.

I raised my black arm and held it out before me, focusing my power as white markings spread across my skin.

"The seal of the Demi-Fiend!?" Kazuya gasped in disbelief. "This is…"

"**We should take this battle to the Demon plane.**" Kerberos suggested. "**Prudence must be taken on this side.**"

"**Go For It.**" I mocked. "**I Shall Destroy You Either Way.**"

If I didn't know better, I'd say that Blackjack was making me more arrogant than usual.

"Oh, he is." Pharos pointed out. "Slightly."

Whatever. Think I can do this?

"On that side?" Pharos asked as Kerberos opened up a wormhole. "Could go either way. Just remember that your power over there is directly proportional to your own personal belief in your strength."

I grinned. It had nothing to do with my transformation.

* * *

"While we are here, you shall refer to me by my demonic name, Zenbu Jakkai." Kazuya told me as we arrived in a desert. "My name is Adam." He said, summoning white ceramic armour on his torso and left arm, with a headphone above his right eye. "And I shall fight alongside my demonic partner, Kerberos." He said, drawing a katana from his back.

I grinned. "**Fine.**" I said. "**Since I'm Only Fighting On Borrowed Power, I'll Have To Choose A Demonic Name For Myself Later. At This Time, I Am Hito Zenbu Jakkai.**" I raised an arm into the sky and thunder clouds started to gather. "**And I'm The Baddest Demon On This Miserable Plane!**"

"**You shouldn't speak such blasphemy.**" Kerberos warned. "**If you continue to do so, I shall-**" He was cut off by a bolt of lightning creating a crater in the ground at his feet. "**What!?**"

I bared my fangs with joy. "**With Heat Rising And Cold Descending, A Storm Of Thunder Is Created. By Controlling The Heat Currents, I Choose Where The Lightning Strikes.**" I raised my head and laughed. "**And By The Power Of Darkness, This Lightning Shall DESTROY!!**"

As I shouted that last word, blue lightning roared and pierced the sands. The rising debris got caught by the currents, creating dozens of sand tornadoes, and all of it submitting to my power. "**KNOW YOUR PLACE!**" I roared, as the increasing heat turned the sand tornadoes into glass. "**Fire And Ice And Rage And The Oncoming Storm Stand Together Before You.**" I frowned. "**Before You Fight, Understand How Much Of This Power Is My Own.**"

_You know_

Kazuya, or Adam, drew a pistol and aimed it at me as Kerberos roared.

_Every world will have its end_

Fire rained from the sky as Adam fired his gun repeatedly.

_I'm here_

I grinned and blocked the bullets with my bare hand.

_To prove it all to you_

The fire landed harmlessly around me.

_I am_

Kerberos charged and Adam drew his sword.

_Who you don't think I am_

I dodged the lion and plunged my palm into the human's face.

_All wrapped up_

"**IGNUS**" I cast, and a spear of flame came from my hand,

_In my evil plan_

And launched Adam into the sky, face melting

_I can taste the day_

I ducked below Kerberos's leap from behind me

_Savour Night_

And got thrown back with his serpentine tail

_Spells beyond you_

I caught myself and landed in time to catch the lion's shoulders.

_As I watch you crawl_

I grinned again as I cast "**ARTICUS**" and ice spikes pierced holy flesh

_Do you dare to fight?_

"**RROOAARR!!!!**" Kerberos screamed as I twisted the spikes

_Evil's might?_

I headbutted the white beast, but was knocked back by its force

_I'll be the last one standing_

"**Screw this…**" I muttered

_In A_

I raised both hands into the sky

"**FREEZANOVA!!**"

_Flash Of_

Fire and Ice exploded the world

_LIIIGHT!!!_

* * *

When the light cleared, I was back to normal, and an exhausted Black Frost lay on the sand beside me, gasping for air. "Hee… ho…" It panted. "You sure work a demon hard, don'tcha?"

I was barely standing straight myself, but I staggered over to floor bound Kerberos and Adam. Both were bleeding and burnt badly, with signs of frostbite on their extremities. Adam tried to force himself up, but Kerberos stopped him. "**Don't bother.**" The Lion gasped. "**We have been defeated.**"

Adam looked at Kerberos angrily, then collapsed on the ground. "Damn it all…" He whispered.

"Tell me." I asked them. "Just how much of that power was my own?"

"Half." Adam panted.

"**None of it.**" Kerberos answered.

I shook my head. "I am zero. Empty, but full of possibilities." I clenched a fist. "Do you know why a cup is useful?" I asked. "Because it is empty. It can carry anything and everything and make it itself. All of that… was me."

Adam laughed. "Screw the philosophical crap." He pushed himself onto his knees. "And give me a mathematical answer."

Fair enough. "All of it." I said. "Lord Frost was merely a medium."

"**Lies.**" Kerberos forced itself to its feet. "**No human has that much power.**"

"On a plane where inner strength is made manifest?" I asked, raising my hand into the air as sand gathered in a spiral above it. "You assume that there is a limit on the power of the Wild Card _Here_? Of all places?" I asked again as I was shadowed by the titanic drill in my hand. "Don't be absurd." I said as I slammed the drill in the sand between them.

"My power is that of the gods because my heart is empty." The drill roared as I spun it, sending sand flying. "The one thing I have absolute confidence in is I."

I glared at the two of them as they lay defeated at my feet. "I will never start a fight." I said calmly as the drill collapsed into sand, my hand returning to my side. "Nor will I ever back down. I will never stop chasing my prey should you harm those under my protection."

A dark light burst through the sand to my right. "And the Jack Clan is Mine." I stated as the black light came across, creating a narrow but deep gorge between me and Adam. "This is the line in the sand." I said. "To cross this line is to cross me. And to cross me is to end."

Only then did I raise my voice. "**DO WE HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING!?**"

**CRACK**

Wait, what?

**SMASH!**

Hollow Arcana here?

_Thou art I… And I am thou…_

Huh?

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou drinketh the elixir of the Cup Arcana_

Huh, I forgot about those. Only wand left to go now.

Noticing Adam's nod and Kerberos's slight bow, I drew my Evoker and, ignoring Adam's flinch; I put it to my head and switched Persona. "DOMINION!" I shouted, pulling the trigger.

BANG! The angel appeared above my head and cast Mediarama on everyone before vanishing. "I'm a Persona user." I explained. "The strongest of all Persona Users." I put away the Evoker. "And for now I must depart." I said jokingly. "So if you could open up the dread portal for me, you'd be a big help."

I flashed the tiniest hint of killing intent, just to remind them of our agreement. It seemed to work, because the black gateway appeared. "Later Blackjack." I waved as I left.

"Screw… Hee… You… Ho…"

* * *

As soon as I reappeared in the alley, I walked to the nearest fast food place I could find. KFC. Didn't know they had those in Japan, but okay. I ordered two family mega-buckets and ate them right there in the restaurant.

"Man, you're hungry." Pharos commented, picking up a piece of chicken and biting into it.

"Just fought the… guardian of the… underworld… and his… human…" I swallowed what I was chewing. "I got a right to be hungry." I bit into the meat again.

Pharos giggled and took another bite from his chicken leg.

There's a good question. "Are you actually eating that chicken, or am I just seeing you eat it?"

"I'm not sure myself." Pharos commented. "Probably best not to ask."

"Good idea." I opened one of the two bottles of Fanta and chugged it down. "So, how'd I do?" I asked him as I put the 1.5 litre bottle back on the table. "How bad did I screw up this time?"

"Actually, you did okay." Pharos replied, taking a swig of my Fanta. "The Demonata generally like that kind of Grandstanding, so they'll probably leave you alone until you become something worth grandstanding against."

"I agree." Said an older version of Pharos, only with smooth, spiky hair and black eyes. "You've got a pretty intelligent imaginary friend there."

I resigned myself to insanity long ago, so I just opened the other bucket and offered it to him. "Help yourself." I said through a mouthful of fries.

"Cheers." He said, taking a meaty wing. "I'm real you know."

"Uh-huh." I said, picking up a box of popcorn chicken. "Sure."

"No, seriously." He opened the second bottle of Fanta and poured himself a cup. "We played together about a month ago."

Oh, now I recognise him. "Kashima?" I asked him. Devil Arcana… "Wait, you can see Pharos?"

He nodded. "I can see a lot of things." He wore a black leather jacket with a white-then-blue-then-white-again diagonal stripe across his torso. "I have a demonic name."

Ya-what? "You have a what?"

He smiled as a thick black-green line rose up his right cheek and through his eye, which turned yellow. "Hito-Shura." He told me, before making the eyes disappear. "The Demi-Fiend."

I gasped and pointed at him. "You're Naoki Kashima!" I said. "You're the guy who destroyed the world and rebuilt it years ago!"

"I see you've heard of me then." He said. "Yet you don't look that impressed."

I shook my head. "That's just the brain damage." I told him. "But, dude!" I added, ignoring his reaction to 'brain damage'.

"So, how come you can see me?" Pharos asked. "Do you know what I am?" He asked.

Naoki shook his head. "Nope. I thought you were just some kid until I noticed that the bottle you picked up stayed where it was."

"Oh…" Pharos looked disappointed.

"More to the point, what're we talking about?" He asked.

Pharos filled him in on the fight with Kerberos and Kazuya/Adam while I stuffed my face. I was starving.

He only interrupted when Pharos mentioned the Demi-Fiend seal. "What?" He asked, turning to me. "You have one too?"

I nodded, then activating mine fully. "Can't control it as well as you though." I said, before rejecting it. "For me it's either all or nothing."

He couldn't believe it. "So you managed to control your Magatama too..?"

"Magatama?" I asked. "What's that?"

Naoki explained that a Magatama is a parasitic life form that is the very essence of the demon. He explained that he had one shoved in his eye in the old world, and that turned him into a demon, and it took him centuries to learn to control it. I suppose that the part about me being a Shadow could qualify, but he was adamant about having to be a snake thing.

"Centuries?" I asked. "So, you met Bram Stoker?"

He nodded. "Yeah, how'd you know?"

"He wrote a poem about it." I chugged down another swig of orange. "So just how old are you and how do you get away with it?"

"Probably around nine hundred years of so." He admitted. "As for how I get away with it, I've learnt how to reincarnate myself."

"Don't people get suspicious when their baby has other memories?" I asked him.

He shook his head with a smile. "Not literally. I can change my age between fifteen and thirty, so I just need to fake my death each time and create a new false identity."

"And you get away with it?" I asked.

"I'm friends with the internet."

I laughed, but realised he was serious. "What the hell does that mean?" I asked him.

"That the Internet is a demon and I'm friends with it."

You resigned yourself to insanity you resigned yourself to insanity you resigned yourself to insanity you-

Okay, sanity takes over. "That's insane!" I shouted back at him. "No. Bloody. Way. In. Hell."

"It's true." He replied with a smile. And I can tell he's not lying.

"You just blew his mind." Pharos pointed out as I collapsed further into the chair. "Anyway, then Kerberos opened up a portal and…"

* * *

I recovered in time for Pharos to finish the story with "And then we met you. The end."

Naoki took it all in. "You kinda have screwed up the balance there…" Naoki admitted. "But if you've turned the Frosts into a Neutral Aligned clan, then things should sort itself out."

"I'm too young for politics." I sighed.

"If you're old enough to die, then you're old enough to clean your own mess." Naoki countered, taking the last of my chicken. "I gotta go fake my death again-"

"Wait, what?" I asked. "What the hell!?"

He smiled. "It's cool. I'm reaching twenty-seven so it's about time anyways. What school do you go to?" He asked.

"No." I said. "No, not happening, no way in hell."

"Gekkoukan high school." Pharos told him.

"Dammit Pharos…" I sighed. "Never realised you hated me…"

"You have a problem?" Naoki asked.

"Just want to limit the crazy in my life." I said, propping my head on my palms to stop me from smashing my own head in. "But fine. Sure. Do it. Just be warned, you'll be the third transfer student of the year. Two in two weeks actually."

He nodded. "I'll transfer in the year below you then. You're a… second… year, right?"

I nodded. "Yep. Weighed me like a pig."

He laughed at that one. "Man, I haven't heard that one since fifteen-sixty-three!" He grabbed a corn on the cob and stood up. "Thanks for supper." He said. "See you at school!"

"I hate you." I told Pharos as he left.

"I thought we were friends!" Pharos exclaimed.

I unwrapped another cob and started eating. "Friends don't invite regenerating immortal demons to school."

"Does that make him a Timelord?" Pharos asked. "I mean, sure, he's missing a TARDIS, but-"

I grabbed him by the shoulder and smiled. "Pharos, you just invited a bloody Timelord to school. You are the best friend a boy could ask for."

**SMASH!**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Death Arcana…_

I stood up, raring to go. "Alright!" I shouted. "Now home to bed!" I ran out of there while humming to myself.  
"_Dumdadumdadumdadum Da Da Da Dumdadumdadumdadum Dadum… Woo woo Wooo…"_

"You're a geek." Pharos sighed. "You know that?"

"_Woooo.. wawoooo…."_

* * *

"Hey, you seen Junpei?" Shinji asked me as I skipped through the dorm door. "And you look _way_ too happy."

"I am." I said. "And nope."

"I think he's at the hospital." Fuuka said. "You know, seeing that girl from Strega?"

"Tch." Shinji collapsed on the couch. "Can't believe he's getting into a girl now… He's getting soft, huh?"

"Dude." I replied. "Finding a woman you love does not mean you're getting soft."

"Trust me, girls complicate life." Shinji told me. "Ah, who cares?" He asked. "You do realise that we haven't taken the kid to Tartarus yet."

"Ken-kun?" Fuuka asked, looking up from her laptop.

Shinji nodded. "Yeah, Kenjamin." Woo! It's sticking! "He did pretty well last night, wanna go break him in?" He asked me.

"Mitsuru-senpai and Akihiko-senpai are at the hospital." Fuuka said, closing her laptop. "When neither of them are present, we aren't permitted to go to Tartarus."

"I'm here." Shinji reasoned. "Isn't that enough."

Fuuka shook her head. "Mitsuru-senpai said that you were too much like Minato-kun, and that you need Akihiko to keep you in line."

"Mitsuru said that?" Shinji said with shock. "I'll kill the bitch…"

I shrugged. "Ah well. I'm tired after last night anyways, and I'm still hungry." Half my meal was stolen by a vampire after all. "Fuuka, you feel like a cooking lesson?"

Fuuka was surprised, but nodded. "Okay, thanks." She got up, putting her laptop on the table. "I just finished anyway."

Finished what? "Cooking?" Shinji asked. "You're teaching her how to cook?"

I nodded. "Yeah. Why?"

Shinji got up, shaking his head. "You haven't the faintest idea what you're doing in a kitchen… let me grab my apron."

Fuuka could not believe that Shinji wore an apron to cook. "Neither did I." I answered her expression as Shinji jogged up the stairs, not needing to hear what she was thinking. "White chef coat, maybe. But never an apron."

* * *

He wore the apron over a black T-shirt and got teaching Fuuka how to chop vegetables. I had to admit, he's a much better teacher than I am.

And he looked weird without his Beanie. Not weird-wrong, but weird-not-used-to-it. You know what I mean.

"You're chopping too fast." Shinji warned her. "Slowly, carefully and firmly." He explained. "And if you cut diagonally, you get wider slices."

"Oh!" Fuuka exclaimed. "I see!"

Don't you dare steal my social link man. I will murder you.

* * *

Yukari walked with me to school the next day. "It doesn't seem like Chidori is gonna talk, does it? Junpei is really worried about her..."

I just shrugged. "Why shouldn't he be?"

"I wonder what happened…" She asked back.

"That's Junpei for you." I joked. "Crazy kid doesn't know whether he's coming or going."

Yukari smiled. "Yeah, you're right. But still, I'm a little worried. Junpei seems to really like that girl."

"Personally, I reckon she's the first time he's actually been serious about something." I replied. Just like Kenji was with Emiri…

"What should we do?" She asked.

I don't want Junpei to get hurt like Kenji was, but then again, it's not like Chidori's going anywhere. "Cheer him on." I said. "Worst comes to the worst, she breaks his heart, while best case scenario is that they're happy together."

"I guess so…" Yukari said. "But, what should I say…"

Man, this is starting to feel like a social link. "Do you need to say?" I asked back. "He can do this on his own."

"Fair point." She admitted, hooking her arm into mine and leaning on me as we walked.

"NOOOOO!!!! IT'S! NOT! POSSIBLE!!!"

Haven't heard from that young man running past in a while. I thought he got over it.

* * *

"Hey, Kenji." I sat down on his desk after school. "You wanna go for ramen?" I asked him. "My treat."

I had nothing better to do, since Yukari was at practice and I really wanted to get out of school before I bumped into Naoki.

"Sorry man." He sighed, looking gloomy. "I'm already booked."

Really? But Junpei had run straight to the hospital. "Actually… think you can get me out of it?" He asked hopefully.

"Out of what?" I asked as the door opened.

"You ready to go?" A totally hot girl with a long black ponytail and a cream woollen vest over her shirt asked Kenji.

"Erm… something came up!" Kenji excused. "I- I need to help Minato with something, so-"

"Minato Arisoto." I said, offering my hand to the girl. Chariot. Good thing I've already done that social link, or I might have had to do something that Yukari would've killed me for.

"Rio Iwasaki." She replied, shaking the hand. "Kenji's mentioned you a few times."

_Her name is Rio and she dances on the sands! _"Nothing good I assume." I joked, trying to figure the girl out.

She smiled. "Opposite actually. Thanks for looking after him."

Hm? "So, how do you know each other?" I asked, ignoring Kenji's attempts to grab my attention.

"Oh, we grew up together." She replied. "Poor guy's never been able to look after himself, so I'm practically his older sister."

Oh really… "Hey, we were about to go for ramen, you wanna come?" I asked her.

"Really..?" She gave Kenji a suspicious glare. "Funny, he owed me a bowl."

"I owe him like, five." I replied. "So my treat."

"Trying to pick me up?" Rio asked me suspiciously.

"If I was, my girlfriend would kill me."

Kenji sat up and shouted "WHAT THE HELL!?" He grabbed me by both shoulders and started spraying spit in my face. "DUDE! Since When!? Who!? How!?" Wha- GugH!"

He stopped when I punched him lightly in the gut. "Dude." I said, wiping my face. "Say it, don't spray it." I picked him up and helped him catch his breath. "So, shall we go?" I asked Rio as she stared at me pulling Kenji's arm over my shoulder. He was pretty winded. "I'll carry airbag."

She stood in shock for a second before laughing. "Sure, why not. I'll get seats at Hagakure." With that, she ran ahead of us.

Kenji pushed himself off me. "Dude, what the hell was that!?"

"You were acting crazy." I explained. "I, as your friend, had a moral obligation to intervene."

"Okay, sorry for freaking out about your girlfriend," He shrugged, "But why the hell did you bring her along!?"

"That was the acting crazy I was talking about!" I shook him. "Honestly, if I didn't have Yukari I'd go after her myself!"

He froze. "Dude, you serious?"

"Yeah man." I said. "Rio's a babe and she's totally into you."

He shook his head. "Forget that man! You and Yukari-san!?"

I sighed. "Yes. Since summer. Big whoop." I poked him in the chest. "But this is about _you_. Why the hell would you go after some old woman when you have _that_ just asking for you to sweep her off her feet?"

Kenji sighed. "I told you man, I like older women."

I smacked him round the back of the head. "Dude, use some common sense!" I grabbed him and pointed at the door. "I am not going to let you let this golden opportunity slip through your fingers! To the Ramen Shop!"

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

Phew, that was a long chapter. The longest I have ever done in fact.

So, Sun start, Cup found, return of Black Frost, some awesome fight scene, Minato gets screwed over, I get to legitimately over power him temporarily, set up some foreshadowing, hanging around the dorm, and Minato's gonna continue hanging out with Kenji despite having maxed the social link.

This was one of my favourite chapters to write so far, as well as the longest. As I have said, Rio is the Chariot Social Link that the girl protagonist pursues in P3P. since she's childhood friends with Kenji and he shows up a few times in the social link, then I'm assuming that this is what happens, judging from the fact that they are childhood friends and this is Japan. (See: The World Only God Knows). Since I have no idea what her personality is like, I'm going to make one up for her judging from what I know about her IE very little.

Just so you know, Kazuya is meant to be the guy from Shin Megami Tensei and Naoki is the guy from Shin Megami Tensei III. Naoya was the protagonist of Persona I in case you forgot, and the song was 'With Me' by Alls End OR All Ends. I forget which, but it's the final boss theme for Sonic And The Black Knight.

Next time, Fortune, Priestess, and a very special birthday!


	60. Chapter 60

Ladies and Gentlemen… presenting the 60th chapter of Persona 3: Fairly English Story! AND! The 200,000 word count!

Yes, I spend far too much time in front of a keyboard. Don't complain, you enjoy it.

Now, guy with no name, I haven't played any of the SMT games other than Persona 3 and FES. I have just as little idea of what's going on as you. Then again, I'm writing it, so I guess I have some idea of what's going on.

Slackerman, be patient. Bear in mind of what happened to him, so of course it'll take a while for him to show.

Derek Barona, Louis will be showing up at some point. Thanks for reminding me.

Nightmare Syndrom, you're close but you're way off. It's going to go in a different direction than it was, but, well, you'll see.

In fact, just for you guys, this is gonna be a pretty Fuuka orientated chapter.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

I didn't make much progress with Kenji yesterday, so I'm hanging out in the music clubroom now.

Keisuke was right. There weren't many good members here. Fuuka's alright with her viola, and Keisuke's a monster with his violin, but I can almost sense a… dissatisfaction from him when he plays. I mean, he enjoys playing, that's for sure, but it's like he isn't enjoying _what_ he's playing.

"Everyone, can I have your attention please!" The club advisor shouted as he ran into the club room half way though practice. "Now, regarding the Bay Area Music Contest... I'm pleased to announce that Keisuke's composing was selected for consideration in the final round!"

Wait, there was a music contest and I wasn't invited? "Aww… I was hoping they'd pick mine…" Souchiro sighed. "But, your song WAS really good, Keisuke-senpai, so I think you'll win."

"Th-Thanks, but it wasn't me, it was the Instrument I was using..." Keisuke insisted. "I was probably just the only contestant who used his dad's Stradivarius, that's all…"

Stradivarius? "You do realise that they sound crap if not used by a decent musician?" I asked him, patting him on the back. "Good job!"

"T-thanks Minato-kun!" He shouted. "But, I've only been playing for about two years now, so I must've just gotten lucky..."

Two years? "You should have confidence in yourself, Keisuke-senpai." Fuuka insisted. "You've been working hard on your music."

"That's right." Ando nodded. "You're always the first one here and the last one to leave"

"Thanks, guys." Keisuke laughed. "But I'm your senpai. I should be encouraging you, not the other way around."

"Do you have a copy of the sheet music?" I asked the club advisor. He nodded and handed me a couple of A4 sheets. "Thanks." I told him as I started humming the music as I read.

For a violin piece, it's got a pretty heavy feel to it. Kinda like a rock song.

Oooh… our Keisuke here's a closet rocker. That explains a fair amount.

"Ah, sorry, Minato-kun..." Keisuke said as he noticed me reading the score. "I'm not making much of an impression, as the club leader, am I..."

"This is good." I told him. "You're a good composer."

He looked taken aback. "R-really?"

I nodded. "Though I really think that the violin movements in your piece would sound better with a rock band behind it."

Keisuke laughed nervously. "Y-yeah, good one." He suppressed a sigh. "Like that would ever work…"

"Bet you five hundred yen it would." I told him. "You need to try these things out."

**SMASH!**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Fortune Arcana..._

"W-well, sure, why not." Keisuke laughed nervously, looking for a way out. "Hey, look at the time! Let's call it a day here guys."

* * *

I hung behind with Keisuke and helped him lock up once everyone had left. "How should I explain this..." He asked himself as we walked to the front door.

SLUMP!

Keisuke and I turned around to see some kid collapsed on the tiles. Keisuke immediately rushed forward and looked the guy over, making sure he was conscious.

"Just take it easy..." He said calmly. "You're pale, your blood pressure's low, and you're having difficulty breathing..." He mumbled to himself, before asking clearly "Now, tell me... Have you been feeling weak and tired lately? When's the last time you ate something?"

"Um... Well, I didn't eat breakfast this morning…" The guy said weakly, "So…"

I walked over to see if there was anything I could do.

"Well, it looks like you're suffering from iron-deficiency anaemia." Keisuke said, helping the guy up. "Simply put, you're not getting enough iron. I recommend you add iron-rich foods such as liver, whole grains, and green leafy vegetables to your diet."

I slipped my shoulder under the guys arm to help Keisuke carry him. "He gonna be alright?" I asked.

"You should still get checked out by a professional..." Keisuke told the guy. "I'm not a real doctor, after all..." Keisuke looked at me. "Fuuka's waiting outside for you, you know."

Really? I craned my neck and there she was, oblivious to what was going on in here. "Why don't you guys head home?" Keisuke suggested. "I'll take him to the Nurse's Office."

I nodded, getting out of the guy's arms and saying goodbye.

Fuuka time.

* * *

"Sorry for making you wait." I told her as I came through the door. "Wait, were you waiting for me?"

Fuuka smiled and nodded. "I was hoping you could come with me to help find some cookbooks?" She asked.

"Sure." I told her. "I know just the place." _And_ I get a max social link discount.

* * *

Turns out I get more than that. Bunkichi slipped a word into my ear that I'm allowed to borrow any book I want so long as I bring it back. "The least I can do." Bunkichi smiled as Mitsuko helped Fuuka look through the cookbooks.

I'm actually not good with recipes. I just know the basic way to cook something and then I do, throwing in whatever's available. I can't make the same dish twice, but I like to be creative when I cook.

"Not someone you want to teach you how to cook then." Pharos said.

Not at all. Yet, everything I make tastes great. It's the eigth wonder of the world.

* * *

Fuuka was able to find a decent one and we left Bookworms as she carried it. "Um… I hope you don't mind…" Fuuka said, "But…"

"Shinjiro is a better teacher than I am." I nodded. "And you're absolutely in the right for asking him to teach you how to cook over me."

Fuuka smiled and nodded. "Thank you Minato." She said happily. "I was worried that you might be upset."

"Why would I be?" I asked. "I'm just happy I could help you to get a decent cookbook."

"Well…" She clutched the book to her chest tightly. She's remembering something she'd rather not forget. "I was… actually scared of going into a bookshop on my own."

Hm? "Not like bookshops?" I asked her.

"Oh no!" She shook her head. "I quite like them actually, it's just…" She sighed. "Something happened in a bookstore that I want to forget..."

"What happened?" I asked. Concern prevails over privacy.

"It was last April..." Fuuka said as we set off back to the dorm. "Someone took a picture of me... _stealing_."

What? "Well, I'm short..." Fuuka forced a laugh. "And when I was reaching for the top shelf, I accidentally knocked some books down... Somehow, they landed in my bag." Not even forced laughter here. "But when I went to take them out and put them back on the shelf... Some girl from our school took a picture of me with her cell phone and accused me of stealing." That sucks. "She threatened to show my parents the picture."

"You probably think that sounds ridiculous..." Fuuka smiled bitterly. "You probably think I should've defended myself ...Well, you're right. But I... I couldn't say anything." We stopped at the crossing and waited for the lights. "All these negative thoughts were running through my head. I thought that no matter what I said, it wouldn't do any good."

She cheered up. "But, I feel like if I'm with you, Minato-kun, then I can change... I feel like if you're around, I won't think so negatively... That must sound so selfish... But..."

"You coming onto me?" I asked suspiciously as the lights changed and we got walking again.

"Oh, no!" Fuuka laughed. "No, not at all. It's just… how I feel."

"I tend to have that effect on people." I nodded.

"You do." Fuuka agreed. "I've seen others look at you that way too."

"Really?" I asked.

Fuuka nodded. "Yuko-san, Keisuke-senpai, and Yukari too." She smiled. "I've come to really depend on you too, Minato... And I just wanted to say that I appreciate you..."

**SMASH!**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Priestess Arcana..._

"Sorry, I'm not making any sense…" Fuuka laughed.

"No, it makes perfect sense." I replied, shaking my head as I walked up the steps to the dorm. "After you." I said, opening the door for her.

"Thank you." She said happily, walking through.

Now to burn some CD's for Keisuke.

* * *

Next morning I found Junpei completely out of it in the upstairs vending machine lounge place. What do you call those places? Who cares? "Dude, you awake?" I told him, nudging him with my bag.

"Huh?" He asked, surprised. "Oh, hey. What're you doing up so late?" He asked.

Late? "Dude, it's time for school."

He laughed. "Yeah, very funny man."

"No, seriously." I told him. "Home room starts in half an hour."

That woke him up. "S-seriously!?" He looked at his watch. "Crap! Have I been sitting here all night!?"

"Looks like it." I replied. "You okay?"

"I dunno…" He sighed, getting up to his feet shakily. "But, you know, I can't just leave her alone... Don't ask me why..."

"Alright, but you gotta take better care of yourself." I told him. "Take the day off school and get some sleep, alright?"

He shook his head. "Nah, I'll be-"

I punched him in the jaw, knocking him out. "Sorry man." I said, sliding him into the recover position on the floor. "You'll thank me later."

"He'd probably thank you more if you took his room key and put him to bed." Pharos suggested. Good idea. I'll do just that.

* * *

"Hey, Keisuke!" I called out to my senpai during lunch.

Everybody had already gotten used to my total disregard of honorifics, and now they all let me get away with it. "Oh, Minato-kun." They still use them on me though. "Erm… there's no music club today…"

"I know." I told him, rooting through my bag. "There!" I handed him some CD's. "I'm lending you my Yellowcard CD's."

"Yellowcard?" He asked as he took them. "You, mean like in soccer?"

"Football." I corrected him. "And kinda. They're an American band." I explained, "With a violinist. They're really good." I held out an open palm. "Pay up."

"Huh?" He asked. "Wait, you're selling me these?"

"No, we had a bet." I put my hand back in my pocket. "Listen to them, admit I was right about violins and rock, then cough up my winnings." I walked back towards my classroom. "Later."

Hey, you know what I just realised?

"You made a lunch for Junpei as usual but he's not here to eat it?" Pharos asked. Bang on.

"'Sup dude?" Junpei asked when I came back to the classroom. "I think I owe you a beating."

Crap. "It was for your own good." I said, slamming my bag down on my desk before forking out his lunch. "I told Toriumi that you had the flu."

"I never asked you too." He said, biting into his Cornish pasty angrily. "My jaw hurts man."

"I decked you." I replied, biting into my own pasty. You know, after all their experience in Tartarus and the Dark Hour, I'm not so suprised that that didn't keep him out too long.

The door opened and Fuuka popped her head through. "Um, Minato-kun?" Oh, using the honorific in public? "Um, can we talk for a minute?"

I stood up. "Sure, how can I help?"

"Um, can we talk on the roof?" She asked.

"Sure." The stairs are right there.

* * *

"I've been thinking a lot recently..." Fuuka told me once we were up there. "Whenever I begin to waver about something, I immediately start thinking negatively... I often wonder what your thought process is when you have to make an important decision..."

"You're not the only one." Pharos commented to Fuuka. "But you really don't want to know." Shut up Pharos.

"I've been thinking about this for a long time..." Fuuka continued, oblivious to Pharos's insight. "No one knows what the future holds... No matter how prepared you are, you can't predict what will happen." Fair point. "So, the only thing you can do is 'believe'." She said. "You have to think positively, as if the future is smiling upon you."

She smiled at me. "...I don't think I'm quite there yet, though... Sorry..." She laughed nervously. "You seem to know all that already... So, Minato... Why are you always so positive?"

Good question. "I never really thought about it." I told her. "But I suppose that's just who I am."

Fuuka nodded. "I see… So, it just comes naturally to you. It must depend on how strong a person is." Fuuka blushed slightly. "And you're really strong, Minato…"

"I…" Fuuka looked away. "I'm… I'm attracted to that quality in a guy..."

Craaaap.

**SMASH!**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Priestess Arcana..._

So, what is my thought process in making an important decision?

Steer.

"LOOK OUT CAPTAIN!" Pharos shouted. "ICEBERG AHEAD!!"

Yet, if the Titanic just ploughed straight into it, it wouldn't have sunk.

"…Sorry…" I told her. Steering my way around the problem almost destroyed me last time. "I… don't felt that way…"

"I know." Fuuka smiled. "I just wanted to get it off my chest."

Fuuka…

She wiped a tear from her face. "The reason why I was so confused before was... I thought that after I paid everyone back for their kindness... I wouldn't have anything to talk with you about..." She shook her head. "But, now I know that that doesn't matter... I wanted to be with you…"

I sat down. "I tend to have that effect on people." I replied quietly. "But, we've always been friends…"

"Yes, that's true…" Fuuka said happily as the bell rang. "Well, I've got to get back to class now."

She walked to the door to class. "I'll see you later."

I didn't follow her.

…

So, did I just dump her then?

"You turned her down." Pharos told me. "And you didn't reverse the social link. Good job!" He said, giving me a big thumb up. "You didn't fail!"

Cool. "I best get to class then."

* * *

After school, I hung out with Bebe in the sewing room. It wasn't a club day, but I just felt like helping the guy with his Kimono.

"Sewing eez my life..." He told me in English as I helped him sew. "Even zough my wallet eez light and I can only buy cheap material... I will work 'ard to make ze best kimono, and save my future!"

"Choisissez-y une langue et un sejour." I told him. Pick a language and stay in it.

"Gomenasai…" He apologised. Right, Japanese. "Hmm... So far, so good, ne? Right?"

I slammed the desk. "DAMMIT BEBE!!"

"Gomen, Merci!" Bebe laughed. "It eez just so much fun to torment you!"

Sigh. "Alright then. Let's just focus on the Kimono and speak English, since you're better at sewing than I am."

"Okay." He nodded. "When my uncle sees zis, I know he'll agree wiz me about how great Nihon eez!"

"He'll agree for sure." I replied, focusing on our work.

"I truly believe zat, so I will work even 'arder!" Bebe declared. He was excited.

"Concentrate…" I warned him.

"Gomen."

Oh, I am _so_ gonna punch his lights out.

"Sorry! I just couldn't rezist!"

Sigh.

* * *

"I accomplished a lot today wiz your 'elp, Minato-sama!" Bebe told me afterwards as we were locking the sewing room up. "Arigatou! Zank you!"

"I warned you about that…" I said, shaking my fist.

"But we are not sewing anymore." He said happily.

"Vous m'aves recu la…" I sighed.

**SMASH!**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Temperance Arcana..._

"Oooh... My arm eez very tired." Bebe sighed, rubbing his right shoulder. "It must be from working so 'ard... But, I will finish zis kimono no matter what!" He declared, determined. "Yosh! I can't give up now!"

Which reminds me, Aigis's birth- start up- anniversary of the first time she was switched on tomorrow. "Want to go to the sweet shop?" I asked him. "My treat." She can't eat anything, but I could easily get a stuffed animal for her or something.

"Arigatou!" He replied happily.

* * *

"Hey." Shinji said once I got home. "How long have we been holding that Chidori girl...?"

"About four days I reckon." I sighed. "Why?"

"No reason." He sighed. "I'm just bored…"

"You could train." I suggested.

"Tch." He looked up. "No one's power is more powerful than mine."

"What about Healing and support?" I asked him.

"Tch... I don't do that crap..." He pointed at me. "So don't look at me if you need help."

Shame. "I was gonna ask for your help with tomorrow's party, but…"

He immediately sat up. "Whoa, what party?"

"Aigis's birthday or whatever." I told him. "Since she's a robot, it's gonna take more than just a cake."

"You're telling me…" He sighed, looking around. "Damn, where is everyone?"

"Mitsuru-senpai and Akihiko-senpai are at the hospital with Junpei-san and Fuuka-san." Kenjamin said. "And I'm not sure where Yukari-san and Aigis-san are…"

My phone buzzed. "Speak of the devil." I said, opening up Yukari's Email.

_Tkn Aigis out 4 2nite._ It read. _Ken said u wanted 2 prepare 4 prty._

I can't believe I've been here since April and it's taken me this long to realise that Japanese phones don't have a text messaging option and actually send Emails instead. _Cool. Thanks_ I sent back.

"Alright." I said. "Yukari's taken Aigis out of the way for tonight, so it's up to us three to prepare an awesome party."

"Woof!" Koromaru barked.

"Us four then." I said. "Let's get to work."

* * *

"Sometimes, common gestures in Japan mean different things in other countries." Ms. Terauchi asked during English the next day. "Let's go over some of those today. With your palm facing down, move your fingers together up and down. In America, you use this gesture to shoo someone away. What does it mean in Japan? Junpei, you should know this."

"Huh...? Me?" Junpei was clearly just resting there. "H-Hey, Minato, what was the question?"

I discreetly shooed him away.

"Oh!" He stood up. "It's used to call someone over!" He said.

"That's right!" She said. "See? It means the exact opposite over there. Here's another one..."

"Thanks man." He whispered. "I forgive you for punching me."

I passed him a note. _Aigis's B-day bash after school. Yukari's keeping her distracted till later. You're helping set up._

Junpei read the note before crumpling it in his fist then shrugging as a tiny amount of smoke rose from his hand.

You selfish bugger.

* * *

Shinji came home half way through the preparations with a black eye, Akihiko looked severely pissed off, Mitsuru looked tired and Junpei was very, very happy.

"I will allow Iori to take care of that girl for the time being." Mitsuru told me as I was preparing the lounge with Fuuka and Kenjamin. "It's not the right time to be bombarding her with questions. Besides, we still have three Shadows to contend with. We should be able to accomplish that within the next few months, unless the situation changes." She sighed. "Don't let your guard down until the very end."

"Hm?" She suddenly noticed that I was tying balloons to the wall while she was talking. "What's the occasion?" She asked.

"Aigis's birthday." I told her before moving onto the next portion of wall to balloon. "We want to make her feel part of the team, right?"

She sighed. "You're absolutely right…" She sighed. "I apologise. How may I help?"

* * *

"Happy Birthday!" We all shouted when Aigis came through the dorm door with Yukari.

"I am a machine." Aigis stated. "I was not born."

"Do we give a crap?" I asked her as I passed her a gift bag. "Just enjoy it."

"Understood." She said, opening the bag to show the scarf I bought her. "Thank you very much Minato-san." She said, putting it on.

"Hey, happy birthday." I'm treading on thin ice here, but who gives a crap. "Yo, Cap'n! The cake ready yet?"

"Shut it." Shinji warned, carrying in the birthday cake with a very high quality black eye. "Enjoy the party." He said, not that enthusiastically.

"Sweet!" Junpei sang as he cut himself a slice.

"Hey, it's Aigis's birthday!" Yukari shouted.

"And I'm cutting her the first piece." Junpei said. "And eating it for her!"

"Hey, can I eat a slice for Aigis too?" Kenjamin asked.

"Her birthday!" Junpei laughed, swinging an arm around Aigis's neck. "Life is good!"

"Everyone's having fun." Fuuka said, standing next to me while I watched everyone.

"Yeah." I said. "Erm, about yesterday…"

"It's fine." She said with a genuine smile. "You know, today I let Yukari try one of my rice balls." Hm, so we're not using honorifics for each other anymore? "She liked it so much she began to eat the rest of them... So I told her that I made them to thank everyone for all they've done for me. Then, she stopped eating and asked me why I needed to thank everyone for."

Fuuka laughed slightly. "She seemed confused, so I told her the whole story. When I was finished, she started laughing hysterically..." Fuuka started blushing. "She said I didn't need to thank her for anything, because we're friends. She said that friends don't owe each other anything more than their friendship. I was so happy to hear that that I started to cry..."

"Ahaha!" I couldn't help it. "That's hilarious!"

"Hey, that's mean!" Fuuka glared.

"Sorry…" I replied. "That's great." I told her.

Fuuka nodded. "My old negative thoughts started creeping in again...I thought if I let everyone see who I really was, then they wouldn't like me... I was thinking badly of myself... But, when I realized what I was doing... I saw myself for who I truly am..." Fuuka really seemed confident now. "And I began to understand what I really wanted to do... At first I wanted to thank everyone, then I realized what I actually wanted to do was help them..." She laughed. "My true feelings really weren't that complicated after all."

"They rarely are." I agreed. "The sooner you stop making excuses and truly look at yourself, the better."

"You're absolutely right." Fuuka nodded. "Thank you."

**SMASH!**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Priestess Arcana…_

I've been levelling this up a lot recently.

"Hey!" Junpei called. "You eating this cake?"

"Don't you dare take my slice!" I warned as I charged forward. "MINE!!"

* * *

As usual, I was left to clean up the mess. Not as usual, the phone rang. "Yello?" I asked as I answered it, turning the Hoover off with my foot.

_/\_ "I'm calling to inform you of a change in Tartarus..." _/\_ Elizabeth told me. _/\_ "I believe a path that was blocked is now open... I thought you might like to know. ...I wish you a safe journey." _/\_ She hung up.

The number wasn't blocked this time. I saved it under 'Velvet Room'.

Guess where we're going tomorrow?

* * *

Next day was the eleventh of September. The eight anniversary of the world trade centre bombings.

And yet, to everyone else, it was just Friday.

Then again, the Americans bombed two of their cities, so I guess Japan has no obligation for sympathy.

Still, it felt a little… off.

I walked to school with Yukari, and some guy pulled me into an alleyway on the way there. "Oof!"

"Listen you." Oh, hey Yukari fanboy. "I heard a rumour that you went to Mitsuru-san's vacation home." He said while clutching at my jacket angrily. "Not only that, but Yukari, Fuuka, and Aigis were there, too... And the best part of this rumour is, supposedly they were all wearing bathing suits...!? Is that true!?"

"Every bit of it." I said.

"No way! Are you serious!?" He shook me violently. "Wait, don't say anymore. I can't take it!! Why!?" He shouted in my face as he shook me harder against the wall. "Why are you so damn lucky!?"

Alright, a beating is not gonna sort this. Time to get psychological. "Hey, I'm just glad that word hasn't got out about the time we all went skinny dipping." Which didn't happen. "Or that night in the hot tub fulla icecream." Also didn't happen, but would be awesome. "But yeah, I'm not denying it."

"NOOOOOOO!!!!" The guy shouted. "IT'S!! NOT!!" I kneed him in the gut before he deafened me.

"Hey, where'd you go?" Yukari asked, poking her head into the alleyway.

"This guy started spazzing out." I lied. "So I had to knock him out." I shrugged him over my shoulder and carried him fireman style. "I'll drop him off at the nurse's office."

Yep, psychological trauma for the win.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

Indeed.

Gonna max out Priestess in a soon chapter, and I'm pretty proud of myself in how I pulled that off so far. I'm still working out the kinks of how rank ten's gonna happen, but it'll be nice.

Like I said, this chapter's for all of you who've asked for more Fuuka scenes and, now that I've spent so much time working on her, I'm gonna include her more.

For those of you who don't know, Shinji got his black eye when Akihiko punched him in the face for possession of drugs. Yes, it all happened on that day.

Next up, culture festival, Minato has a Shakespeare rant, there's a typhoon, and Minato gets man flu.

Just so you know, a Viola is a small violin that can make higher pitched sounds, and a Stradivarius is a violin made by the best violin maker of all time, Stradivarius. EDIT: No, sorry, wrong about violas. They are bigger than violins and make lower sounds. My Bad.

I think I might need to explain man flu actually. See, during the autmun/winter time, every single brit has a cold. every single one of us. Real men even go to school, work, and the gym with full on flu's, we're that hardcore.

Yet, Man Flu is evil. The manlier you are, the weaker it makes you. The only cure is 24 hours bedrest minimum, and you aren't in much of a state to do much else. It's not contagious other than the regular flu aspect of it, it's just...

You know what? Man Flu is basically what happens when the Flu virus kicks you in the balls instead of the nose, and would reduce even Kamina to a snivelling wreck. So that bit when Minato gets caught in a Typhoon on the way home, His body will finally pay the punishment for his homesickness.

EDIT NOTE: I was gonna save this for chapter 61, but some of you are seriously mistaken so I'll put it here for now and repeat it next chapter.

The twin tower bombings was an unprovoked terrorist attack on America commited by Muslim extremists. It was clearly not an inside job, and I never thought for a second that it was. When I said that 'America bombed two of their cities', I was talking about when America dropped nukes on Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of the second world war. It was a wartime action that killed over a 220,000 people outright, mostly civilians, while the 9/11 bombings killed almost 3,000 people. To the Japanese, it's clear which is a bigger deal. Sorry to have offended anyone.


	61. Chapter 61

Alright! Let's do this!

First though, I want to make one thing clear and repeat a point I made in the last chapter. The twin tower bombings were an unprovoked terrorist attack on America committed by Muslim extremists. It was clearly not an inside job, and I never thought for a second that it was. When I said that 'America bombed two of their cities', I was talking about when America dropped nukes on Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of the Second World War. It was a wartime action that killed over a 220,000 people outright, mostly civilians, not including those who died from the after effects, while the 9/11 bombings killed almost 3,000 people. To the Japanese, it's clear which is a bigger deal.

Now, another thing to bear in mind is that Minato would have been nine years old at the time, which was when he was still emotionally dead from his parents dying and moving to a strange country where he barely speaks the language. However, There Was No Implication In What I Wrote That America Was To Blame For The Attack. Japan bombed pearl harbour, America bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki. That's war, and we've gotten over it. 9/11 was a terrorist action, and the ones to blame are the Al-Qaeda terrorists that took over the planes and crashed them, and they are hated by Americans, English, Asians and Muslims the world over.

The only incorrect knowledge I flaunted in chapter 60 was that I thought Viola's were smaller that Violins. I screwed up there. Viola's are apparently bigger and deeper than Violins. It's been a good five years since I had a general music lesson at school, and I was certain that Violins were between the Viola and the Cello. My memory was lying to me for once. My bad.

Why the bloody hell would I purposefully try to upset you guys? I write this simply because reading the reviews gives me a nice ego trip, one trait I happen to share with Minato. I don't get them as often as he does, granted, so I'm not as arrogant as he is. But I want to keep you guys happy so you guys keep me happy, so I would never write something purposefully to piss you guys off. Now, I might write something to shock you with a shocking plot twist, or I might write something depressing or sad, but that's story telling. If I wrote to piss people off, I'd be a pretty low person.

And that's another thing. I'm English; what do I care about American conspiracy theories? The only conspiracy theory I care about is how the hell John & Edward managed to stay in X Factor for so long. Seriously, who kept voting for them?

D-Drive, you're just being oversensitive and looking too deep into things that aren't there. Kinda like one of those conspiracy theorists you hate so much. Sorry if I offended anyone, that wasn't my intention nor do I think that America had any blame for 9/11. Pokeh Turtle, thanks for the Apology you sent.

Also, Pokeh Turtle, I do know that I can do that thing when talking over paragraphs. However, since I have a bad habit of putting speech marks in places where there isn't meant to be any and vice versa, I'm just trying to limit any confusion any way I can.

Mystical Z, you are right about Minato getting too powerful. Bear in mind though, when you were playing the game, Minato did overpower everyone else. However, once resolutions start, that won't be the case. And I'm playing around with the idea of the others getting demonic contracts, I'd like to hear everyone else's voices on this.

D-Drive, I am aware that the 9/11 reference was uncalled for. That's why I did it, because it wasn't brought up in the original game. I'll be doing the same thing with Bonfire Night. Those of you who know when Bonfire Night is and have a copy of the P3 script/calendar will be able to guess how that's gonna go down.

Fireblast, Temperance is freedom, balancing of opposites, so it's kinda like when you first leave home to go to University or whatever and have to fend for yourself for the first time. I reckon that a Temperance Shadow would look kinda like someone trying to balance everything at once.

Nightmare Syndrom, Derek Barona, you want Aigis dressed as a nurse? It shall be done.

Slicerness, I agree with you that P3 is superior storywise, and P4 is superior gameplay wise. However, I'm not buying it because I simply won't have time to play it. I'll most likely get it after I come back from my mission though. P3P has only just come out in Japan about a month ago, so it'll be at least six months before it comes out in America. As for the Thor… damn. That's almost as good as the Metatron I once fused that repelled everything and anything except almighty and the physicals. 'course, it wasn't much good in battle, but defensively it was intense. Though the Surt I fused with Growth 3… well, 10,000+ damage with a single non-mind charged Ragnarok against the Nyx Avatar speaks for itself.

…Damn, that was probably the longest Author Note I've ever written. Well, onto the chapter.

Right after I procrastinate a little.

And I might have offended some of my English readers with that shot at John & Edward, but that's one I stand by. I'd apologise for that, but I really do not like them. I like you though, you read my stuff, so you're full of win.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

Not much happened over the weekend, other than me having to spend the entire Sunday in the office. Joy.

And again, not much happened over the start of the week, since everyone was so concerned about the upcoming Culture Festival, or the upcoming Typhoon.

Talk of the school was that the culture festival might get cancelled if the Typhoon hits, but that didn't save me from having to correct the Drama club's Romeo and Juliet script.

"Look, the thing with Shakespeare is that he liked to make up words." I told everyone as I crossed out lines and rewrote them. "But the stupid translators do such a half-assed job that they screw up the translations. Like here!" I pointed out the offending line. "_Wherefore art thou Romeo?_" I quoted in English. "The translator really screwed this one up. Juliet isn't asking _Where_ Romeo is, she's asking _Why_ Romeo is! Because if he wasn't a Capulet or a Montague or whatever, then everything would be fine! In fact!" I slammed the script shut. "Rewrite the play."

"What!?" The Drama Rep who hired me demanded. "What the hell are you talking about!?"

"The beauty of Shakespeare is that he doesn't give stage directions." I explained. "You can act it however you want! So, from now on, Juliet's family is gonna be a Samurai clan, and Romeo's gonna be a Ninja!"

* * *

They didn't like the idea.

"Though that would be an awesome film." Pharos nodded. "I mean, Romeo And Juliet with Samurai and Ninja?"

"Dude." Naoki said. "Tybalt could stab Mercutio, but he'll be all like 'Oh no you didn't! LOGGED!!'"

"That would be awesome." I agreed. "But Mercutio's royalty." I sighed. "He wouldn't be a ninja."

"Damn." Naoki swore. "Still, would there be a better movie?"

"Terminator goes back in time to kill Doc. Brown from Back To The Future?" I suggested, earning myself a high five.

I had to admit, it was pretty weird talking to the guy now he was shorter than me, but I'm getting used to it.

"So, what're gonna do now?" He asked me.

"I'll hang out in student council." I shrugged. "Social Linking."

Naoki nodded. "Kay. I'll go check out the Kendo club. Apparently they've got some more space on the team."

Thems mah spaces. Oh well, off to Student Council.

* * *

"Sorry, it was a quick meeting." Hidetoshi told me when I came in. "Everyone left already. It's actually kind of nice not having those hyenas around."

"You're not going home yet?" I asked him. Hyenas?

"There's something I want to take care of before I go home." Hidetoshi replied. "About the cigarette butt in the boys' bathroom... I have to do something... soon…" He sighed. "As you can see, the meeting's over, so you can leave if you want."

"But I just got here." I sighed, sitting myself down on a chair.

"I see…" Hidetoshi replied. "If you're not in a hurry, can you spare a few minutes?"

"Sure." I said. "I could use a break."

Hidetoshi smiled and sat down opposite me. "A man without position, honour, or education... What can he cling to as he struggles through life?"

"His own law." I replied.

Hidetoshi nodded. "'Sincerity,' a man once told me. ...Do you want to know what happened to that man?" I nodded. "While gathering information for a story, a TV anchorwoman was injured on the job. The executives for the TV station called it an 'unfortunate accident'." Wow, telling this story is really making him angry. "But when a magazine learned they were hiding something, the execs pointed the finger at the script writer. They said it was the writer who had concealed the truth; he was made into a scapegoat. That man is currently serving time for perjury."

Giving false testimony under oath? That sucks balls. "It was he who taught me the meaning of sincerity." Hidetoshi continued. "In today's society, the weak are preyed upon by the strong. You can't survive on sincerity alone!"

No. you can't. You need power behind the sincerity. "As for me, Minato-kun, I'd like to build a corporation where everyone is treated fairly." Hidetoshi finished. "But, to do that, I'd need enough power to make my vision a reality."

**SMASH**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Emperor Arcana..._

"Well, it looks like we're done here." Hidetoshi sighed. "You going anywhere?" He asked.

"I'll probably hit the Home EC room on my way out." I sighed. "I'm helping a guy make a Kimono."

"You really are busy all the time aren't you?" Hidetoshi laughed. "Sorry for wasting your time."

"A Good conversation is never a waste of time." I told him. "Which company did your dad work for?" I asked.

"My uncle actually." Hidetoshi laughed. "But good detective work." He stood up. "I'm gonna lock up and head off home." He said. "So I'll see you later."

* * *

"If I give my best effort, zis will come out great!!"

I snuck into the Sewing room as Bebe sewed, talking to himself as he did so.

He turned the Sewing machine off and liften up the cloth. "Hmm... Zat cheap material 'as been transformed!"

"Nice." I said, making him jump.

"Minato-sama!" He said, showing the Kimono. "Look! Wizout your 'elp... I would probably be back 'ome already... But because of you, Minato-sama, I was able to finish ze kimono!"

"That's great." I told him. "So, how's everything in France?" I asked.

"My country... Zere is nozing zere for me now! I 'ave to put an end to zis, so zat I can die 'ere in ze country I love!"

"Viva la Japan." I joked.

Bebe laughed. "By ze way, Minato-sama..." He smiled. "I 'ave met many people in Nihon... But, you are ze best tomodachi I 'ave 'ere! If my aunt was still alive... I would tell her about ze wonderful friend I 'ave made... Subarashii!"

**SMASH**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Temperance Arcana..._

"And yet, you don't even know his real name." Pharos said.

And I do. It's Jean.. Andrex.,. Paul… Thingy… The Third… Holy crap I do not know this guy's real name.

"Yosh!" Bebe shouted. "Now, I will put ze final touches on zis kimono! I am so tired zat I zink I see my aunt! Zis is ze last part... I can't give up! Ready, set... GO!"

* * *

Junpei grabbed me when I got in the dorm. "Dude." He told me. "You will not believe what I just heard."

"Your girlfriend isn't trying to kill you anymore?" I asked.

"Better!" Junpei shouted. "Well, kinda. Yukari's dressing up as a maid for the culture festival!"

Pfff… yeah. Right. Like that'd ever happen.

"How'd you find out about that!?" Yukari shouted.

Holy hell this is actually happening? "What happened?" I asked.

"Apparently she drew the short straw at the Archery club." Junpei laughed as he blocked a projectile cushion. "She's clearly pissed, but al the more reason to check out the maid café at the culture festival, right?"

"Ugh… why me..?" Yukari asked clutching her head. "It's just not right!"

"I agree." I nodded. "It's an absolute outrage. Junpei, high five right now."

SLAP!

"Really...?" Yukari asked, surprised and almost repulsed. "You like that kind of stuff? ...I didn't think you were like that."

"Everyone's like that." I explained. "Akihiko's like that, Shinjiro's like that," Yukari turned to see their reactions, which proved me right. "Hell, even Kenjamin's like that!"

"B-but there's a typhoon coming!" Kenjamin said quickly, his face bright red. "S-so, i-it might get cancelled! I probably wouldn't have gone to it anyway!"

"Tch." Shinji grunted. "That crap doesn't interest me."

"I'm not even gonna bother making excuses." Akihiko sighed. "But that doesn't mean I'm…" Akihiko thought for a second. "Like Junpei!"

"Hey!" Junpei shouted. "What's that supposed to mean!?"

"Dude." Shinji said with a gormless expression on his face, pulling his beanie out to make a cap. "Real. Life. Maids."

"Nice." Akihiko said, giving Shinji a generous High-five.

"Oh, Junpei's certainly the most open about it." I nodded. "It's just any man without a thing for maids on some level is either gay or a masochist." I shrugged. "I'm not gonna bother denying it, even though I know it's gonna make you mad."

Yukari couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Y-you serious?"

Fuuka nodded. "It is a very common fetish." She said. "Over seven and a half million hits on Google, and that's _with_ the safesearch on."

Junpei wooshed over to behind her shoulder. "What happens if you take safesearch off?"

"Then you get your internet privileges removed." Mitsuru warned. Damn Mitsuru is scary.

"And thus ends Junpei's quest for pornography." I announced. "I'm off to bed. Night!"

"I almost can't believe you got away with that." Pharos commented as I ran up the stairs two at a time.

No comeuppance for me tonight!

* * *

I vamoosed out of class the second the bell rang for lunch the next day, and sought refuge in the music room.

"Maybe I should just quit..." Keisuke said to himself, pacing nervously. "The club would be fine without me... And I... I'm not very good at music anyways..."

"Hey." I said, taking a seat.

"H-Huh!?" Keisuke exclaimed. "Minato-kun! Wh-When did you get here!? H-How long were you listening?"

"About five seconds." I said. "You listen to the CD's I gave you?"

Keisuke nodded, clearly much more comfortable. "Yeah, I was surprised."

I held out a hand. "Cough up." I told him. "You owe me five-hundred yen."

He grudgingly gave me the money. "You shouldn't gamble you know."

"I don't gamble." I replied. "I take your money by winning."

"That's true." Keisuke laughed. "Hey, can you help me with something" He asked. "Hidetoshi said that you're a good listener."

Just Hidetoshi? No Honorific? "You two know each other?" I asked him.

He nodded, taking a seat opposite me. "We go way back." He explained. "Normally I'd talk to him about something like this, but…" Keisuke sighed. "...My dad told me I should quit the Music Club."

… "What?" I asked him.

Keisuke nodded. "He said I need to concentrate more on my studies... I told him that the piece I submitted was selected to be in the finals... But he said I was just wasting my time." Keisuke slammed his fist against the wall he was sat next to. "He said that because I'm his only son, it's my responsibility to take over the hospital. My dad doesn't care about me!" He started shouting. "He only cares about his stupid hospital! And why does everyone think I'm going to be a doctor!?" He asked angrily. "Just because my dad's a doctor doesn't mean I want to be a doctor too! Ugh, I can't take it any more!" He started clutching his head. "I have my own dreams, you know!"

Sounds like School of Rock all over again. "Complaining won't help." I told him.

"Yeah, you're right..." Keisuke admitted, calming down. "I have to tell my dad how I feel… Yeah, you're right, Minato-kun!"

Keisuke clicked his fingers. "I've got it! I-I'm going to make a bet with my dad!"

Wasn't he just having a go at me for that? "You still have money to lose?" I asked.

"Not like that." Keisuke laughed. "If I don't win the contest, then I'll quit the club, just like he wants me to. But if I win, then I can do whatever I want! Yep, that's it! As soon as I get home, I'm going to talk to him." His confidence faded slightly. "P-Please don't tell anyone about this, Minato-kun!" Keisuke begged. "I don't want everyone to worry about me quitting the Music Club, so let's just keep it between us, okay?"

I nodded.

**SMASH**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Fortune Arcana..._

"Hey, Minato-kun, think you can tell everyone I'm not going to Music club today?" He asked me. "I'm gonna go straight home and talk to my dad about it."

"Sure." I said, glancing at the clock by the window.

Then I noticed the window.

"Hey, is that rain for once?" I asked him.

"Oh yeah…" He said. "The weather report said that we might be getting a Typhoon tomorrow…"

"We're actually gonna get hit by it?" I asked him. Damn, I'm gonna get caught in my first storm…

* * *

Call me a coward, but I went straight home after school the next day.

Hey, I'm English, so I'm used to wind and rain. In fact, I quite like the rain.

But this is a bloody joke! Waterproof coat my arse! I'm bloody soaked!

"You weren't quick enough, huh?" Junpei asked me once I got it.

I shook the water off my head like a dog. "Whatever gave you that idea?" I asked him as I walked over to the couches where everyone else was sat. Standing room only left.

Meh, floor's good enough for me.

"According to the news, a typhoon just hit." Fuuka said. "Supposedly, it's the biggest one on record. It's moving slowly, too, so it'll be around for a while..."

"Yeah, thanks to that, the school festival got canned." Junpei sighed. "Well, setting all that stuff up is a pain, so I don't mind. But, it sucks that we'll be stuck indoors..." He turned to me. "So, how are you gonna spend your break?"

Wait, what? "We're getting a break?" I asked him.

"Seriously?" Junpei was shocked. "Dude, you're killin' me... What about you, Fuuka?"

"Me?" Fuuka asked. "The only thing I plan to do is go to the movies..."

"Ooh, a movie?" Junpei asked with a filthy grin. "Is it a date...?"

"It-It's not like that." Fuuka explained. "I'm going with Natsuki-chan. She absolutely loves movies..."

"What you going to see?" I asked.

"That new Final Destination movie." Fuuka explained. "It recently got translated into Japanese, and it's HD-3D!"

"Whoa." Junpei replied. "You wanna go Yuka-tan?" He asked mischievously.

"A-As if?" Yukari glared. "Why would I wanna go see that?"

Because Pharos is the main character?

"You really think I'm Death?" Pharos asked, semi-curious, semi-insulted.

It's a working theory, but it could make sense.

"But with this typhoon, I don't know if we'll be able to go anyways…" Fuuka sighed.

"How 'bout you, Yuka-tan?" Junpei asked. "No movies, so ya still have practice?"

"I doubt it." Yukari replied. "The archery range is outside, so it's most likely cancelled until the storm blows over."

"Same here." Akihiko raised his hand to talk. "This stupid typhoon is gonna mess up my training."

"We've still got the gym downstairs you know."

Akihiko snapped to attention. "We have a gym in the basement?" He asked. "Since when!?"

"I think we got it in May, maybe June." I said, scratching my head. "Can't remember."

"What about you, Senpai?" Junpei asked Mitsuru as Akihiko swore under his breath.

"I haven't decided." Mitsuru asked. "Besides, what business is it of yours, Iori?" Oooh, she's laying serious ownage on him lately.

"Me?" Junpei asked theatrically. "Well, I'd be happy to tell you about my plans..."

"I suspect that you will be visiting Chidori-san." Aigis reported. "Although she has stabilized, we cannot release her."

"Man, Ai-chan, you must be psychic." Junpei replied proudly. She isn't, it's just the product of logic, analysis, and deduction. "And ya know what?" Junpei continued, "She WANTS me to come! ...Not to brag or anything... I, um... just thought I should check up on her... Ya know, with the storm and all." Yeah, he's bragging.

"What's up with him?" Akihiko asked.

"You're just pissed that no-one told you about the gym." Shinji answered. "I assumed you knew by now."

"How would I know if no-one told me?" Akihiko asked angrily.

"Umm... Well..." Fuuka struggled for a way to prevent the upcoming fight. "Oh, yeah! Ken-kun. What are you going to do during the break?"

"Oh, nothing in particular..." Kenjamin replied. So it hasn't stuck with everyone yet…

"Come on, you have to be doing something." Junpei taunted. "Spill!"

"Well, I'll probably go visit the shrine." Kenjamin admitted.

"Dude, you're a kid, not an old man." Junpei insulted.

"But, that's where I always go. I guess you could say I made a vow..."

"Besides, Kenjamin doesn't have to answer to you." I said as everyone looked confused. "Whatever he's doing is his own business." Damn, my head hurts.

"Anyway, I'm going back to my room." Kenjamin announced as he stood up to leave. "I have a lot of homework to do..."

"Okay." Junpei called after him. "Call me if you get stuck."

Call me to correct his help afterwards!

That would've been the perfect comeback, but I just didn't feel up to it.

"You know what?" I said. "I'm just gonna go to bed."

"So what about this gym then?" Akihiko asked.

"Tch." Shinji grunted. "I'll show you, come on."

"Are you feeling alright?" Aigis asked me as I bumped against the wall.

"Yeah." I replied, limping my way to the stairs. "Yeah, I'm good. See you all tomorrow then."

* * *

I was not good.

In fact, I passed out on the floor as soon as I got in my room.

"I have been waiting for you." Igor replied, and suddenly I felt much better now I was in the Velvet Room. "I last summoned you in your dreams quite some time ago."

"Ah, that's why I don't feel like crap…" I said.

"Indeed." Igor chuckled. "Several seasons have come and gone since I first offered my assistance... Now, then... Your special power--Persona... Have you been using it wisely?"

"I'd like to say yes," I replied, "But I don't think I've really been keeping up with my contract."

"I see... Well, at least your candour is a sign of maturity." Igor replied, summoning said contract. "But what makes you say that?"

"I really don't think I've been taking responsibility for my decisions." I told him honestly. "To be honest, I've been getting away with murder lately."

"You were not asked to do that." Igor replied with a grin, opening the contract. "Please, read the terms of our agreement carefully."

_I, Minato Arisoto, give my word that I will take full responsibility for the consequences of my decisions._

"In exchange for you taking responsibility for the _consequences_ of your decisions, you shall be a welcome guest here in the Velvet Room, and I shall continue to offer you my services." Igor grinned. "Do you see the loophole?"

I did. "So why the hell am I getting away with the consequences?" I asked him.

"You could say that you have a… devil… watching over you." Igor grinned. "But to be perfectly honest, I sense a great catastrophe in your future."

"Consequence of my decisions?" I asked him.

"Perhaps." Igor sighed. "But, it would be a pity to lose one such as yourself unnecessarily... Therefore, please allow me to provide you with a new form of assistance." Yes Please. "Henceforth, you shall be able to fuse four or more Personas."

Holy crap that can only be good. "I am certain that this will be of great benefit to you." Igor added with a grin. "In fact, a friend of yours has already gone to the trouble of fusing _this_ Persona for you." He handed me a card.

Black Frost.

"Isn't he Lord Frost now?" I asked him.

"The power of Black Frost is separate from the entity that is now Lord Frost." Igor explained. "While others may in future call upon the power of a Black Frost, so far you are the only human who has any dominion over the Lord Frost."

I see. "So he's the devil looking over my shoulder?" I asked him.

Igor chuckled. "But now, you must be tired." He said, dodging the question. "Please, rest easy... Until we meet again... Farewell."

* * *

I hate reality.

Because reality hates me.

But hey, at least reality was kind enough to put me in my pyjamas and into bed.

I forced myself up. Bloody hell why am I so bloody weak!?

"Aigis said that you were sick." Pharos replied. "Not to me, but she's been breaking into your room lately."

"Why am I… not… surprised?" I asked, crawling out of bed. "How long have I slept?"

"A pretty crap few hours." He said. "It's Saturday afternoon now, and we're right in the eye of the storm."

"Bloody… Terriffic…" I gasped. How the hell am I out of breath already?

Oh hell no…

"Oh hell yes, apparently." Pharos replied darkly. "What we 'Oh Hell'ing at now?"

"Bloody Man Flu." I said, lying half on the floor as I slid myself up the wall, onto my feet.

"You're not going downstairs are you?" Pharos asked, seriously concerned.

"I need a piss." I said, stumbling to my door.

* * *

"Dude, you alright?" Junpei asked.

"No." I groaned. "Man Flu."

"That the new swine flu or something?" Junpei asked.

"Dude… Swine Flu… only gets the… weak…" Damn, out of breath from just one corridor and a flight of stairs?

"Man Flu takes all the strength a man has and flushes it down the crapper." Shinji replied. "Get back to bed." He ordered.

"Will do." I replied. "Just need to do this first…"

* * *

Managed to get back to bed without passing out, thankfully.

Of course, when I did pass out, that's when everything went to hell.

"Welcome to the Crimson Room, my dear young man." Greeted a blonde young man in a suit.

"Nice joke." I said, glad to have my imaginary strength back. "Now who the bloody hell are you?"

The guy chuckled. "Please allow me to introduce myself." He said in a faint Italian accent. "My name is Louis Cyphre."

Really? "Tell me Mr. Cyphre." I asked him. "Are you a man of wealth and taste?" I asked him.

That confused him. "I'm sorry?"

"Have you been around for a long, long year?" I asked. "Stolen many man's soul and faith?" I asked.

Louis laughed. "I love that song. And you are the first to recognise me so quickly."

I offered him my hand. "Pleased to meet you Lucifer." I replied. "Hope you guess my name."

He took it. "But what's puzzling you is the nature of my game." He replied.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

Yeah, I'm gonna leave it on that cliffhanger. Dun dun DUN!

Yeah, there you have it. I'll do their conversation next time, but we're finally gonna find out just how Minato gets away with it. HINT: The devil had something to do with it.

Nightmare Syndrom, Derek Barona, don't panic. The storm is not yet over.


	62. Chapter 62

Alright! Persona time!

First off, 300 reviews! Yay!

Now to answer them.

First off, thanks for the apology D-Drive. I never said you were a horrible person; just that you were overreacting to a gross misunderstanding. Glad the problems solved now.

Derek Barona, oh. Well, okay. And no, Minato will not manage to pull that off. Sadly.

Nightmare Syndrom, Yes, Naoki is the Hito-Shura / Demi-Fiend from SMT:III, Bebe's real name is either Andre Laurent Jean Geraux or Andre Roland Jean Gérard, depending on your version of the game. A Black Frost is any Jack Frost who remembers that he's supposed to be evil, so a new one could turn up at any point, but the Black Frost Minato met is now the Lord Frost. Shinji probably has had man flu before, and No-one asked Fuuka about her knowledge of the maid fetish because she was on the computer at the time, so she probably just looked it up. Probably. And yes, you did ask a lot of questions.

DrTempo, still playing around with that.

Sytang, I prefer your argument over Mystical Z's. Both of you, I've got the plan all worked out, and it shall be awesome.

As will this chapter.

And now, we return to our hero and his conversation with the prince of darkness in the Crimson Room.

WARNING: The following scene contains Minato and the Devil discussing the nature of the Megaten Universe as I interpret it. While it is heavily based on ours, just remember that THIS IS A STORY, and the views discussed are, while having some truth in them, are all views. I AM NOT MAKING A POLITICAL NOR A RELIGIOUS STATEMENT HERE. I am writing a story. I keep my personal views and beliefs separate from my work when it gets to this level, so this chapter is not indicatory of my own beliefs.

For the record, I'm a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Yes, I'm a Mormon. Hence why I'll be leaving for a two year mission in a few months.

And Now, story time.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

"That is rather puzzling." I admitted. "But I think I can guess what you brought me here for, Satan."

Ooh, that's some serious hate on his face. "Don't call me by that name." He said. "So I take it that the Naoki didn't explain things to you?"

"You know him?" I asked. Stupid question, of course he knows him.

"Indeed I do." He said. "I offered him my assistance during the last Conception."

"Alright, you're gonna need to start from the top." I explained. "All I know about are Demonata, demonic contracts and that Naoki sealed the place up tight a few years ago."

Lucifer nodded. "Very well. This world where we Demonata reside is called the Warp." He said. "Some call it the Vortex World, or the Demonic Plane, but I prefer the Warp."

"So do I." I answered. "Carry on."

"Now, every so often, the god of the Demonata grows tired of the status quo, and breaks down the barrier between this world and yours." He explained. "Let us call your world Realitas for now."

"Demonata live in the Warp, Humans live in Realitas." I nodded. "So what's up with this god of yours?" I asked.

"His name is unpronounceable." Lucifer explained. "But he is a true tyrant." He sighed. "Look, all Demonata initially came into existence from the skewed beliefs of the human race." He continued, "And as we influence Realitas, we further skew their beliefs and gain more power."

"Right." I said. "So that's why he breaks down the barrier?"

"Almost." Lucifer said. "During each Conception, time stops for both worlds, and they become one. Most humans are removed from existence temporarily to preserve their existence, but some remain to use the Conception to create a new world backing their Reason."

"Naoki being one of those humans." I deducted.

"Somewhat." Lucifer replied. "I transfigured him into a half demon to allow him greater influence. That was the first Conception we had had in millennia. Normally, the Humanitas prevents it in time."

"The Humanitas." I stated. "Humans granted with the power to intervene."

"Correct." Lucifer replied. "Persona users like yourself are a more recent form of Humanitas."

Lucifer took a drink from his glass of what I doubt is red wine. "I won't go into detail about what happens during a Conception, because I sincerely hope that you can prevent this next one from occurring."

Really? "I'd have thought that you'd be raring for a chance to remake this into a world of chaos."

Lucifer put his drink down. "Back to my original point. Tell me, are you religious?" He asked.

"Christian." I replied. "But wouldn't you know that already?" I asked.

Lucifer shook his head. "I am merely a Demonata based from the skewed beliefs of your world." He said. "I am not the Lucifer you know of."

Huh? "I'm not following." I lied, because I did not like the path this was going down.

"Then let me make this plain." Lucifer replied. "While there is a Demonata version of your God." He said. "We do not have a Demonata based on humanity's skewed beliefs of Jesus Christ." He sighed. "What's more, from what I understand, the God of your world is a fatherly being of love and free will…"

"You don't know?" I asked him.

"I am a Demon." He replied. "I don't know about the truths of your world any more than you do. But I can tell you this." Lucifer looked into my eyes with his own mismatched ones. "What the majority of Christians, Jews, and Muslims believe in is an alien, distant being that cannot be understood or truly cares about them." He said. "This is far from the truth of their religions, but they believe that God is all powerful, all knowing, and capable of anything, yet allows disease, hate, death and pain to continue. Based on that logic…" Lucifer looked away from me. "Deep down, they believe that their god doesn't care about them."

"That's… believable…" I said. "Most people forget that we have free will and consequences."

"That's only the beginning of the problem." Lucifer continued. "In addition to this, many people of these faiths flaunt their beliefs to make their own hate seem acceptable." He said. "Muslims using their god as an excuse to murder Christians," Al-Qaeda. "Christians using their god as an excuse to rob Muslims," The Crusades. "Christians using their god as an excuse to slaughter Jews." The holocaust. "Even Christians used this to kill other Christians, their very neighbours!" The Troubles... "I could go on." Lucifer sighed. "If God is Love, then why is religion hate?" He asked.

"Because they forget to love thy neighbour." I replied. Man, I haven't had a proper theological discussion in a long time.

"Correct." Lucifer replied. "In fact, what many people forget was that Samaritans were hated by the Jews."

I nodded. "Breakaway sect from differing beliefs."

"Just like Christianity, Islam and Judaism all root together at Abraham." Lucifer replied. "They have different names, but the god they worship is the same." He continued. "However, they have forgotten this, and their worship has become skewed, powering the true enemy."

"The god of Demonata." I nodded.

"Yes." Lucifer said. "With that serpent Satan as his loyal servant."

"Man, your world is messed." I replied.

"So is Realitas." Lucifer replied. "The Warp is just more open about it."

"So, if I can make an assumption based on what I know," I asked, "The god of Demonata is the boss of the Law alignment, you are the head of the Chaos alignment, and… who is the head of the Neutral alignment?" I asked.

"At the time being?" He asked. "Hito-Shura."

"You mean Naoki?" I asked. "Isn't he a human?"

"No." Lucifer explained. "The key difference being that only Humans can create a Reason to base the new world on, but we Demonata can only back them. I made Naoki into a demi-fiend due his extraordinary potential strength." Lucifer explained. "Whatever Reason he backed would most likely have won."

"And he backs a different one to you?" I asked. "Why?"

"As long as the true enemy does not get to rule another world, I am happy." Lucifer said. "I will not ask you to join with me, because I know you would refuse, and rightly so."

"Good guess." I said. "So, did you call me here just to fill me in?" I asked.

"I came to offer you a deal." He said.

And so I become Faust. "Let's hear it." I replied.

"One day soon," Lucifer said, "You may be approached by Metatron, one of the true enemy's arch angels." He said. "When he asks you to serve god, I want you to know he does not mean your god and to reject his proposal."

"And why should I believe that you haven't just been lying to me this whole time and that he really is an angel?" I asked.

"You don't have to." Lucifer replied. "I just want to continue helping you from the shadows."

"So you're the one who's been making me get away with it." I decided.

"I am indeed more subtle at influencing humanity." Lucifer replied, "But-"

SMASH!

"Is there really need for violence?" Lucifer asked, his face healing from behind my fist. "Nor do I believe that you needed to summon the power of your inner demon."

I pulled my fist back and released the seal on my arm. "I will not tolerate that." I said.

"You are a mere human, while I am a powerful demon." Lucifer replied. "I am not some old Humanitas with a dog, nor a mere king of winter you can bind and sell his crown." Lucifer replied, standing up from his chair. "**I Am The Bringer Of Light And The Lord Of Darkness.**" He said, six angelic wings growing from one shoulder and six demonic wings growing from the other.

I stared him down. "And I couldn't care less." I said. "You will not interfere." I stated. "If I am the Humanitas responsible for preventing the next Conception," I said, "Then I'll do it my way." I drew my Evoker and put it to my skull. "No more Demons." I said. "This is a battle between humans and Shadows." I said. "The only help we will accept are the ones we take with our own hand; our Persona. Am I Clear?" I asked him.

The wings retreated into his back. "That's what I wanted to hear. Very well, you shall no longer have my assistance unless you ask for it."

"Good." I said. "Goodbye, Lucy."

I pulled the trigger and woke up.

* * *

The sun was shining. "Good Morning." Aigis said.

"Morning…" I replied, forcing myself up. "What day is it?"

"It is the Monday after you fell asleep." She said. "Are you feeling well?"

"Great." I said, looking at her. "What I… Why're you dressed as a nurse?" I asked.

She gave a twirl in the little pink costume. "Junpei-san suggested that this attire would be appropriate for when I was treating you."

Why am I not surprised? "And how did you get in with the door locked?"

"I broke it." She said. "My time has improved dramatically while you were sick."

"You did what!?" I jumped out of bed to see the door intact. Oh, she broke the lock. Phew. "Where is everyone?" I asked.

"They are out for the day." She reported. "Shall I gather them for you?" She asked.

"No, it's fine." I replied. "I'm gonna spend the rest of the day getting myself together." I said. "Tell everyone we're going to Tartarus tonight."

"Understood." She said.

…

"You can leave now." I told her.

"I understand." She replied.

She still didn't move.

Right, I only told her that she could leave.

"Please could you?" I asked. "I need to get dressed."

"Understood." She nodded before leaving.

She lifted the door off its hinges to leave, before putting the door back into place. Dammit Aigis…

* * *

"Glad to see you're feeling better." Shinji told me on the way to Tartarus that night.

"Thanks." I replied. "It's good to be back."

* * *

Demons and Reasons or whatever, all I need to be worried about right now is that I've got a Tartarus to climb and Shadows to kill. "Kenjamin. Aigis. Shinji." I said once we were in, dialling the telepad up to floor 110. "We're going up."

* * *

And up we went. The fourth block of Tartarus, Tziah, was fancy. The walls were paved with gold, the ceiling was gold, the floor was gold, even the curtains were gold.

"NGH!" Shinji grunted as he shoved his Warhammer into the wall. It bounced off.

"Okay, apparently it's not gold." I said. Gold would've dinted. "Alright. Let's climb."

* * *

Nothing really eventful happened on the way up. Kenjamin was proving himself to be a very useful member of the team, capable of healing, using decent elemental control, casting instant kill spells, and he was a demon with a spear.

Aigis hasn't gotten any abilities from learning to channel her Persona, but she doesn't have to reload bullets anymore, so I'm guessing that that's her power.

Shinji also doesn't seem to have any Persona abilities other than the fact that he threw a tank earlier. Yeah, I've stopped being impressed by the stuff he does. Maybe his beanie gives him super-strength…

* * *

Then we got to the first guardian chamber.

_~ Huh? ~_ Fuuka said. _~ I don't sense anything! ~_

That's weird… the only thing I see out of place are a couple of statues…

"Let's take a look around." I suggested, leading the way.

_~ Wait! ~ _ Fuuka called. _~ I sense something moving very fast! ~_

"Where!?" Shinji asked, spinning around.

_~ No, it's gone. ~_ Fuuka said. _~ Never mind. ~_

I sighed with relief. _~ Wait! There it is again! ~_

Seriously!? I looked around but saw nothing. _~ How is it doing that? ~_ Fuuka asked with concern. _~ As soon as anyone turns to where it is, it disappears… ~_

Wait, what? "Fuuka?" I asked. "How many statues are there in the room?" I asked.

_~ Uh, seven, why? ~_ She asked.

"I can see two." I said. "How many are being looked at right now?"

_~ Um, all but one of them… why..? ~_

Pharos, you looking at that one?

"Yeah." He replied. "Want me to keep doing it?"

Please. "Never mind that one." I said, "Maybe it's a real statue, but focus on the two I'm looking at Fuuka." I ordered. "No one else look this way."

I closed my eyes for a second.

They had moved.

"Bloody hell…" I said. "NOBODY MOVE!" I shouted. "LOOK AT THE STATUES!!"

"What's going on!?" Kenjamin asked. "What's the problem!"

"The Statues are the Shadows!" I said with panic. "I've seen these things before."

"Stone Angels?" Shinji asked.

"In a damn scary TV show once." I explained. "I think the Shadows might be choosing forms specifically to defeat us."

"Ya don't say…" Shinji sighed. "Alright, so why do we SHIT!!" He shouted.

"Don't look away!!" I shouted, straining to keep my eyes open.

"I didn't!" Shinji shouted. "I just blinked and-"

"Don't blink." I told everyone. "Don't even blink. Blink and you're dead." Dammit, my eyes are starting to hurt. "They're fast, faster than you could believe. Don't turn your back, don't look away, and don't blink."

"What are these things?" Kenjamin asked.

"Weeping Angels." I explained. "They don't exist when they're being observed. The moment they are seen by any other living creature, they freeze into rock."

"That is scientifically impossible." Aigis explained.

"Science has no choice in the matter; it's a fact of their biology." I explained. "In the sight of any living thing they literally turn to stone. And you can't kill a stone. 'Course," I shrugged, really needing a blink, "A stone can't kill you either, but then you turn your head away. Then you blink, and oh yes it can!" I allowed myself a wink from each eye. Each Angel moved six feet closer to me.

"Alright, I got a plan." I said, drawing a sheathed katana from the scroll and getting into a Battojutsu stance. "If I'm right, then touching these things will send you back in time."

"I'm willing to believe anything at this point." Kenjamin admitted as I tossed a test Homunculus at the nearest one. The little green thing vanished.

"It does." I said. "Right, we can't use our Persona because we'd flinch from the gunshot." I said, "And we can't touch it, so I got an idea."

"Let's hear it." Shinji replied as I started shoving Tarukaja spells down me.

"I'm gonna battojutsu it." I said as I activated the seal of the demi-fiend. "If I let go at the exact right second, then it should destroy the statue."

"The odds of that succeeding are less than one percent." Aigis replied.

"I'm betting my life on that zero percent then." I replied, as I swung.

I blinked.

* * *

Everyone disappeared.

"Well, this sucks." Pharos replied. "Looks like you've gone back in time."

"Can't have gone far." I replied. "For one thing, I'm still in Tziah."

"Could be ten years before you see your friends again though." Pharos replied.

"Well, let's just get out of here and find out then?" I suggested.

* * *

We couldn't get out.

"HEY MINATO!!" Pharos shouted in the lobby.

"WHAT!?" I shouted back.

"IT'S WINDY!!"

"YA DON'T SAY!?" I shouted back.

Okay, the remains of Mitsuru's bike is there, so it's still 2009, and we're in a typhoon. "LOOKS LIKE WE GOT A FEW HOURS TO KILL PHAROS!!" I shouted back. "WANNA CLIMB THE REST OF THE TOWER!?"

"GO ON THEN!!"

* * *

_**You got off lucky with the angels**_

"Hey Reaper." I replied, looking around for him as I cut down a golden armoured samurai. "So I guess they're not created yet?" I asked.

_**Why would they be? You are home with an illness**_

Don't remind me. I'm betting Lucifer did me a favour here, but I'm not complaining if he did.

"Hey, is that a tank?" I asked.

* * *

"DRIVE ME CLOSER!!" I shouted from the tank's turret. "I WANT TO HIT THEM WITH MY SWORD!!"

The Shadow dissolved before Pharos could carry out my order. "Huh." He commented. "They don't make them like they used to."

"Hey, there any food around here?" I asked Pharos.

"Well, there's this… odd… morsel…" He admitted.

"Good enough." I stated, shoving it down my throat.

I immediately wished I didn't. "Okay, I'm so gonna feed that to Junpei later."

* * *

Before too long, I reached the umpteenth floor and found a bigass Table shadow.

"Watch out." Pharos warned. "That thing's gonna kick your ass from here to Sunday." He warned.

"Well, we got a few hours left to kill." I replied, summoning fire to my hands.

"Don't do that." Pharos warned. "Really, don't fight it close up."

Fire gone. "So, you're saying I should fight it old school then?" I asked, drawing my Evoker.

"Yep."

Fair enough. "UBELLURIS!!" I shouted, summoning the stone golem. It swung its mountainous fist, which shattered against the white Table's force field. "I don't think the other physicals are gonna do much good either…" Pharos replied, entering my body and giving me the Shinigami Eyes.

I dodged the Table's Hamaon. "DOMINION!!" I switched, putting the Evoker to my head and summoning a Mazionga. It hit, repeatedly, but the Table was still standing, if a bit shocked. "Any more ideas?" I asked Pharos."

"Just keep digging." He told me as I dodged a fireball. "Try to outlast it before it kills you."

Alright then. "DOMINION!!" I shouted, casting again.

It launched a Megidola that hit me dead on. "Crap…" I gasped, summoning Dominion again for another Diarama.

Crazy idea… "INFURIATE!!" I shouted, summoning the angel again.

The Table failed to turn red and go crazy. "Alright then…" I decided, "What else we got?"

"We got that Black Frost," Pharos replied, "But fire skills won't be that helpful here."

"Weak to light." I replied. "But I got something." I changed Persona and summoned again. "PARVATI!"

A huge block of ice surrounded the table, doing some serious damage.

See, this is a huge gamble. Parvati is weak against the Table's fire skills, but it has Dodge Fire. So, if I'm hit, I'm screwed, but in theory, I shouldn't get hit.

I dodged the oncoming fireball reflexively. I think the Table's gonna be going home in its undies. "BUFUDYNE!!" I shouted, summoning Parvati again.

That did some serious damage, knocking the Shadow down. I switched to Ose. "CRUEL ATTACK!!" I shouted, as Ose leapt onto the collapsed Table and stabbed both blades into it.

The Table screamed in pain and died, leaving behind a few gold cups. I harvested them and continued climbing the tower.

* * *

So I hung out on floor 139 for a while, until Pharos gave me the signal I'd worked out for killing the Stone Angels.

"Now." He told me, and I rushed down the teleporter.

* * *

_~ Um, all but one of them… why..? ~_

I came in the lobby and shouted my order. "DON'T SAY ANYTHING!!"

Looking at everyone's surprised face, I knew that my cover wasn't going to be blown. "Look, I'm about to be sent back in time a few days, so we gotta let that happen. But once that's done, I need everyone to rush through the telepad up to floor 135 and help us out up there.

"Dude, you're acting crazy." Junpei replied as Fuuka cut the feed.

"Oh yeah?" I asked as I tossed him a steel briefcase. "That's the Old Document from the next barricade." I told him. "Look, we need to time this right, or everyone up there's gonna die." I said. "Now come on!"

* * *

Junpei, Yukari, Akihiko and I came through the Telepad just in time to see me vanish. "NO!!" Aigis shouted.

"DAMMIT!!" Shinji swore as he stepped back from his angel to get mine into his gaze as it collapsed in half.

"It's cool." I said, running in. "I'm back."

"Minato-San!" Aigis shouted gladly.

"HOW THE HELL!?" Shinji shouted.

"Time Travel." I said. "Long story." Mitsuru, Koromaru and Fuuka came through the teleporter. "Look, we got enough people, so now we can work on killing them, alright?"

* * *

I explained what happened as we took turns demolishing them with our Personae. They found the time travel part hard to believe, but they couldn't deny that I'd already activated the telepad on the higher floors,

So now I'm Minato Arisoto: Time Traveller. Yay.

Let's not do that again.

* * *

Next day was Akihiko's birthday, so I spent the day looking around Paulownia mall looking for a present while Kenjamin distracted him. I led the team in preparing Aigis's birthday last time, so Mitsuru insisted that I didn't help for the preparations for this party.

I was having a little trouble, but then I got distracted by a fat guy from our school sitting on a bench.

He was of the Moon Arcana.

"Huh?" He asked as I walked up to him. "What do you want with the Gourmet King?" He asked.

"Gourmet King?" I asked. "How'd you get that title?"

"By mastering every single restaurant in the Bay Area!" He boasted. "For example." He pointed to Café Chagall. "That Café, what is their trademark product?" He asked, sneering.

"Pheromone Coffee." I replied. Easy.

"Well, that was an obvious one." He admitted. "Alright then, What colour is the mascot for Wild Duck Burger?" He challenged.

"It's a green duck." I answered without hesitation. The way it still moved when time stops for the mystic voices to talk is really disturbing.

"Hm." He smiled. "Alright then. You seem to be a worthy opponent then." He smiled with pride. "What dish is famed for being able to make your skin smoother, despite it's oily composure?"

"Hagakure bowl." I replied instantly. Kenji often remarked that as being one of its selling points.

"Gak!" He really didn't expect me to get that one. "Alright, so you are knowledgeable about the area." He admitted. "But there is no food in this world that I haven't eaten, and that is why I am the Gourmet King!"

Oh yeah? "I bet you haven't ever eaten one of these before." I replied, showing him an Odd Morsel.

He took it with interest. "Hm… you're right, I haven't…" He sniffed it. "It's certainly edible… but…" He took a bite. "Holy…" He took another one. "This is…" Bite. "Absolutely…" He finished the questionable food. "Vile."

"Isn't it just?" I asked. "So, am I worthy to stand in your presence, your majesty?" I asked him.

"Certainly." He smiled. "We go to the same school, right? I've seen you before."

"It's the hair." I replied. "No-one forgets the hair."

He looked somewhat uncomfortable. "...Umm, I'm kind of embarrassed to say this to you first thing, but... Would you mind not standing so close to me?"

Huh? "It's 'cause you're so thin and cool." He added hurriedly. "If people start thinking we're best friends or something, I'm going to end as 'the uncool one'."

"…Sure…" I replied. Whatever floats your boat.

"Yeah, I thought your voice sounded familiar."

The fat guy and me turned to see and angry middle aged man storming towards us. "You know what I'm here for." He stated angrily. "Hand it over."

The fat guy jumped up and started panicking. "Wh-Whoa... It-It's you... H-H-Help! Uh, emergency! H-Hey y-y-you, call the fire truck... er, I mean the... the..."

"The Police?" I suggested, putting the poor kid out of his misery.

"Yes!" He shouted happily, hiding behind me. "Right! We think the same way!"

"Pipe down." The middle aged man ordered. "I don't want anyone getting suspicious."

The man sighed. "Look, I have to go take care of some business, but you're... Nozomi Suemitsu, aren't you?" He asked the fat kid behind me. "Yeah, thought so..." He nodded. "You're going to have to reconsider. I really can't let this one slide."

He walked away angrily. That was some serious hate he had for the guy. "Well that was something..." The guy behind me said, moving to face me. "Normally I would stand up to guys like him, but I'm trying to be passive nowadays." He smiled. "My name is Nozomi Suemitsu!"

"Minato Arisoto." I replied.

"By the way, about what I said before..." He looked embarrassed, then happy. "Maybe it's not so bad having you stand in front of me."

**SMASH!**

_Thou art I… And I am thou…_

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Moon Arcana…_

"All that arguing made me hungry." Nozomi sighed. "My stomach is definitely not amused. You want to tag along?"

"Sure." I replied. "Where too?"

Nozomi chuckled. "Just who the hell do you think I am?" He asked boastingly. "I'm Gourmet King 2009!! Or, was it 2010?" Yeah, you just killed the awesome. "Eh, whatever." He shrugged. "I know all the best places for-- uh... wha?"

Nozomi's stomach started growling really loudly. "That... sounds like a tummy emergency." He clutched said tummy. "This is gonna be too expensive. I'll have to treat you another time! Don't worry, I'll remember!"

He ran like hell. He's fast for a fat guy. Oh well, now to find something for Akihiko.

* * *

I decided not to go for the boxing memorabilia that the others were obviously gonna go for and got him a book on social confidence.

Yeah, I remembered his fails back at Yakushima.

He was pretty pissed, but he got over it and found it pretty damn hilarious.

Overall, it was a decent party.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

There you go. New chapter.

Weeping Angels are Doctor Who monsters from the episode 'Blink' from season 3 of the new series. It is scary is hell.

In the conversation that was said, I combined the SMT universe with the Discworld 'God's get their power from worship' Idea. Islam, Judaism and Christianity do all share the same roots at at Abraham, and the Samaritans were a breakaway sect of the Israelites who wanted to marry Gentiles, so those bits are true. I don't believe that religion itself is wrong or violent, I just think people tend to use God as an excuse or a reason.

Next chapter will have the hilarious cleaning up after the culture festival, Hanging out with Shinji, and some general stuff. Enjoy!


	63. Chapter 63

Terrible news everyone.

My computer crapped up again. Thankfully, I keep all my coursework and story notes on my trust USB stick, so I can still write. However, until my computer is fixed, my movements are going to be limited, but I'll do what I can.

Kioku, I've got my own plan for the ending. It shall not disappoint. And no, Minato can't chain Igor up in his place. That'd kinda ruin Persona 4.

Slicerness, that was exactly what I was going for with the Lucifer discussion. Religions are not bad, and neither are religious people. People just use them as yet another excuse. As for the cameo's, I'll see what I can do.

NightmareSyndrom, Notice that Minato only used his contract once, and that was against something they were severely disadvantaged against, end even then, Black Frost took a back seat. Minato only used demons when demons involve themselves. He doesn't like asking for help.  
I assume by YGOTAS, you mean "My voice gives me super strength!"? Because I think that was meant to be a reference at the time, but I can't remember. Probably was. Also, Pharos's tank died. That's why it vanished.

Slackerman, not really. Still the fallen angel mode.

TenshiReike, glad you enjoyed the story so far, hope you continue to enjoy the future chapters.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

A few days later, it was back to school. And guess who else came back.

"Kaz!" I shouted as I saw him hobbling into school on crutches that Thursday. "How'd it go?" I asked him.

"Great!" He told me. "Operation was a perfect success, and my nephew's doing great in physiotherapy!" He grinned. "I'll probably be in these until January though…" He sighed.

I slapped him across the back. "It's fine." I told him. "I got kicked off the Kendo team too."

That shocked him. "You serious!? What the hell for!?"

"Fighting Mamoru." I told him. "So worth it though."

Kaz sighed. "You never wanted to uphold the school did you?" He asked.

"Nope." I grinned. "Just wanted to kick some arse."

"Each to his own I suppose." He smiled. "Now to explain this to Yuko."

Huh? "Wait, you haven't told her?" I asked him.

That confused him. "Didn't you?" He asked.

"Why the hell would I?" I told him.

"Aren't you two going out?"

"What!?" I shouted. "No. NO!"

"Really?" Kaz was surprised. "I could've sworn that she was into you."

"Not anymore." I told him. "I'm trying to live that down."

I refused to talk anymore about it, because if I did, then Kaz would be forced to fight for her honour, and I'd have to kick a cripple's arse.

* * *

"Alright class," Ms. Toriumi told us after lunch. "This afternoon's classes are cancelled."

YES!!

"However, this doesn't mean that you'll be allowed to goof off." She said.

NOOO!!

"You'll all split into teams and help clean up after the cancelled Culture Festival." Ms. Toriumi continued to explain. "Group one will take care of the science lab, and Kenji-kun will be the leader."

"Huh?" Kenji asked, "Why me?"

"Because I said so." Ms. Toriumi replied.

* * *

Me, Kenji, Kaz, Yukari, Junpei, Aigis and a bunch of other guys from our class were forced to work under Kenji's iron fist.

"C'mon, let's hurry up and get this over with."

Or at least his lazy arse.

"Hey, aren't these pictures from the big competition?" Kenji asked as he started taking down the Photography display. "Look, Minato, you're in this one."

"Really?" I asked, looking round. So I was.

"Hey, you're in this one too." Kenji replied. "And this one."

"Why the hell are there so many of you?" Pharos asked.

"Someone clearly likes my handsome face." I pointed.

"Whoa..." Kenji whistled, picking up a different picture. "Isn't the guy who took first kinda dark looking? He looks like he's got a bad suntan or something."

"That's Mamoru." Kaz called. "He's crazy strong. Though of course, I'll beat him one day." He added with a smug wave of his crutches.

"Dude, I think you've already taken the sweatiness competition." Kenji sighed. "I've never seen you in the school uniform before today."

Yeah, Kazushi was in a school uniform because he couldn't train because of his leg. It looked so weird.

"Hey," Yukari called over. "You guys can jabber all you want, but work while you talk. At this rate, we'll be here all day."

"Yo heard da lady, foo!" Mr. T. shouted. "Quit yo Jibba Jabba and git some back into it!"

"Yeah yeah…" Kenji sighed. "We get the message Hideo-kun…"

"S-sorry…" Kaz apologised to Yukari.

"Hey…" Kenji quietly asked Kaz. "You're not, like..?"

Whatever he was talking about, Kenji got Kaz into a panic. "Wh-whaddaya mean?"

"You better not be eyeing my woman." I muttered under my breath.

* * *

Soon, Junpei and Aigis came into the room carrying a box of stuff.

"Ugh, I'm already bushed..." Junpei moaned as he dumped the box onto a table. "I brought the stuff, Nail puller, tape… yada yada ya…"

"Cool, thanks man!" Kenji replied, rooting through the box. "What, hang on... Did you forget the popping stuff?"

"Popping stuff?" Junpei asked.

"Bubble wrap." I translated.

"Uh... Good call Kenji." Junpei replied with a bad liars grin. "Go get it. You know where they keep all this stuff, right?"

"Well, yeah, but you're the one who forgot it." Kenji glared.

"Huh? Are you sure?" Junpei taunted. "You really don't want to go? That place is like a paradise, you know that? Some fine chica's there who'd be just your type..."

"W-wait, are you serious!?" Kenji asked excitedly. "Be right back guys!" The grin vanished. "Yeah, like I'd fall for that, dumbass." Kenji's a better liar than Junpei is. "What kind of supply room is stocked with hot babes?"

"Mine." I answered, dismantling the display. "There's also a bar and a guy called Igor."

"A-HEM!" Yukari interrupted. "I believe I asked you all to hurry it up so we can go home!"

"U-uhhh, sorry, Yuka-tan..." Junpei apologised as Yukari got back to work. "She's like a pissed off samurai..."

"I heard that!" Yukari shouted. "Geez... Are you stupid or something?" She muttered.

"More like Stupei, I think." Kenji sighed.

"D-Déjà vu!" Junpei exclaimed. Was it the same cat? "Fine… I'll go to the supply room later…"

* * *

"But yeah... it's a real shame the school festival fell through." Kenji sighed. "There were so many cool events I was looking forward to, like a stand-up comedy show..." He sighed. "They said it was going to be open mic, so I was planning on trying it out."

"Whoa, really?" Junpei asked. "With who?"

"You." Kenji replied.

"Daang…" Junpei nodded, before his brain caught up with his chin. "Wait a sec, you gotta let me in on plans like that!"

"Dude, it was just a joke." Kenji laughed. "It was gonna be Kazushi."

"Who, me?" Kaz asked. "Hell no."

"Geez, you guys are harsh… Can't any of you take a joke?" Kenji asked before turning to me. "Minato then."

"Bring it on, bitches." I replied.

"Now that's the spirit!" Kenji laughed. "You wanna give it a little try right here?"

"I stand by what I just said."

* * *

"Hello and welcome!" Kenji shouted. "To the amazing Kenji Tomochika comedy duo!" He shouted.

"Starring Minato Arisoto!" I shouted. "And less important people."

"Dude, the Duo's named after me!" He shouted back.

"It's a duo of one." I shrugged.

That got a surprising amount of laughs. "Man, it's almost a shame that the culture festival got cancelled." Kenji sighed. "We would've rocked the place…"

"Ah well." I shrugged. "We just gotta wait for the next one."

"Yeah." Kenji nodded. "Just gotta go to sleep three hundred and sixty more times and we're done!"

That got way more laughs than it should've done. "Dude, we rock!" He shouted. "How's about a joke?"

Fair enough. "Wenn ist das Nunstruck git und Slotermeyer?" I asked. "Ja! ... Beiherhund das Oder die Flipperwaldt gersput!"

The room fell silent, but Bebe collapsed onto the floor, laughing his head off. Oh crap I just told the funniest joke in the world to someone who speaks German. "Bebe!" I shouted, rushing for him. "You alright man!?"

"Minato… sama…" Bebe gasped as between furious giggles. "Please… finish ze… kimono… wizout me…"

He fell unconscious. "Looks like someone found it funny." I added in the silence, which got some serious laughs.

I picked Bebe up and headed for the door. "Thank you all and goodnight!" I shouted, taking a bow before leaving for the nurses office.

* * *

Thankfully, Bebe wasn't fluent in German so he's expected to make a full recovery within a week.

"Well... I think that went pretty good, considering we didn't rehearse." Kenji replied as we walked back to the science room. "Who knew jokes could be so deadly?"

"Joke warfare was banned by the Geneva convention in nineteen-forty-five." I replied soberly. "I think I might've committed a war crime."

Kenji laughed. "See? That's what I'm talking about! We're funny!" I opened the door to the science room. "Man... What a waste..."

"I just don't think I'm cut out for stand-up comedy." I replied. "But yeah, total waste."

"Hey, you know what else is a waste?" Kenji asked. "We never got to see Yukari-san in her maid outfit!"

"Huh!?" Yukari gasped. "Ugh... So word got out about that. I'm relieved it never happened..."

"But I bet lotsa guys were really disappointed..." Kenji nodded. "Right, Kazushi?"

"Huh? R-Really?" Kaz replied, clearly out of his comfort zone. "Wait, what's a maid?"

"A pure soul!" Junpei shouted, astonished.

"There's no such thing as innocence." I replied. "Only varying shades of guilt." I poked Kaz in the chest. "You're lying."

"No, seriously!" Kaz slapped my hand down. "I have no idea what you're talking about!"

That's… surprisingly the truth. "We'll have to corrupt you later." Kenji decided. "It's something that... guys like Junpei dream about."

Everyone looked at Junpei, disappointed. "Junpei…" Yukari groaned.

"W-Wait a sec, what's that look for?" Junpei asked. "You act like I did something!"

Aigis was just as disappointed. "Junpei-san…"

"You gotta be kidding!" Junpei shouted. "You too, Aigis!?"

"Excuse me... Is Yukari-san here?"

I haven't heard that voice in a while. "Oh, Yuko-san." Yukari replied. "What's up?"

"Hey, that tent on the grounds, is it okay if we put it in the Archery club room?" Yoko asked as I moved out of her range of vision.

"Oh yeah, that's fine. It belongs to us anyway..." Yukari nodded. "Hey, don't worry about it, our club will take care of it."

"Oh, it's no trouble." Yoko shook her head. "Our class just happens to be in charge of the grounds. We'll go put it away now. Thanks!" She looked around the room. "See you... AH!"

She started walking towards me. "You're gonna get screwed over." Pharos decided, laughing his backside off.

"Minato-kun! Are you feeling better?" She asked. "You had a fever, right..?" Crap. "I heard you were laid up in bed all through break..." Crap. "Are you okay now?" Crap.

"Yeah, just look at him." Kaz answered. "He's fine."

"Yeah, good point." Yoko nodded. "Well, I'm glad to hear it... Whoa, you're here too Kaz?" She asked with surprise. "You better get to work; an ox like you has gotta pull his weight!"

"I just got outta hospital!" Kaz replied angrily, waving a crutch. "And isn't it about time you got back to the grounds?"

"Yeah, yeah, I know!" Yoko replied angrily. "I haven't seen him in a while, so give us a minute!"

Yeah, this couldn't possibly get any more awkward.

"Um, excuse me!" Chihiro asked as she opened the door. "If you happen to have any masking tape, we need to borrow some... Oh, Minato, I'm so glad to see you..."

"Oh, hey." I replied as I started fingering one of the scrolls in my pocket.

"I'm in charge of the classroom next door, but we're out of masking tape..." She explained. "Mitsuru-senpai mentioned that you had had a cold, so I was wondering… oh…" Crap. "Nishiwaki-senpai…"

"Fushimi-kohei…" Yuko nodded as I got the object I was looking for.

"NINJA VANISH!" I shouted, slamming the smoke grenade against the floor, escaping as everybody choked.

* * *

"Not that funny Naoki." I replied as he laughed his head off on the roof.

"It's freakin' hilarious!" He shouted. "You actually used a smoke grenade to get out of an awkward situation?"

"I did it to prevent blood from being spilt!" I replied angrily.

"You did it because you're a coward." Pharos replied.

"You can shut up as well." I sighed. "So, why we sitting above the door?" I asked.

"Just watch…" Naoki replied mysteriously.

I waited for a few minutes, and Mitsuru came through the door below us and looked around. "Nobody's here…" She said to herself, not seeing us. "Good."

She sat down on one of the benches and pulled out a fashion magazine. What the hell?

"I want to try…" She muttered before pointing to a space on a page. "This pink one…"

She laughed sarcastically. "'Course, I'd never be able to pull it off. I'm not Takeba…"

Wait, Mitsuru is jealous of Yukari for her good looks? Wow. Who'dve thought.

"I need to remember the difference between clothes I can wear, and clothes I wanna wear…" She sighed to herself, closing the magazine in a huff before sneezing. "Whoo, look's like I'm getting a cold… I need to stop walking around my room with no clothes on…"

**WHAT!?**

She walked back into the school leaving a very nice mental image burned into my brain. "That's what I'm talking about." Naoki nodded. "You live with her, right?"

"The security video system was removed from the bedrooms…" I sighed. DAMMIT! That was my fault!

"Ah well." He sighed. "Maybe one day she'll forget and you'll get lucky."

"That would be the day I die." I replied. From what Shinji told me yesterday, castration would be preferable to her 'Executions'.

* * *

"I wish the Typhoon was on our side." Junpei groaned as we walked home together with Aigis, Mitsuru and Yukari. "Maybe it could blow a ramen stand into a Shadow and kill it with one hit! Wouldn't that be awesome!?"

Everyone walked in silence, shaking their heads at Junpei's stupid idea.

I was more concerned about the mysterious Email I'd just received from who I assume is the fortune teller lady.

-{ After the storm comes not calm, but another trial... }- It read. –{ Do not despair, however... I sense strong forces at your side, even more so than before... Be brave, and confront this hardship with unshakeable resolve... Farewell, then... May your future be bright. }-

Yep. Bright and cheery.

What really worries me is that I didn't actually give her my Email. I blame Tatsuya somehow.

* * *

A week later and it was October. Back to winter uniforms. I had missed my jacket.

"Hey, where is my jacket?"

"You destroyed it in the fight against the Chariot." Pharos explained. "Because it was summer, you didn't bother ordering a new one, remember?" He asked.

Bugger. "Fine then." I decided. I'll just wear my work jacket and hope no-one notices.

* * *

"We have to wear winter wear from now on..." A girl complained as I walked past her. "It's so heavy, my shoulders hurt. But I looked in the pocket, and I found a lost possession!"

"My shoulders hurt too..." Her friend agreed. "Plus, I hear weird voices... And I've got a headache..."

I hear voices in my headphones.

_We come from the land of the ice and snow with the midnight sun and the hotsprings blow!_

"P-possession!" Exclaimed her friend.

_Hammer of the gods…_

* * *

"Everyone, can I have your attention, please!" The club advisor called at Music club that afternoon. "It seems that the composition Keisuke submitted to the contest really caught the eyes of the judges! They said you'll definitely be receiving a prize, Keisuke."

"Huh...?" Keisuke asked. "I-I don't understand... What does that mean..?"

"It means you placed in the top four." Clubman explained. "At best you'll receive first place, and at worst, you'll receive an honourable mention. The judges were impressed with how you used the violin to give an angry, powerful feel. Congratulations, Keisuke!"

"Hey, good job, Keisuke-senpai." Mika commented.

Infact, everyone was impressed. "You should tell your dad." I suggested.

"Th-That's right!" Keisuke exclaimed. "My dad promised me! He said if I won, I could do whatever I want... So this means I don't have to listen to him anymore, right?"

"Hey, we should celebrate!" Fuuka called.

"Yeah, that would be fun!" Added a girl whose name I didn't know yet.

"Thanks, everybody..." Keisuke replied, wiping a tear from his eye. "And sorry for causing you so much trouble, Minato-kun ...Well, we should probably get going. You're coming to the party, right?"

"Why the hell wouldn't I be?" I asked.

**SMASH!**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Fortune Arcana..._

"I don't mean to interrupt your party, Keisuke, but there are a few things I need to talk to you about..." The teacher interrupted. "But don't worry everyone. It won't take long. Please wait outside the Faculty Office."

"I'll wait for him." I decided after Keisuke left with the teacher. "You guys clean up so we can go."

I dodged a thrown drum baton. "You just want to get out of the work, don't you?"

"And I know it." I grinned, closing the door behind me.

* * *

"Well, Keisuke... The judges think you have a lot of potential." The teacher said from outside the office. "So, if you're interested in studying abroad, they'd be willing to help you transfer to a school overseas."

"Me...? Study abroad?" Keisuke asked, neither of them noticing me until Fuuka ran up to them.

"Oh, Keisuke, there you are! I was looking all over for you! Come quick! Mikarin just fainted!"

"Huh?" Keisuke asked. "Oh, okay! I'll be right there!" He turned to the teacher. "Sorry, Sensei. This is all so sudden. I'll need some time to think about it." He ran to the club room with Fuuka.

"He says he doesn't want to be a doctor..." The teacher said to me once they left. "But he's always trying to help people in need... A doctor's son with such talent... I have to say, I'm a bit jealous."

He sighed. "It doesn't seem like anyone's in the mood to celebrate now... Well, I guess I'll let everyone know what happened. You can get going if you want."

I didn't want. So I headed off to the student council room to tell Hidetoshi.

* * *

"If Kei has something to tell me, he can tell me it himself." Hidetoshi told me. Wow, they must be close. "Thanks for the offer, but I'd rather hear it from him."

"Fair enough." I replied. "You made any progress into the investigation?"

Hidetoshi shook his head. "The other day, I was talking about the cigarette butt in the boys' bathroom... The teachers want the student to be expelled as soon as I find out who it is."

"Expulsion, huh?" I asked. "He should suffer, but…"

"I agree." Hidetoshi nodded. He seemed torn. "I think once I catch the culprit, I'll give him a good lecturing."

"Really?" I asked.

He nodded. "After all, the point is to try and prevent it from happening again. It'd be great if I could get people like him to change their ways. I don't sympathize with students who break the rules, but..." Hidetoshi sighed. "Will kicking the 'bad' kids out really make school a better place?"

"It is Kira logic I admit." I admitted.

"I don't know why I'm complaining." Hidetoshi continued, shaking his head. "It's really not like me. I guess I'm just confused because I feel so powerless. I'll have more power if I do what the teacher wants and win his trust. Then, people will have to listen to me." He turned to face the window. "Watch me, Minato-kun! I'll work my way to the top."

**SMASH!**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Emperor Arcana..._

"I have some work to do." Hidetoshi replied, turning around to sit at the desk. "I'm going to make a list of suspects. You should go home, Minato-kun. And be careful."

I followed his advice.

* * *

On my way to the bathroom at lunchtime the next day, I overheard an interesting conversation.

"Don't be so stubborn!" Ekoda shouted from inside the Teacher's Lounge. "Just put his name on the list!"

"Minato-kun was chosen by the President to be in Student Council." Hidetoshi replied as I started dropping eaves. "He's very responsible. That's why I don't consider him a suspect."

"There are witnesses who saw him wandering the streets at midnight!" Ekoda shouted. "There have also been numerous accounts of him acting violently, he completely disregards the school dress code, and he has even been seen arguing with the police!" Ah. All of those are true. "I thought you hated students who don't follow the rules..." Ekoda snarled.

"I don't doubt that there were witnesses," Hidetoshi answered. "But I believe in Minato-kun. So, I'm not adding him to the list of suspects."

"I thought you were smarter than that, Hidetoshi." Ekoda sighed angrily. "Forget about our deal."

"If you'll excuse me, then." Hidetoshi came through the door and jumped when he saw me. "You were listening?"

I nodded. "It wasn't me." I reassured him.

"I know;" Hidetoshi smiled. "You don't have to tell me."

"The other bits were true though." I replied.

"I know;" Hidetoshi smiled. "You don't have to tell me. That teacher thinks it was you... Did he really pass his certification exam?"

"He just has a vendetta against me since I schooled his arse during Fuuka's disappearance." I explained.

"That explains a lot…" Hidetoshi nodded. "Don't worry, Minato-kun. Even if the whole school turns on me, I won't sell you out."

**SMASH!**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Emperor Arcana..._

"'I won't sell you out.'" Hidetoshi repeated. "Not bad, huh?"

The bell for the next lesson rang. "See ya, Minato-kun." Hidetoshi replied as he headed for class.

Screw class, I need a slash.

* * *

I went into the sewing room after school to check if Bebe had recovered, and it looked like he had. "Zeeeere we goooooo! I am finish!!" He shouted triumphantly in broken Engrish.

"Great job." I replied, admiring the Kimono. "It looks great."

He started crying. "Your words will always 'ave a place in my 'eart, Minato-sama... When my uncle sees zis, he will surely let me come back to Nihon! It eez time for 'im to concede! I must 'urry up and go see 'im!"

Hurry? "When are you going?" I asked him.

"Zis Sunday." He replied sadly. "So, I 'ave to say goodbye for a little while... Sayonara... But, I'll be back! I will not give in to my uncle!"

"…I'll miss you man." I replied. I honestly meant it.

"Arigatou…" He said, sniffling… "Please, take zis…"

He shoved some red cloth into my hands. I unfolded it to see a red waistcoat, kinda like Akihiko's, only not woollen.

"I made it from ze leftover material." Bebe explained. "It eez a sign of our friendship!" He openly started crying now. "Onegaishimasu... Please... Wait for my return, Minato-sama. My favorite memories from Nihon... ...are all ze times we hung out togezer."

"I'll give you a welcome back present." I replied, blinking.

"Z-Zank you so-- ...Uw-Uwaaaaa...!

I put the waistcoat on a table as he started hugging me.

**SMASH!**

_Thou art I… And I am thou…_

_The bond thou hast nurtured hath finally matured._

_The innermost power of the Temperance Arcana hath been set free._

_We bestow upon thee the ability to create Yurlungur, the ultimate form of the Temperance Arcana..._

_This bond shall never be broken… even as the Earth stands between you…_

That was… nice…

"Kanashii... It makes me sad, but... Tomorrow, I must prepare to go, so... ...Sayonara!"

I clapped his back. "Au Revoir." I corrected. "Sayonara is forever."

He must've cried for an hour.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

That was nice. Really, it was.

Got my Laptop back, fine and well, so expect the next chapter soon.

Now, don't bother translating the German joke, it's absolute nonsense. Look up 'Monty Python - Funniest Joke In The World' And you'll get it. A slash is a piss.

Next chapter will be the Fortune full moon, so if you've played the game, you know that the next few chapters will be depressing. Sorry.

Until then, enjoy!


	64. Chapter 64

WARNING: Persona 3: Fairly English Story – Chapter 64 contains usage of foul language. Parental Advise is recommended.

Pfft… yeah, like you let your parents know you read Fanfiction, or ask their permission to read it incase of swears.

Voidshadow, I think I might join you. NINJA VANISH!

Well, got a chapter to write first. Jared, next one's scheduled for November 17th, but you may get one before that.

Slicerness, TWOGK is also one of my favourite manga, but I highly recommend you check out Akumetsu and The Breaker as well. Both of them are awesome. And yes, it is that full moon boss.

Derek Barona, that is nothing compared to what I have planned for Yukari's video cutscene. NOTHING.

And now an announcement. I will upload chapter 65 one day after I upload this. If all goes well, you'll get 66 the day after. Don't read them together, read them as they come out, but just remember to check them as soon as they come out.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

_~ I've located the target... It's in the plaza in front of Iwatodai Station! ~_

We were gathered in the command room on the night of the Full Moon. Well, I say we, but there was no Kenjamin or Shinji in sight.

"This will be the tenth..." Ikutsuki stated. Yep, here's here. "Only a few left, but let's worry about them one at a time."

"Assuming they come one at a time." Yukari said with a giggle. "Just kidding."

_~ Yukari-chan, how did you know!? I sense two of them! ~_

"Are you serious!?" Yukari asked, her jaw dropping. "Me and my big mouth…"

"Where's Shinji?" Akihiko asked.

_~ He just notified me that he'll meet up with you later. I didn't ask any questions. ~_

Akihiko grunted. "Figures. He's always played by his own rules."

"It's okay." Junpei shrugged. "At least he's coming, right?"

"Yeah. Not like someone I know who missed last time." Yukari stabbed.

"Hello? I was tied up, remember!?" Junpei reminded her. "Sheesh, give a guy a break…"

"Wait, Kenjamin isn't here, either..." Yukari pointed out.

"YES!!"

"Did you not want him to come along on this mission, Minato-kun?" Ikutsuki asked.

"I'm just happy that the name's sticking." I answered, calming myself down. "Hey Junpei, go get him. That'll be your punishment for last time."

"Punishment..?" Junpei asked. "What is this, kindergarten?"

"Just get him…" Yukari sighed.

"Sheesh…" Junpei groaned. "The little shit's more trouble than he's worth…"

"Watch your language!" I shouted at him as he walked towards the door.

"Dude, you never complain about swearing!" Junpei shouted back as he opened the door.

"The only other person who swears is Shinjiro and he can kick my arse." I explained. "Now go find Kenjamin."

"All right, let's move out." Mitsuru decided as Junpei left the room. "This time, there are two enemies. We'll determine our formation once we arrive."

* * *

And arrive we did.

"Where's Amada?" Mitsuru asked Junpei.

"He wasn't in his room, so who knows?" Junpei shrugged.

"Dammit Shinji, where are you?" Akihiko asked, looking around.

"Where's the second Shadow?" I asked.

Fortune was some pharaoh guy in a cape sitting at a table by the escalators, but there wasn't any sign of the Strength Shadow.

"_My sister shall join us soon._" Fortune announced. "_But for now, why don't we play a little game?_"

Aigis shot the Shadow. She wasn't in the mood for games.

Unfortunately, the bullet ricocheted from a forcefield, and the Shadow tutted. "_I'm sorry, but I only wish to play against my brother._" It said, wagging a finger. "_My sister will play against the rest of you._"

Brother? "You want to play Koromaru?" I asked honestly, messing with his head.

"_Canine's lack the tools needed to play this game._" Fortune replied as it shuffled a deck of cards. "_But I'll welcome you to my table._"

Right then. "Fuuka, come with me." I ordered. "Everyone else, we're going to proceed with the mission without Shinjiro or Kenjamin."

"You do realise the Shadow's plan is to split us up, right?" Mitsuru asked.

"Meaning that the Strength is weak enough to not want to fight me." I told her. "So you guys will be more then enough for it. Fuuka will provide support from near the table, where the Strength won't be."

"_I have faith in my sister._" Fortune commented as I walked up to the table.

"I have faith in my allies." I replied as I sat down. "So, what game we playing?"

"_Blackjack._" The Shadow replied. "_And we shall play using these chips._" The Shadow gestured to a steel briefcase on the table.

I opened it to find a stack of casino chips with chibi faces on them. The blue ones had my face on them, the red ones had Mitsuru's face, the pink ones had Yukari's face, the yellow one's had Aigis's face, the green one's Fuuka's, White were Akihiko's, Black were Junpei's, and Koromaru was grey. "_And since money is worthless in this world…_" I could swear that that mask was trying to sneer. "_We shall play with blood._"

_~ Everyone! ~_ Fuuka called. _~ Minato has to gamble using our life force as credit! Are we all okay with that? ~_

"Hey, I never said that I was doing this!" I shouted at her.

_~ Everyone's okay with it. ~_ Fuuka told me. _~ I'll let you focus on the table; we'll deal with the Strength Shadow. ~_

Great. "Well, let's go then." I replied. "Hit me."

"_You need to place a bet first._" Fortune advised, handing me the shuffled deck. "_And please cut it first._"

I split the deck in half as looked again at the briefcase. There was about ten of each chip, eighty in all. "I'm assuming that if one person runs out of chips, they die?" I asked, handing the two half-decks back.

"_Correct… That's what makes this game so interesting…_"

"Right." I took one of each chip and pocketed them. "No-one's gonna die." I put one chip with my face on it. "Let's go."

Fortune dealt two cards face down to itself and two to me. Four of swords and six of coins. Fortune flipped one of its own cards and got a Queen of Cups. "Hit." I decided.

The Fortune dealt me an Ace of swords. "Twenty-one." I said with a smirk. "I win."

"_Allow me to reveal my second card, if you will._" Fortune replied as it flipped the second card.

Ace of Swords.

"_A draw._" Smiled the Shadow from behind its green mask.

"You cheated." I replied. "There's no way in hell that there were two of the same Ace in that deck."

"_Well, the deck is clearly faulty."_ The cheater replied, spreading the cards. "_Because all of the remaining cards are Aces of the Sword."_ It chuckled. "_Let us call this game void and begin anew, shall we?"_ Fortune destroyed the deck and summoned the cards. "_Yes, these seem satisfactory."_

This is gonna be tough, because those cards were not all Aces when I cut them.

Pharos, did you see when the Shadow switched out the cards?

"No." He replied. "But there wasn't any surge in Shadow energy, so it was sleight of hand."

Great. "Same bet." I replied, cutting the new deck.

The Shadow dealt me a nineteen. "Stay." I decided, because I'm not risking getting a card above a two.

"_Twenty-one."_ Fortune replied, taking the chip. "_My win."_

GAH!!

I touched my face, which was bleeding. "Damn…" This was freaking serious.

"_Cut the deck, please._"

I did. No way am I betting on the others until Strength is dead, the pain will make a much unneeded distraction.

* * *

And now, I'm down to my last 'me' chip.

"_You should consider playing with your friend's blood." _Fortune suggested as it passed me the deck. "_Please cut it."_

I grinned. If I wasn't so brilliant, I'd be screwed over right now.

I grabbed all of the cards except the bottom one and picked them up, putting them down on the table. "There's no rules saying I can't cut the deck how I like." I said.

Then I flicked out my Leatherman and stabbed down on the one card on the table. "This was gonna be my card anyway, so it doesn't count as marking it." I reasoned, leaving the knife stabbed into the wooden table.

"_So be it."_ Fortune replied. "_Please let go of the other cards so I may deal."_

This was the awesome part.

I let my bloody fingers off the cards.

There was a perfect bloody handprint on the deck.

"Any card he tries to switch in won't have a bloodstain on the edge." Pharos nodded, impressed. "And it's not marking the cards, because he's the one who cut your hand's open… you magnificent bastard."

Language Pharos!

"You're scared." I told Fortune. "You're no longer in control, and you hate that."

That got the Shadow's interest. "You've been switching the cards out all game, but you can't do that anymore, and that scares you." I leaned forward. "You're scared that you can no longer control your destiny. You truly are Fortune Reversed." I chuckled darkly. "I see. Your confidence is only in your cheap magic tricks."

"_You don't know what you speak of, human._" Fortune growled angrily.

"Oh really?" I asked. "Just because you're wearing a mask doesn't mean I can't read you like a book." I smiled. "You're leaning your left arm on the table, which is crossed over to act as a barrier between us. Your right shoulder is raised aggressively, as if you're trying to intimidate me, but the way your fingers are drumming on the table betrays your true anxiety." The drumming stopped. "If magic is the light side of card tricks, then gambling is the darkness." I dealt myself a second card and gave the Fortune two new cards. "And now we fall into the blackest depths of the abyss…"

I turned over the suitcase and pulled all the chips from my pocket. "All in." I said.

The Shadow almost jumped out of its seat. "One of us has already won." I stated, smiling demonically. "The cards have decided a winner, but they aren't telling us just yet." I leaned forward, bearing my fangs maniacally. "Don't you want to stake your very life that they like you more than me?" I asked.

If Fortune was human, it would be sweating its shirt off and be frantically looking for an exit. Since it was a Shadow, it pushed its chips onto the table. "_All in."_

And now the control of the game turns to me. "Just to make this interesting…" I suggested, "Let's both turn one card each."

"_Very well."_ Fortune replied, turning its top card over. Queen of Coins.

I pulled the Leatherman from the table and flipped the pierced card. Ace of Spades.

Well, we're playing by the Tarot minor deck, so it's the Ace of Swords, but it's somewhat comforting to have Death smiling in your favour. "Last chance to fold." I taunted.

"_I was about to ask you the same thing."_ Fortune boasted unconvincingly, flipping its second card.

King of Wands.

Twenty.

"Rather fitting." I said. "King of magic, a rather fitting role."

"_Flip your card."_ Fortune ordered, shaking.

I picked the card up. "When I flip this card, one of us will live, and the other will die…" I smiled. "Doesn't it just drive you mad?" I asked.

"_Flip. The. Card."_ Fortune repeated.

I did.

Two of Hearts, or cups.

Thirteen.

"_YES!!"_ Fortune rejoiced. "_Twenty beats thirteen! I win!"_

I grinned. "Hit."

The party behind the mask stopped. "_What?_" The Shadow asked.

"Hit." I repeated. "When the non-dealer's hand is equal to or less than seventeen, they must hit." My smile grew to resemble a hungry fox. "**Hit.**" I repeated.

Fortune didn't move. I think it was too scared.

"Fine then." I said, reaching out for the deck. "I will."

Fortune didn't stop me.

I slammed the new card on the table.

Seven of Wands.

The Fortune let out a sigh of relief. "_A draw."_ It said. "_We shall just have to deal again with a new deck."_

Not on my watch. "**Hit.**"

Fortune froze in shock. "_You-You can't be serious?"_

"Forty-two cards left in that deck." I stated. "And three aces. That's a one in fourteen chance." I smiled. "So hit me."

"You've gone insane…" Pharos shook his head.

"_You're mad…"_ Fortune gasped.

"Even if the odds were a hundredth of a percent, it would be the same as a hundred percent chance for me." I stated. "Because gambling is the devils game, and he likes those with the balls to do something as insane as this. Hit me."

Hand shaking, Fortune dealt another card.

Ace of Wands.

"Twenty one." I smiled. "Suck it bitch, unless you think you can get one of the other two aces?"

Fortune gulped. It actually gulped.

Then it drew a four of coins.

"Bust." I laughed as the Fortune screamed, its mask breaking. "I win."

I stepped back from the table as it collapsed in a big gush of Ichor.

_~ But, what would you have done if you didn't draw an Ace? ~_ Fuuka asked desperately.

"I'd have stalled and messed with its head until it folded." I admitted. "The dark side of cards isn't gambling; it's outright psychological cheating."

"Cheaters never win." Pharos reminded me.

Clearly I do, because I don't gamble; I take your money. "How're the others doing?" I asked Fuuka. I'd been ignoring her for much of the game.

_~ They're winning, but they could use your help. ~_ Fuuka replied.

"Right then. Off I go."

* * *

"**Do you really think you have a chance against us, hero?**" The downed Strength asked Aigis, who was standing atop of the Shadow with a rifle-arm pointed at the mask.

"Yippie-Ki-Yay, Motherfucker." Aigis stated as she fired the shot.

Yukari gasped as the Shadow melted, the mask shattered. "AIGIS!"

Junpei raised his hand for a high-five. "AWESOME!"

I gave it to him. "Mission accomplished everyone." I stated as Fuuka ran up to the group. "Let's go home."

Junpei rested against a wall, wiping blood from his eye. "Man, that was exhausting. Never really appreciated how good you were until now."

"You should've seen me on the table." I joked. "Made David Blaine Shadow scared to play against me."

That got laughs from everyone except Aigis, Koromaru, and, surprisingly, Akihiko.

"Today's… October fourth… huh?"

That important? "Just go back without me." He said, setting off at a jog. "I'm gonna go look for them for a while."

I didn't move. I did not like the look Akihiko hid from his face as he realised the date. "Mitsuru?" I asked once he was out of ear shot. "What happened on October fourth between Kenjamin and Shinjiro?"

"Hm?" Mitsuru asked. "Why do you ask?"

"Because Kenjamin's Persona is Nemesis: The Greek goddess of revenge." I told her. "She gave birth to Polydeuces and Castor, Akihiko's and Shinjiro's Personae."

"What are you getting at..?" Junpei asked as he slowed down.

"Shinjiro left S.E.E.S. because his Persona accidentally killed someone two years ago." I continued. "Kenjamin's mother died in an accident two years ago, which Kenjamin knows to be a lie."

Fuuka gasped. "You don't mean..?"

"There's more." I added. "Strega didn't interfere with this mission. So where are they?"

"Shit!" Junpei swore. "Fuuka! Quick! Find them!!"

_~ I'm on it! ~_ Fuuka replied from her Persona. _~ Come on… Come on… Come on… There! ~_ She shouted. _~ Behind Port Island Station! Strega's there with them!! ~_

Buggery. "Let's go!" I ordered, setting off at a run.

* * *

"Amada's mother was killed on October fourth, two years ago." Mitsuru explained as we ran. "Although her death was officially listed as an accident… we're the ones who killed Amada's mother. We were pursuing an unusual Shadow that had escaped into the city... We were in a residential area, but the Shadow was all we were thinking about... Aragaki was still new, and he momentarily lost control of his power... Unfortunately, there was a casualty: Amada's mother."

"No way..." Junpei gasped, running with the pack. "Are you shittin' me!?"

"Then, to Ken-kun, Senpai is..." Yukari trailed off.

"Amada volunteered to join us." Mitsuru stated. "But, now that I think about it..."

Come on… Come on… Please just let me get there in time…

Come on dammit!

RUN FASTER DAMN YOU!!!

**BANG!**

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

Next chapter will be uploaded tomorrow, and it is gonna rip your heart out. Chapter 66 will be uploaded a day later if all goes well, and it's gonna be a sad one.

Damn, I'm almost tearing up just typing this Author note.


	65. Chapter 65

**_"AKIIIII!!!"_**


	66. Chapter 66

**-}+{-**

* * *

I ran like hell and found Akihiko on the floor, clutching a bloodstained chest and Shinji kneeling over him in his own puddle of blood. Kenjamin was just standing there in shock, holding the Gae Bolg as Takaya slipped away into the darkness.

"It's too late…" Pharos told me as Yukari started healing Akihiko. "It's not working…"

"Hey…" Akihiko grunted. "Heal… Shinji first…"

"You're in more danger here!" Shinji shouted.

"Everyone." I said quietly. "Everyone except Akihiko, Shinji and Ken, please leave."

"What the hell are you saying!?" Junpei shouted. "He needs help dammit!"

"Please." I said. "I don't want you guys to have to see this."

"Go on…" Akihiko said. "We'll be fine…"

As everyone did, I knelt down next to Akihiko. "You know what's wrong don't you?" I asked him.

"Yeah…" Akihiko laughed as he coughed up blood. "Surprised you noticed…"

"Noticed what!?" Shinji shouted as Kenjamin stared. "What the hell's happening here!?"

"Akihiko's Persona is resistant to healing skills." I explained. "He's a boxer, so he's used to fighting while hiding injuries, but it took him a month to heal a broken arm, even with Dia skills." I blinked a tear. "Besides, the bullet tore through your lungs and has embedded itself into your spinal chord." I repeated Pharos's diagnosis as he told me how it was happening. "Akihiko… you're dying and there's nothing we can do."

"You think I don't know that?" Akihiko laughed as he coughed up more blood. "And what the hell were you two doing anyways?"

"This is where Revenge leads Ken." Akihiko told the kid as he forced himself up onto his elbows. "Now you can stand there like an idiot, or you can do something useful and heal the guy you came here to kill." I looked at Akihiko as he flipped himself over onto his chest. "This should not have happened." He told everyone.

"Hey, you're gonna be okay Aki!" Shinji told him, forcing himself up. "Just don't you dare die on me!!"

"Look after him Shinji…" Akihiko gasped as he collapsed on the floor, choking his last breath. "And don't you dare die on me…"

* * *

I rode in the ambulance with Shinji and Kenjamin to the morgue. Kenjamin ended up healing Shinji's kneecap, but Shinji was absolutely beside himself. I don't blame him.

Once we were alone in the waiting room, I asked the important question.

"Now just what the hell happened back there?" I asked.

"He died." Shinji replied angrily. "He died and it's all my fault!"

I grabbed him. "Don't you dare say that!" I told him. "He chose to take that bullet for you." I said. "Just as you chose to take the bullet for Ken!" It was easy to figure that much out when you saw what position everyone was in once I got there. "Now what the hell did I miss?"

Shinji explained everything as Kenjamin remained silent. About how Kenjamin brought Shinji out to kill him, How Shinji tried to talk Kenjamin out of it, how Takaya came to taunt them into killing each other, but asking which one of us was Fuuka. Kenjamin claimed that he was the scanner, then saying that he had no reason to live if he couldn't get his revenge since Shinji was dying any from the pills he was taking.

"What pills?" I asked.

"Suppressants." Shinji replied. "Strega have to use them to keep their Persona's under control. I took them for a couple of years, but the side affects make your body start to turn on itself."

"Are you clean?" I asked him.

"Yeah…" He nodded. "I stopped before I came back, so I'll live, but…"

Kenjamin still hadn't said a word.

"First, Kenjamin, Revenge gets you nowhere. I know that first hand, and now you do too." I told him. "You're banned from S.E.E.S. until you get your act together."

Kenjamin grit his teeth and ran off, tears in his eyes.

"Hey!" Shinji shouted, getting up but I stopped him.

"Leave him be." I replied. "He'll come back when he's ready."

"He was going to kill himself after he'd done me in!" Shinji shouted, pushing me out of the way.

"His hero died to keep him alive." I told him and he stopped. "He isn't going to die any time soon."

Shinji grunted and almost punched a wall, before dropping his fist. "Shit…" He swore to himself. "How the hell are you so fucking calm about THIS!?" He roared.

"BECAUSE I'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS BEFORE!!" I shouted back.

That silenced him. "Back home," I said quietly as I sat back down on the chair. "A friend of mine was in a gang. Son's Of Blood, they were. They were close, even for a gang. If someone in your gang us wronged, then you are wronged on a higher level. You need to get even." I clenched my fist. "Son's Of Blood took it further than most."

"Why're you telling me this?" Shinji asked quietly.

"I stopped one of their captains from raping my cousin." I answered. "He got two years for attempted rape. Not nearly enough, but that's what England's like. But then a friend of mine who was in that gang came to get even."

I pulled out the Leatherman and showed it to him. "This knife killed him after he pulled one on me." I said. "I was going out with his sister, and I killed her brother to save my own skin." I glared at him. "So don't you dare tell me that you killed Akihiko. I killed James." I told him. "Akihiko died to save your arse, **and don't you DARE even THINK anything different!!**"

I would have stormed out of there right there and then if the police didn't come for our statement. "Hey Adachi…" I said as I recognised the face. "Detective Katsuya." I nodded to his partner.

* * *

Shinji and I gave our statements, deciding on a story that Kenjamin went to the place of his mother's death, Shinji came looking for him, Takaya came in and shot Shinji in the leg, then started aiming for Kenjamin. Akihiko and I were walking about to find them, and he took the bullet.

They bought the lie. It was close enough to the truth.

Akihiko's funeral was going to be at school the next day.

* * *

"No words can express the sense of loss we feel as a result of this terrible tragedy." The Headteacher droned on at the eulogy. "He had a lifetime of opportunity ahead of him... As educators, we are proud that one of our students died a hero, and are deeply, deeply wounded by the terrible loss that this school has suffered from the death of one of its brightest stars... let us remember his sacrifice, and may his memory live on in our hearts..."

He doesn't have any faith in what he's saying.

"Will this speech ever end?" Asked the guy in front of me to his mate. "I mean, Sanada's death was a shock and all, but we gotta move on with our lives, you know?"

"Tell me about it." Asked his mate. "Anyway, I gotta get home... I have to study for my mock-exam."

I grabbed their heads and smashed them together. "OW!" One shouted.

"What the hell's your problem!?" The other one yelled; everyone's heads turning towards us.

"HAVE SOME BLOODY RESPECT!!" I shouted, storming out of there.

* * *

I found Shinji sitting on some bench outside. "There you are." I told him, clipping him over the head lightly with a shovel. "Come on, we got work to do."

"Aki was cremated." He grunted. "No need to dig a grave."

"There's life beyond death you know." I said, shoving a shovel into his hand. "Come on."

* * *

"So, why we digging up this tree?" Shinji asked as we dug up the earth around the Persimmon tree.

"Because we need to do something, and we can't dig a grave." I explained, shovelling the earth as I spoke. "This tree's gonna get cut down for a new classroom, so we're moving it."

"Where too?" He asked.

"You pick." I told him as I wrapped a hand around its narrow turnk. "Somewhere Akihiko would've liked it."

* * *

We settled on a grassy hill overlooking the school.

"He was always obsessed with power." Shinji told me as we dug a new hole for the tree. "Aki, I mean."

"He did say that's why he started boxing." I replied, letting Shinji lead the conversation.

"Ever since the Orphanage we grew up in burned down… Ever since we lost Miki…" Shinji seemed to be forcing his words. "He always thought that if he was strong enough, he could protect anyone." He laughed bitterly. "Well, I'm plenty strong, and I couldn't protect shit."

I dug silently. "I mean, in battle, there's always a chance of dying." He said. "We all knew that from the start… So why the fucking hell does it hurt so much!?"

"Because you're feeling the weight of responsibility for the first time." I said. "In all its soul crushing magnitude."

"Too right…" Shinji sighed. "I'm not gonna let this go."

"You need to." I told him. "You can't waste your life regretting what could've happened."

"Not what I'm talking about." Shinji replied. "This weight. I'm not gonna let it go anywhere."

**SMASH!!**

Time stopped again, but blue light was rising around Shinji. He looked up to see Castor.

_The resolution in thine heart has awakened a new Persona…_

Castor exploded, and a new, armoured Persona holding the planet on its back appeared in its stead.

_Castor had given rise to Atlas…_

Time started again, but Shinji stayed looking up at the sky.

"I'm tired of running away." Shinji said with determination. "You were right. Time to man up and take responsibility for my life." He grabbed the tree. "Come on, let's finish what we started."

"Yeah." I nodded, getting back to work.

* * *

I got an Email from Mitsuru, asking to meet back at the dorm straight after school. We'd done a decent job planting the tree, so I left Shinji to go pay his respects to Akihiko and went alone.

"You all know the reason we're gathered here." Mitsuru said, sitting in the lounge's armchair. "We need to discuss how to deal with Amada... I've already consulted the Chairman." She turned to Aigis. "Aigis, bring Amada here."

"Understood." Aigis replied as she got up and left.

"Hey." Shinji said as he came through the door. "This about Ken?" He asked.

I nodded. "It's all my fault…" Fuuka sobbed. "It's my job to know where everyone is, but this still happened… I…"

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Fuuka…" Yukari told her, bringing her into a hug.

"It's not your fault." Mitsuru added. "If anyone should have realized it, it should have been me."

"I knew this wasn't a game, but…" Junpei sighed. "I never thought it'd end up like this..."

"People die." Shinji said. "Aki died thinking about others, so he wouldn't want us wasting our energy on him." He sighed. "He was one hell of a guy…" He told us. "So I'm gonna live my life for the both of us."

"That's cool man…" Junpei nodded approvingly.

"Senpai…" Yukari said quietly.

"Allow me to report!" Aigis shouted as she rushed into the room. "Amada-san is not in his room!"

"He's not!?" Yukari and I asked in unison. "Has he been home since last night!?" I asked.

"That does not appear to be the case." Aigis reported.

"Dammit…" This was my fault.

"Don't blame yourself man." Junpei comforted as Fuuka rushed for the door.

"I'm the one who kicked him off the team."

Fuuka stopped as Yukari screamed. "You did WHAT!?"

"I told him that he's not in S.E.E.S. until he gets his head straight!" I told him. "I NEVER KICKED HIM OUT OF THE DORM!!"

"It did come across like that in the hospital though…" Shinji sighed. "Do you know where he is?" He asked Fuuka.

"Well... no... but we can't just let him go off on his own, right!?" Fuuka reasoned.

"So, where do you plan on looking?" Yukari asked, still clearly pissed off at me.

"I don't know, but we have to find him! He must feel so alone..." Fuuka was almost panicking.

"Fuuka…" Yukari said, trying to calm her down.

"YOU OF ALL PEOPLE SHOULD UNDERSTAND!!" Fuuka screamed.

Everyone was silent. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…"

"You're exactly right." Shinji said. "We all should try to understand Kenjamin." He looked at me. "Minato. What do you make of the kid?"

He's giving me a chance to explain myself. Right. "Kenjamin's an Avenger." I explained. "He lives to right wrongs and pay debts. His own law lies above all else." I sighed. "I know that because that's what I was like myself a couple of years ago. He won't go to fight Strega on his own because he owes Akihiko his life." I explained. "He won't allow himself to die for the same reason. He's an honest, mature, justice obsessed kid that needs to sort himself out. That's why I said what I said." I told everyone. "What he needs now is time alone to think. Not people coddling him or interrogating him."

"He's just a kid!" Yukari shouted at me. "He can't take care of himself all alone!"

"Tell that to his dead mom." I replied. "Did you even read his file?" I asked her. "You do realise he never went to an orphanage?" I asked everyone. "And that he was the kid who took care of the other kids at his school dorm who missed their **living **mommies and daddies?"

"Kenjamin's stronger than any of you even realise." Shinji added. "Let him do what he wants. Bringing him back won't change anything...and we can't keep treating him like the kid he isn't."

"Shinjiro…" Mitsuru gasped in disbelief.

"It's his choice." Shinji finished. "He's the only one who can decide how he's going to live his life. ...The same goes for all of us."

* * *

I hung out with Mamoru after school the next day. He was pretty damn upset that Akihiko had died, and he said that he'd seen him as a close rival. Levelled up the social link though.

When I got back to the dorm though, no-one was smiles.

"It's already been a day..." Yukari commented to everyone who was sat in the lounge.

Mitsuru sighed. "Yes it has…"

"So, where's Shinjiro-san?" Junpei asked.

"He said to leave Ken-kun alone, but I don't know..." Fuuka looked anxious. "Maybe we should look for him..."

Mitsuru looked at me. "What do you think?" She asked me.

"He'll come back on his own." I told her. "My answer hasn't changed."

Fuuka stood up. "I can't wait any longer! I'm going right now to-"

"WOOF!" Koromaru barked.

Kenjamin came through the door.

"Ken-kun!?" Yukari asked as she ran forward and hugged him with Fuuka.

"Thank goodness..." Fuuka said happily. "I was so worried..."

"You were?" Kenjamin asked.

"Amada." Mitsuru asked as Yukari and Fuuka stepped back from him. "Are you able to fight?"

"Yes." Kenjamin nodded. "I won't run off again."

"You sure?" Junpei asked.

"I'm positive." Kenjamin smiled.

"It's alright..." Fuuka nodded. "We can trust him..."

"Geez…" Yukari sighed. "Don't make us worry like that, okay?"

"Alright." Mitsuru nodded. "I'll talk to the Chairman. ...Get some rest."

I leaned back over the couch and offered Kenjamin my hand. "Good to have you back on the team, Kenjamin."

He shook it. "Thanks for the advice." He told me. "I did what you said."

I smiled. "Kala-Nemi, huh?" I asked. "What's that the God of?"

"He's the spirit of the Zodiac." Kenjamin explained. "It's also referred to as the rim of the Wheel of Time."

"Nice." I replied.

* * *

"It's cold tonight." Pharos commented once we got to my room that night. "Can you believe it's already autumn? It'll be winter before you know it."

"Don't I know it." I replied, collapsing on the bed.

"You seem tired." He pointed out sympathetically.

"I lost a friend and almost lost a load lot more, forgive me for being bloody knackered."

"In this world, people die every day." Pharos told me. "Until recently, this was the same to me as the blowing of the wind. But now, I see things differently... For the first time, I have a friend."

"Naoki is a pretty swell guy, isn't he?" I joked.

Pharos wasn't in the mood. "Lately, I've become more certain of something... You know the end I've spoken of?" I nodded. "Some people refer to it as "the Fall," but regardless... It's drawing nearer. Don't you sense it..?"

"No..." I began. "Actually… I'm not sure…"

"We are kindred spirits, you and I." Pharos told me. "So why is it that only I can remember?"

"Remember what?" I asked.

Pharos sighed. "This is a heartrending matter. Is my existence something you are unable to accept?"

"Dude, I have no idea what you're talking about, but I'm listening."

Pharos sighed. "Forget it. Forgive me if I have said anything peculiar today… Perhaps it is the change of seasons."

"You and I both know that that's a load of bollocks." I told him, moving into a cross-legged sitting position. "Talk to me."

"It's nothing to concern yourself about…" Pharos replied. "Regardless, our friendship remains steadfast…"

"You're going aren't you?" I knew that look. I'd pulled it a few times myself before coming here.

"For now." Pharos replied. "But I will see you again soon." He walked towards the door. "I shall bid you farewell for now. Good night."

"Night." I replied, as Pharos walked through the door.

I felt lonely.

Then I noticed the red waistcoat on the desk, the one Bebe had given me.

Bebe was gone.

So was Akihiko.

For the first time since he died, it really sunk in that Akihiko was gone.

I took the waistcoat and looked at it. It was a darker red than the cloth Bebe had used for the Kimono, and the cloth he used had had flowers on it. So he lied when he said that he used leftover material. This cloth was bought specifically for this.

The only decorations this waistcoat had on it were the symbols of Alpha and Omega in gold thread in a monogram on the left breast.

Right where Akihiko's symbol was.

Akihiko was a hero of the school, a champion everyone looked up to.

So that's how Bebe saw me, huh?

* * *

I don't know why I snuck into Akihiko's room. Akihiko had left Shinji power of attorney, so Shinji had spent most of yesterday in here boxing everything up.

Except for the pair of gloves and the Evoker on the table, with a note by them in Shinji's scrawled handwriting.

_They're yours now Minato. Don't lose them._

I chuckled as I picked up the gloves. They were thin, soft, and made out of high quality leather. Apparently he never lost a match when he wore them under his boxing gloves. He was constantly polishing these in the lounge.

I rooted around the boxes until I found the small crate of leather polish, deciding to help myself to it. I donned the gloves, and I could feel the points on the knuckles where Akihiko's blood had stained the inside of the gloves.

These will do. These will do just nicely.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

Alright, first, I need to apologise and explain what the hell just happened.

Akihiko has died, Shinji has lived.

THIS IS NOT A FIX FIC.

Shinji was meant to die in Persona 3. I was originally planning for him to die as scheduled, but then my Beta suggested having him live. I told him that Shinji was meant to die, and that his death was a necessary plot point, explaining that the only way for him to live and the plot not derail would be if someone else died.

Then I thought of Akihiko.

I did not kill Akihiko for the drama. I did not do it to get a response. And I certainly did not do it to upset anyone or promote my non-existent belief that Akihiko should've died instead of Shinji.

I really wanted to explore how Shinji would develop after he'd resolved. He didn't get chance to, but he was already acting as a better person once he returned to the team and got his act together, so how would he change?

So I gave him responsibility. He feels the weight of the world on his shoulders now, hence his new Persona, Atlas.

Next, when Minato took Akihiko's gloves, he wasn't being smarmy. That was him taking up the mantle. I originally planned for Minato to Euthanise Akihiko, either by slitting his throat our using a Dark spell on him, but I decided not to.

And don't say that after Shinji died that you didn't go into his room and root through his stuff. I did, and now so did Minato for Akihiko.

Yeah, he's not so untouchable now.

Speaking of untouchable, Minato stabbed someone. Remember all those chapters ago after Minato fought the Magician and he was talking to Yukari in the hospital? Well, that was the friend, but that's still not the whole story. All shall be revealed at a later time.

Same for where Pharos went, what he's talking about, how Resolution is gonna level the gap between Minato and S.E.E.S., and just where the bloody hell this story is going.

Now to answer your reviews. Shadowlucas, this story and the eventual sequel will stay in Minato's perspective.

Slicerness, I don't know why they didn't just cast a healing spell. Way back when I suggested that Dia doesn't work on organs, but now you have this reason. Because it wouldn't've worked.

And just to clarify: the revival spells wake you up if you've been knocked out. They don't raise the dead. That was even the case in the original game.

Kaelin Voidshadow, I don't think you have to ask.

Sytang, I have read Gamble Fish. Where I got the idea from. However, I can't follow through with your suggestion, as is obvious.

Dark Hell Prince, as I've explained, Someone had to die. And I don't know who Mitsuru's going to marry in the future, but I do know that according to the Canon, it wasn't Akihiko. That is, from what I can gather from Trinity Soul.

What is really surprising was that I posted chapter 65 at 8 in the morning. 12 reviews in 8 hours. I'm impressed. Just for that, I posted this chapter 12 hours ahead of schedule. What goes around comes around.


	67. Chapter 67

Alright, thanks for all the response from the last few chapters.

..Wow, I'm writing the Author note before I get reviews from the previous chapter. Most likely because I haven't posted chapter 66 yet.

That's right. I'm writing this as you're all going "WHAT THE HELL!" at the 'one word long' chapter, with the next chapter sitting in my Published Files folder, Beta'd and ready to upload.

Hey, I have a promised schedule to keep, and I posted the chapter 12 hours early just for you guys.

Anyway, I'll get started on the next chapter, and leave a space to answer the comments I'll get while I write this chapter, because I'll have published chapter 66 way before I publish this one. Although this chapter is special for another reason.

I am using a plan for this chapter.

Yep, I have actually gathered the information I need to write out this chapter ahead of schedule, organised it, and thought about how to write the chapter before hand. I probably won't do this again, but let's see how it works out.

Now for your very mixed reviews. Nightmaresyndrom, if you do one, I'll put up the next chapter faster. If you do the other, you'll have to fix your computer screen. Unless you actually come up and punch me in person, at which point someone's arse will be kicked. I'd say that it won't be mine, but you might be a better fighter than me so who knows? And as for Minato's backstory, that's only the half of it.

Tenshireike, the main direction this story is headed is that Shinji lived and Akihiko died. The basic plotline still won't change much more than it did beforehand. And I do update fast, but it doesn't really count as faster than my usual schedule since chapter 65 was only a word long.

Slicerness, I think you meant go through Shinji's stuff. Aki lived in the original game. And no, they aren't going to pull an Akihiko any more than Shinji's gonna become more caring and responsible, like he has already, and Minato's gonna wear Akihiko's gloves to every fight instead of his old armour gloves. Although I'm planning on having Shinji carry Mjolnir around for a while, does that count?

Heraklinos, I have the most amazing ending in mind. Don't worry, it will not disappoint. And I moved the story to the Megami Tensei section for a very good reason. Persona can be classed as Megami Tensei, but Megami Tensei cannot be classified as Persona, and I didn't want to turn this into a crossover. As for doing that again, I don't plan on replacing any character's roles for anything like that any time soon. To put you at ease, the Junpei resolution will go as planned by the game… sorta… to an extent…

Look, the end result will be the same, but it will be awesome to an insane level.

Slackerman, yes. That event and more.

Derek Barona, that was symbolic revenge. However, after all the effort Minato's gone to denounce revenge so far, he's more likely to call it either Poetic Justice, or maybe just Murder.

Have A Little Feith, I update once I write a new chapter and get it back from my Beta. I write a new chapter when I feel like writing one and get a chance to. This week, I updated on Monday, Tuesday, twice on Wednesday, and on Friday. I sometimes do one over the weekend, and if one of the people I Beta for send me a chapter, then that'll delay the next chapter, and the same goes for if I get the resources to update Time Paradox or Naruto: Ours. Also, I might update on of my other stories instead of this one.

I aim to update this story at least once a week, but you never know. Suffice to say 'Irregularly but Frequently'.

Greifen, well, kinda. Look, you're just gonna have to wait and find out because I don't want to spoil this. Though I reckon I might just manage to rival Simon himself with the insanity I have planned for the eventual sequel. Now that will be epic. As for Minato being a GMS, that question will be answered on the 29th of November, game time, and it will blow your mind.

Anyone who can guess what's gonna happen there gets a freaking huge cyber cookie. And PM me about your guesses, because it is seriously gonna blow your mind with the level of sheer WHAT!?!?, it will completely out do chapter 65 in shockability. Yes, it will be that awesome.

And one thing I just realised; one of the previous chapter's was technically against the guidelines of the website… whoops?

Meh. It was worth breaking the rules for the effect it had. Just don't report me or the story might get deleated, and you do not want that. Mostly because I only keep backups of the alpha versions of the story offline. So if I do re-upload them, they'd be crap in comparison to what's up now.

And now, story time.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

That Saturday, all the school clubs were closed for the exams. They start next Tuesday, and we have a day off on Monday so we can get some exercise. At least, I think that's what Health and Sports day is for, but these Japanese guys have a holiday for everything.

Speaking of these Japanese guys, they already seem pretty over Akihiko's death. I know mid-terms are coming up, but dude.

You know what else? I haven't seen or heard from Pharos in four days. You don't really appreciate something until it's gone, right?

-**BZZ-BZZ-**

That's mine. I got another anonymous E-mail.

-{ A light has disappeared... The shadow grows darker... But the lost light's will lives on in a strong, new light... You have reached a turning point... The light has begun to challenge the shadow... Your time is coming... soon... Farewell, then... May your future be bright... }-

Who the hell gave that fortune teller my Email?

And what does it mean that my time is coming soon? Am I going to die?

Not on my watch.

"Midterms start next Tuesday. Math is killing me..." Complained a girl to my left. "Sine! Cosine! Tangent!"

"Megido! Megidola! Megidolaon!" Replied her friend. Wait, what the hell!?

"Sine!" Replied the first girl. "Cosine! Tangenton!"

You got it right the first time, but what the hell is with Almighty maths?

Ah, who cares? Now to hang out with a little girl.

* * *

"Thanks for all your help," Maiko told me at the Shrine, "But I have to say bye for now."

I noticed the bagpack she was carrying. "You're actually doing it?" I asked her.

She nodded. "Yup, I have to run away now. Remember not to tell Mom and Dad, okay?" She set off down the stairs at a jog. "Bye!"

…So much for that plan.

"Oooh… you're late… HIC!"

I turned around to see a completely wasted Mutatsu sitting on a bench holding a bottle of what I assume used to hold booze. "Whaaashup, kid?"

"How much have you had?" I asked him, walking towards him.

"Don't you think ish… HIC! Rude to talk to your old man like that?" He asked. "Didn't I bring you up better than that?"

"Dad?" I asked him.

"Eh...? Dad?" Mutatsu asked, hiccupping. "Did you jush call me Dad?" That seemed to seriously make him happy. "You alwaysh call me an ol' bashtard... But, HIC! you're all nishe whenever ya need shum money..."

Right, he'd drunk enough to think I'm his son, but sober enough to be coherent. "You alright?" I asked.

"I thought you go in an acshident or shumthin'... HIC! Don't make me worry like that. What the hell were ya doin' thish late!?" He asked angrily.

Lie and play along, Say words that are true for me but misleading for him, or correct his mistake and learn nothing?

Door number two, please. "I was with a friend." I said.

"A friend, huh?" He asked, hiccupping again. "It's a girl, isn't it? Hmph, like father, like son, I guess..." He seemed proud of my assumed mad playah skills. "Uh, Hmm? You?"

Ah, he's sobering up. "Damn..." The monk swore. "All this time, I thought you were... I guess my eyesight is getting bad, after all..."

**SMASH!**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Tower Arcana…_

"Spending my time with clients..." He said to himself, dropping the bottle, "Missing anniversaries and birthdays... I wonder if they felt the same way I did, as I waited for you earlier..."

He waited for me? "Your family?" I asked.

He nodded. "Before I became a monk... I was a plain ol' businessman, with a wife and a son." He said sadly. "But, they both left me... four years ago..." He chuckled sadly. "I used to stay out past midnight… and when I got home, my wife and I would get into a big argument... ...Now when I go home, I don't know what to do with myself, so I just go out and drink every night."

"You're running away." I told him, sitting beside him on the bench.

"Yeah, you're absolutely right." He nodded with a wry smile. "I shaved my head, but it's only for show... I get drunk to avoid facing my problems... So, yeah, I guess you could say I'm runnin' away... She hasn't called me or sent me a letter since then." He told me. "She must've gotten over me. Who knows where they are... or if they even wanna see me..." He stood up. "Aw, forget it. It's too much of a hassle, anyway." He walked towards the shrine steps. "Alright kid, I'm out of here."

And as Mutatsu walked down the stairs, a man and a woman came running up the stairs with Adachi. "Maiko!" The woman shouted. "Maiko!"

"C-calm down Mrs. Hijiri!" Adachi told her. "We aren't going to find her like this!"

The woman ignored him and ran up to me. "Hey, you! Have you seen a little girl?" She asked me in a panic. Tower. "She's in elementary school-"

"Just calm down and think, dammit!" The man told her.

"Calm down?" The woman asked him, turning away from me as I stood up. "Calm down!? What if something happens to her!?"

"Oh please!" The man shouted back. "This is what happens when you force a child to study non-stop!"

The whole thing devolved into a heated screaming competition, and Adachi slyly slid over to me. "Hey there Minato-Kun."

"Good afternoon Officer Adachi." I replied, flipping on my smart glasses. "What do we have here then?"

Adachi sighed. "I really shouldn't be telling you this, but a little girl's run away."

"So high, brown hair, pig tails and a hopeful smile?" I asked.

The argument stopped instantly. "You know Maiko!?" The woman shouted, grabbing me by the shoulders and shaking me violently. "WHERE IS SHE!? TELL ME!!"

The man pulled her off me and pushed her aside. "This is ridiculous!" He told her before turning back to me. "Look, you're Minato, right?" He asked. Hanged man.

"Yeah." I replied, nodding. "You must be her parents."

"That's right." Maiko's dad replied. "I heard about you from Maiko. She said she hung out with a high school kid instead of practicing piano."

"This is the first I've heard of it!" Maiko's mom shouted. "What the hell did you do to my daughter!?"

"H-Hey, you shouldn't jump to conclusions!" Adachi intervened.

"Exactly." Maiko's dad glared at her. "Look, basically, we haven't seen Maiko since this morning. We found a note in her room that said _'I'm running away. –Maiko'_" He explained.

"She's never done anything like this before!" Maiko's mom shouted.

I nodded. So the plan worked then. "Come on." I told them. "We can find her."

Maiko's dad nodded. "Y-Yeah, I'm sure she must be around here somewhere..."

"But, why would she..?" Maiko's mom trailed off, starting to cry.

"Listen, son..." Maiko's dad told me. "If you have any idea where she is, I'm begging you to tell us."

I brushed the hair out of my face to pretend to think. "Maybe at the takoyaki stand." I suggested. It wasn't a question.

Maiko's dad positively flinched, then recovered. "The takoyaki stand? Oh, that takoyaki stand! Hurry, let's go!"

* * *

"There you are!" Maiko's mom screamed happily as we found Maiko outside Octopia.

"Mom!" Maiko shouted back happily. "Dad! Oh..." Her face fell as we approached. "You came too?" She asked me. "Well I... Um... I..."

Maiko's mom knelt down to hug her daughter. "Are you okay, darling!?" She asked. "Are you hurt? What happened..?"

"Y-Yeah, I'm okay..." Maiko nodded.

"Oh, what a relief..." Maiko's mother replied, pushing her daughter away so she could look at her properly. "How dare you run away from home!?" She asked with that parental anger parents have at their child after they were almost run over. "Do you have any idea how worried I was!?" She shouted. "You almost gave me a heart attack, young lady!"

"Geez, calm down!" Maiko's dad told his wife. "Can't you tell she's scared?"

"Y-You guys made me worry too!" Maiko told them. "I was so scared... You said you were getting a divorce, and I didn't know what to do! I don't want you to get divorced because of me..!" Maiko started crying.

"Oh, so that's what this is all about..." Her dad nodded with realisation. "We're really sorry, Maiko. Why don't we go home and talk about this?" Maiko nodded, and her dad turned to me. "I'm not sure what to say... I'm sorry we pulled you into this sir."

Wait, did he just call me sir?

Maiko sniffed. "I told you to keep it a secret..." She told me angrily. "But... thank you..."

**SMASH!**

_Hanged Man Card: Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Hanged Man Arcana..._

"Bye…" Maiko told me as she left with her parents, drying her tears.

"You're welcome!" Adachi shouted, waving as they left. "Man, gives you a warm fuzzy feeling right here, seeing a happy family like that." Adachi smiled, thumping his chest.

"You do realise they're getting a divorce?" I asked him.

"Oh yeah…" He looked depressed suddenly. "That girl did say something about that didn't she…" He sighed. "So, how do you know them?" He asked.

"I hang around the park with that girl sometimes." I shrugged, "And I think her dad works for me."

Adachi laughed. "Whatever." He said. "Later!"

* * *

_/\_ "All eyes are now on the cultural anthropologists who predicted the recovery of Apathy Syndrome victims." _/\_ The reporter on the TV back at the dorm said. _/\_ "So far, all of their hypotheses have been correct... Many are happy to finally have some concrete information about the Syndrome. One of the anthropologists is now trying to pin down a clear date for the next victims to appear." _/\_

"Have you noticed, Arisoto?" Mitsuru asked me. "Whenever we complete an operation, the number of Apathy Syndrome cases usually decreases..." I turned to face her. "Not this time, however; it's actually increasing... There's only one Shadow left; it must be apprehensive."

"Or very powerful." I replied.

"Let's hope not." She replied, closing the file she was reading. "In any event, if it weren't for you, we wouldn't be here... So, thank you."

I read title. _Ken Amada._ Learning to read upside down in a very useful skill and I recommend learning it.

"Amada's parents didn't Transmogrify..." Mitsuru told me. "So there is a slight possibility that the irregular Shadow came from his mother."

Huh? "Amada did not Transmogrify either, so he was in the Dark Hour as well." Mitsuru continued. "And, well... You know the rest…"

"So… Shinji wasn't at fault?" I asked her.

"It's only a possibility." Mitsuru replied, "And we may never know. What we do know is that those two's Personae evolved recently."

I nodded. "What do we have on that?" I asked her.

"It has been theorised that when a Persona user's mental state changes dramatically, be it through revelation, a paradigm shift, or a new reason to fight, then their Persona undergoes a Resolution." Mitsuru explained. "Resolved Personae were theorised to be much more powerful than their previous forms, and judging from Shinjiro and Amada's new Personae, that would appear to be the case."

"You've tested them?" I asked her. "What did we find out?"

Mitsuru sighed. "You really do not like it when someone else knows more than you do you?"

"I like to be in the know." I admitted. "So?"

Mitsuru smiled briefly. "Amada's new Persona, Kala-Nemi, is now completely unaffected by Light or Electricity skills, though he is still vulnerable to Dark abilities. On top of that, his physical prowess has dramatically increased, as has his Persona's strength."

"There's more, isn't there?" I asked her.

Mitsuru nodded. "Amada's elemental manipulation now is beyond the likes of anything we've seen before." Mitsuru told me. "He is now even capable of moving metallic objects through electromagnetism."

"…Dayumn…" I whistled. "That is impressive. What about Shinji?" I asked her.

"Earth Manipulation." She told me. "Very Befitting of his new Persona, Atlas."

Wait, Earth? "Do you mean, like, throwing rocks at people?" I asked her.

"I mean creating stone simply through his Persona's ability." Mitsuru explained. "It's theorised that he'll eventually be able to petrify enemies and create stone armour around himself." She sighed. "Not to mention, his brute strength was incredible before, but now…"

"Hey, Minato!" Shinji called as he came up from the gym. "We need more weights for the bench-press."

"Dude, we got like a thousand pounds worth for those!" I told him.

"Well, we need more." Shinji told me. "It's not heavy enough."

"Do you understand what I mean?" Mitsuru asked me. "The world record for that exercise is One Thousand and Seventy Five pounds, but Shinji can achieve that almost effortlessly."

…

Okay, I'm impressed.

Then Koromaru started whimpering next to me, holding a leash in his mouth. "You want a walk?" I asked him.

He dropped the leash and barked happily. "I don't know why he brings that." Shinji said. "He never lets us put it on him."

"He probably just knows that it gets the message across." Kenjamin said, coming up the stairs from the gym. "I'll come with you."

* * *

We couldn't go to Tartarus because everyone was studying for exams. I'd honestly completely forgotten, but it's too late for me to start now. "Hey," Kenjamin asked me as we walked up the shrine steps. "Are high school exams that hard?" He asked.

"Depends." I answered. "Everything on the paper is something you've already been told before, so if you pay attention in class and do practice questions regularly, then you'll do fine."

"Is that why Junpei finds them so hard?" He asked.

"He isn't stupid." I replied. "But yeah, he's as lazy as half a brick."

"That's pretty lazy." Kenjamin admitted. "Hey, mind if I ask you another question?" he asked.

"Shoot." I replied as Koromaru jumped through the climbing frame.

"Why d'you call me Kenjamin?" He asked me.

"Play on the names Benjamin and Ken." I told him. "Ken means strong, right?" I asked. "Well, Jamin means 'right hand'."

"I'm left handed." Kenjamin told me.

"…Regardless, it's a good name." I told him. "Honestly Kenjamin?" I asked him. "It was a spur of the moment thing that stuck. Kinda like John McLane's favourite phrase."

"Who's he?" Kenjamin asked. "And what phrase."

"I'll tell you when you're older." I told him. "Not patronising you or anything, but if I couldn't watch that film until I was fifteen then the same goes for you." Aigis clearly has seen it though…

Meh, what Kenjamin will probably find out for himself.

"It's the 'C' word isn't it?" Kenjamin asked.

"What, crap?" I asked.

"No, Chikusho." He told me.

Damn, kid's start swearing earlier and earlier. "Watch your language." I told him.

* * *

Set off for work the next day, and noticed someone at the shrine.

Damn. I completely forgot about him for a while there.

"Hey, Akinari!" I shouted as I jogged up the stairs.

"Oh, it's you…" Akinari commented as I sat down next to him. "You're... not like the others."

"Really?" I asked.

He smiled distantly. "I honestly didn't expect you to come back."

"Sorry it took so long." I told him.

He shook his head. "It's fine. Nobody treats me like a normal guy..." He explained. "Not even my family."

"I can tell by how they look at me." He told me as he explained. "The pity in their eyes is unmistakeable. ...I don't need their sympathy any more than I need their curiosity. I'm sorry, but... I don't expect anyone to pity me. Dying isn't so unusual, is it?" He asked. "What is there to gain by staying in this world for a long time, anyway?"

I thought about Akihiko. "That's a good point." I replied. A sad point nonetheless, but a good one.

"You must have a hopelessness festering inside you as well, then." Akinari commented. "I can't remember a time without it."

"I'd almost forgotten mine." I replied. "Been rather happy until recently."

He nodded with a smile. "Hey. Thanks for coming today. You don't seem like everyone else. I'm not sure I know how to describe it exactly, but... You don't look down on me the way everyone else does..."

**SMASH!**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Sun Arcana…_

Akinari started having a coughing fit. "Dammit..." He swore. "What did I do to deserve this body?" He turned to me, wheezing. "I hope we can meet again."

* * *

Once I'd handed my report to Tanaka, I hung around the office to see what else I could get done.

"Mr. Mochizuki!"

I turned around to see Maiko's father. Oh.

"I didn't properly thank you for helping find my daughter yesterday sir." He told me, bowing. "Thank you so much."

"I-It's fine." I replied, genuinely put on the spot for once. "How is she?"

He sighed. "We talked to her last night, but she still isn't comfortable with the divorce." He looked at me tomorrow. "We're still going ahead with the divorce, but I would really appreciate it if you could talk to her again tomorrow."

Really? "Why would you want my help?" I asked him.

"My wife doesn't trust you." He admitted. "But I've heard how she talks about you." Oh great, another angry father. "She trusts you as a friend, and I know that you've been taking good care of here whenever you play with her, and you don't come across as a lolicon."

What? "You actually considered that?" I asked him. "What's with you people!?"

"I didn't, my wife did." He said, almost offended. "Please, just talk to her again so she can have some closure. You have a day off from school tomorrow, right?" He asked hopefully.

I sighed. "Alright, I'll pick Maiko up from the shrine tomorrow morning."

Maiko's dad nodded. "Thank you very much."

**CRACK!**

Wait, this guy?

**CRACKcrackrackcrack…**

This guy was a Humanitas?

**SMASH!**

_Thou art I… And I am thou…_

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou doth cultivate the might of the Wand Arcana…_

Thou art shitting me.

"What's your name?" I asked him.

"Jyoji Hijiri." He said. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

I shook my head. "Your _other _name." Seeing his confused look, I took him aside. "Your demonic name."

He froze, then dragged me into the nearest bathroom and slammed me against the wall. "_Who sent you!?_" He asked me.

So it was a natural reaction I gave Adam. I kicked him off and told him who exactly was pulling my strings.

"No-one." I told him. "I'm unaligned."

"Neutral?" He asked.

"Out." I answered. "Not getting involved with the Demonata."

He nodded, letting out a sigh. "Nice try, but they won't leave it at that."

Hm? "My demonic name is Aleph." He told me. "I was created to be a messiah, then got cursed with Eternal Life because I committed the Ultimate Sin."

Like Naoki? "You rebelled against the god of the Demonata, didn't you?" I asked him.

"Rebelled?" He asked. "Minato, I executed his ass."

"…Nice!" I replied, raising for a high-five.

I didn't get it. "You do realise how hard it is to kill a Demonata?" He asked. "Even if you kill its immortal form, its eternal spirit survives." He told me. "For one as powerful as him, it only took a couple of months to quantum lock me."

Quantum lock? "You mean shove you back in time, give you the power to regenerate?" I asked him.

"Not even that at first." He told me. "I had to watch every single Conception, but be unable to interfere. I stopped counting after I saw the earth burn for the three-thousandth time."

"…That sucks... how'd you get out of it?"

"That's not important." He told me.

"It was Naoki Kashima, wasn't it?" I asked. "The Demi-Fiend? Hito-Shura?"

That took him by surprise. "You know about him?" He asked.

"He transferred into my school a couple of days after finding out." I told him. "So, this divorce because you're reaching your age limit?" I asked him.

Jyoji shook his head. "No, I just can't love a woman who hates me." He explained. "That's all. I'm not going to have to regenerate any time soon."

"That's good." I explained. "That would be awkward to explain to Maiko."

"Don't you even dare tell her about this." He warned me, letting out a beautiful amount of killing intent.

I sent some back, switching to Throne. "Why would I?" I asked him. "That would get her involved in something she really should not get involved in."

He nodded. "Thank you very much." He replied. "Listen, Before you go-"

"I've already been contacted by Louis, warning me about Metatron and pals." I told him. "I've fought Adam and Kerberos, and I'm friends with Naoki and Lord Frost." I leaned against the bathroom door. "Anything else I should know?"

He just looked confused. "_Lord_ Frost?" He asked.

I sighed. "Sealed King Frost in a card, gave his power to a Black Frost, and now he rules the Jack clan as Lord Frost."

He slapped his forehead. "You _IDIOT!_" He groaned. "He's just going to lead them to war against everything else!"

"They're a True Neutral clan under the law that if they initiate violence, I will release King Frost's wrath upon them." I told him. "They aren't going to any war any time soon."

He was impressed. "You actually managed to control all the Jacks?" He asked. "Even the three Great Jacks?"

"The what?" I asked. I knew that within the Jack clan there was the Frost family, the Pyro family, and the Skull family, but that was it.

"Father Frost, Jack Skellington, and the Jack who must not be named." Jyoji told me. "All serving under the King Frost."

Jack Skellington is real!? Freaking sweet! "What happens if you name the head of the Pyro family?" I asked him, using basic deductive logic.

"Never tried." Maiko's dad told me as he pushed past me out of the toilet. "I'm not that stupid. And don't forget about tomorrow!" He ordered me.

Not a chance in hell of me forgetting that now.

* * *

"What the hell is this problem!?" Junpei shouted from his room as I snuck out of the dorm the next morning. "We never learned this! Wait a minute..." He got angrier and angrier. "They must have taught us this when I was asleep! What a dirty trick!"

I am way too nice. I opened his door and poked my head through. "Feel free to borrow my notes if you want." I told him, tossing him my room key. "I'm going out for a bit."

"You are a legend!" He told me happily. "Thanks man!"

Mind you, I was also probably asleep during that lesson too.

* * *

"I'm kind of hungry…" Maiko told me around Lunch time. "Let's go out to eat! What do you feel like eating?"

I actually felt like udon, but today I was looking after Maiko. "Let's go for some burgers." I told her.

"I want a Frog Burger from Wild-duck!" She told me excitedly.

I wonder if they actually are made of frogs? It would explain why they charge so much.

* * *

"So... the other day, Mom and Dad…" Maiko began to say to me while we ate the burgers which I am pretty sure aren't made of frog. "They talked to me about why they were getting divorced. I was sad, but I listened to what they said. ...Did I do good?" She asked.

I gulped down the mystery meat. "Yeah." I told her. "You did good."

She laughed. "Thanks a bunch! So, Mom and Dad..." Back to serious conversation now. "They said when there's no love, it's hard to still be married. ...They said not to worry, because they would always love me. ...I told them that they're still not allowed to get divorced. Even if you don't have love... you still have to try!"

"I think they have." I told her. "But I guess there comes a point where you have to draw the line."

"I guess so…" Maiko replied sadly. "Hey, so... I have to choose whether I want to live with Mom or Dad... But I can't choose that!" She told me. "You decide for me, okay?"

A psycho or an immortal? "Pick your dad." I told her.

"I love Dad so much!" Maiko said happily. "He likes to buy me toys and stuff!" Then the smile faded. "But, Mom cries so much lately. I don't want her to be all alone..." She sighed. "Maybe I should go with her. Oh..." Now she became sad. "Mom's going to move somewhere far away, so if I went with her... I couldn't play with you anymore! ...That would be bad. I'd miss you too much."

**SMASH!**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Hanged Man Arcana..._

"Hey, I know!" Maiko decided, finishing her burger. "Let's get some takoyaki!"

We just ate! Oh well. "Alright then."

* * *

As we walked back to the shrine at the end of the day, Maiko told me something interesting.

"I made my decision..." She told me. "I'm going to live with Mom."

"Really?" I asked her.

Maiko nodded. "Since she has to cook and clean and still go to work... I want to help out too! I don't have to worry about Dad... Even without me around, I think Dad will be okay on his own."

"That's true." I told her.

"But…" Maiko looked sad. "Mom and I will have to move pretty soon. Sorry..." She looked up at me as she held my hand. "We'll still be friends though, right?"

I smiled. "We're friends forever." I told her.

"Best friends forever!" Maiko shouted happily. "Forever and ever and ever, okay? You can't ever forget about me." She warned me. "Promise, okay?"

Another smile as we reached the stairs. "I promise."

**SMASH!**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Hanged Man Arcana..._

"But you have to promise to see me before you go." I told her. "When are you moving?"

"Next week…" She replied sadly. "You have to promise to play with me all week until then, alright?"

"Sorry." I told her. "I've got exams all week…"

"I'm more important than some boring tests!" She replied angrily.

"I know." I laughed. "I promise to see you here this Saturday, alright?" I asked her as we reached the top of the shrine, where her parents were waiting.

She smiled. "Promise!" She ran to her parents, waving at me. "Don't forget!" She shouted at me.

Not a chance.

* * *

When I got home, I found Junpei sitting in the lounge alone in a suit. "About time you got here!" He told me angrily. "Everyone's waiting for you!"

Waiting for what? He dragged me upstairs as he shoved a Monocle on my face and a top hat on my head.

"Hold these." He ordered as he shoved a pipe on one hand and a pimps cane in the other, then shoving my into the upstairs lounge.

Where we were having a maid party apparently.

Well, I say that, but make that four maids, a butler, a chef, a chimney sweep and Koromaru.

"Whose idea was this?" I asked everyone as Junpei set up the camera.

Judging from who everyone turned to… "Yukari!?" Wow, that was a shocker.

"Hey, I just tried on the uniform Mitsuru-senpai lent me!" She shouted defensively. "Then I got Fuuka in on this, then Shinjiro-senpai got in a chef coat, and, well…"

"Activities that are classified as 'fun' are most effective when everyone participates." Aigis finished, bowing. "Welcome, Master."

Aww hell yeah.

* * *

That was one awesome night.

Shame none of us got enough sleep, since we had exams starting the next day.

Dammit Yukari…

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

So worth it though.

Yes, Minato has finally completed the Minor Arcana. And yes, Maiko's dad is Aleph from SMT II / Jyoji Hijiri from SMT III: Nocturne. DundunDUUN!!

That was not planned, I just came up with that on the spot. And sorry if I screwed up his personality. He was initially a silent protagonist, and he was lying about his reporter persona in Nocturne, so that's the excuse I was going for.

I initially wanted the Minor Arcana to be side-characters from the previous Persona games, but that was before I started going Megami Tensei with this, and I missed my chance with Katsuya Suou. He was going to be the Cup.

But since I made Kazuya the Cup, then why not make Aleph the Wand?

You know what feels weird? Since before I started this story, I've been brimming with ideas, but never really thinking that anything would come of it. It's only just sinking in, now that I've reached this point in the story, that holy crap I'm actually going to do this: all the unfinished projects I've helped out with that have collapsed over the years, and this one is actually working.

I used to be a spriter you know. I rocked hard making Pokémon trainer sprites and OW maps and people sprites. I did my work, but all the projects I did any work for fell through. Feels kinda weird to be working on something that's actually going somewhere for once.

Next chapter will have a visit to Tartarus, the finishing of the Hanged Man social link, Yukari's Birthday, and the return of a character we all know and love.


	68. Chapter 68

You know what? I'm a bit ill right now, and I have a large amount of coursework to do over the weekend, but I just re-watched the 11th episode of TTGL and listened to 'His World 2' by Zebrahead, and frankly, I'm raring to go.

Another thing of note, my chapters are getting longer lately.

Meh. It's all good.

Now for reviews.

Slicerness, Nyx is female. And being a God Mod Sue has more to it that just power. Officially, the Minato in my story is a God Mode Sue simply because of the sheer brilliance he pulls off, in and out of battle. That said though, I will change it if that's how you feel.  
Also, I meant a Mjolnir Wielding Shinji to make up for the lack of electric based damage. And the Nyx Avatar was fairly easy after running through Monad a few times.

Slackerman, You are way off.

Heraklinos, you're just going to wait and see.

Derek Barona, I've neither seen the game nor played the film, so Almighty Math wasn't a reference. Also, you reminded me of a discarded idea for January, which has now gone back into the plan and will be even more awesome, thanks to your input. And as for Shinji in Tartarus? Consider it done.

Damien Black, thanks. And yeah, but I might change the name to make them flow better with the other spells.

Nightmaresyndrom, if that's how you feel then I probably will win. As for the Great Jacks, kinda.

DrTempo, that's why he's the Jack Who Must Not Be Named. You will be sorely missed.

Kaelin Voidshadow, you should see what Minato does to the Nyx Avatar.

Book Maniac, Thanks, but I wouldn't send this off to Atlus. Just not good enough. The only fanfiction I would recomend the author doing that for would be Bhepin sending Shinji And Warhammer40k off to Gainax and Games Workshop to be turned into the greatest anime ever. I read that _before_ watching Neon Genesis Evangelion; three episodes in and I'm dissapointed in what's described as one of the best Anime of all time. The fanfiction is that good.

Now try to not make this chapter be as epic as I feel, because then that would ruin the rest of the story.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

"Pencils down." The examiner ordered.

And thus ends these exams. I was actually able to concentrate without Pharos helping me.

That said, I miss the little bugger.

Oh yeah, I promised I'd hang out with Maiko didn't I?

Best get out of here fast before anyone else asks for me then.

* * *

"Hey, Minato, you going home now?" Yukari asked. "I'll walk with you."

DAMMIT YUKARI!!!

Sorry, I have to go somewhere… "Sure." I said. "I'd love to."

DAMMIT MINATO!!!

YOU KNOW WHAT!? DAMN IT ALL!!

"Is something wrong?" Yukari asked.

"Oh, nothing." I replied.

"Only you're screaming silently at the ceiling."

DAMN AND BLAST!!!

"Better than screaming out loud." I joked with a smile. "I need to go somewhere on the way home though, so is that okay?"

* * *

I explained the situation with Maiko to Yukari on the way to the shrine, not going into any detail about the girl's dad other than he worked for me and was the sane member of the family

. Presumably.

"And they're just getting divorced like that?" Yukari asked angrily. "Just abandoning their marriage?"

"Better than forcing through a loveless one." I told her. "Friend of mine's parents got divorced shortly after he was born."

"…You serious?" Yukari asked in disbelief.

I nodded. "He didn't think anything was wrong until he was seven and he asked his dad why mom left the house every night. Oh, his parents get on." I told Yukari. "There's just no love." David had sensible parents.

I could tell from her face that she didn't know whether to be impressed of horrified. "That's… odd." Yukari admitted.

I shrugged. "Perfect home has a mother and father that love each other." I reasoned. "Better to have two imperfect homes where the mother and father love each other than one broken home where they don't."

"I… suppose you're right?" Yukari asked. "Still think they should give it another chance though."

"Maiko thinks the same." I told her. "But from what she's told me and how her parents look at each other…"

"You think it's a violent house?" Yukari asked.

"What? No!" I shook my head. "Nah, just loveless and argumentative." I searched my brain for an example. "Like if Ikutsuki and I were married."

…

NOOO!!! MY BRAIN!! MAKE IT STOP!!!!

"You just imagined Ikutsuki wearing nothing but an apron, saying 'Welcome home darling', didn't you?" Yukari asked.

"No…" I replied. "But I am now…"

Yukari winced. "Sorry about that."

"Brain Bleach Nao Please…" I groaned.

* * *

Now that I was sufficiently mentally traumatised, we went to see Maiko.

"Hey! She shouted once she saw Yukari. "You never said that you were bringing a friend!" Maiko pouted.

"Sorry…" I replied with a smile. "Forgive me?"

Maiko pouted. "Only if you play on the Jungle Gym with me." She replied. "And the See-Saw, and the Swings, and Kick The Can, and the Slides, and-"

"Right then!" I interrupted her. "Let's play them all!"

* * *

By the time the sun was setting, Maiko, Yukari and I were all pretty tired.

"We played enough for you to remember me, right?" Maiko asked me. "Don't forget…"

"I won't." I told her.

"I'm leaving tomorrow..." Maiko said sadly, sitting on the bench. "An' Dad said, even though we're far away, we're still family." She looked up at me. "I think that should go for friends like you and me, too. So, I don't have to be sad. ...I think family is important."

"It is." I told her.

"Do you think I'll have a family of my own one day?" Maiko asked me.

"I bet you will." I told her with a smile.

"I sure will!" She replied happily. "So, um... When I'm grown up… Can we be a mom and dad together?"

Gak! "I'll have to think about it…" I replied with a shaky smile. Yukari was right there…

"But you must!" Maiko shouted. "We're supposed to get married some day!" Erm, really?

Maiko shoved a Bead Ring into my hand. "Keep this, okay? I... made it just for you… 'Cause one day we'll be trading vows, right?"

Aaaand apparently I was just proposed to. Right in front of my girlfriend.

**SMASH!!**

_Thou art I… And I am thou…_

_The bond thou has nurtured hath finally matured…_

_The innermost power of the Hanged Man Arcana hath been set free…_

_We bestow upon thee the ability to create Attis, the ultimate form of the Hanged Man Arcana…_

_This bond shall never be broken… even as you part ways forever…_

"Close your eyes, 'kay?" Maiko asked me.

"Alright." I replied, closing my eyes, getting a kiss on the cheek.

Maiko laughed as she ran for the steps. "Don't get cold feet!" She called at me. "So... I'll see you!" She waved, "You can't forget me, though!"

Maiko ran very quickly so as to hide her sadness.

"Poor girl…" Yukari sighed, sitting next to me. "She gonna be alright?"

I pocketed the ring. "Yeah, she'll be fine." I replied.

Yukari elbowed me in the ribs. "Well look at you, mr stud."

I put my hands up defensively. "Hey, _she_ came on to _me_!" I pleaded.

Yukari laughed. "Whatever. Come on," She said, getting up and offering me her hand. "We should really get back now."

I took it and stood up. "Yeah, alright."

* * *

"S'up, dude?" Junpei asked me as we came back into the dorm. "Phew! It's finally over... wanna go to Tartarus today?" He asked.

Come to think of it, this'll be the first time we've been without Akihiko. "Go for it." I told him.

He whooped. "Awesome!" He shouted, hands holding his book in the air. "I don't even wanna think about school anymore!"

Wait… "Hey, didn't I give that book to Akihiko?" I asked him.

Junpei's face fell. "Oh yeah… Shinjiro-senpai gave it to me, but I didn't think…"

"You need it a lot more than I do." Shinji told him.

"Oh?" Junpei sneered. "Because I've got a woman in my life and you don't?" He asked.

"Because you're an idiot." Shinji told him.

"Bit harsh." Kenjamin winced.

"But possibly accurate." Aigis noted. "I detected a high level of stress in Junpei-san over the examination period."

"Wha-me?" Junpei laughed emptily. "Don't be silly… your sensors must be malfunctioning, Ai-chan."

A nickname for her too? "My diagnostics assure me that this is not the case." Aigis told him. "Furthermore, you are once again displaying signs of stress, including an increased pulse, spikes in cranial activity, and sweat despite the low temperature."

"I-I have a cold!" Junpei shouted. "I'm not stressed!"

"Well, if you're unwell, then I suppose you can't go to Tartarus then." Yukari sighed, smiling. "Too bad."

"Hey, I can go!" Junpei shouted. "It's just a sniffle!"

Alright, time to put the poor bugger out of his misery. "Fine, you can come." I told him. "But you have to go to school tomorrow."

Junpei saluted. "Yes sir! I promise!"

"But Junpei-san, tomorrow's Sunday." Kenjamin pointed out. "There's no school."

"Your move, Stupei." I grinned.

"Y-you tricked me!" Junpei shouted as I high-fived Shinji.

And it was hilarious.

* * *

I put on Akihiko's gloves before we headed out that night. Once we were inside the tower, I paid a visit to the Velvet Room and had a pleasant surprise.

"Pharos?" I asked.

The kid smiled. "Hey, I'm back." He smiled. "Sorry I've been away so long."

I shrugged. "Meh. I'll live."

Truth was, I'd really missed him. He knew it, I knew it, and he knew that I knew it, but neither of us would admit it to the other.

It's a good friendship.

"It is a good thing to see to friends re-united." Igor smiled. "But it is a greater thing to realise the blessings of those friendships fulfil themselves."

Hm? "What're you talking about Igor?" I asked him.

His grin grew. "How many Social Links have you completed to date?" He asked me.

Let's see… Hanged Man, Magician, Chariot, Hermit, Justice, Strength, Temperance, Hierophant, and that's it. "Eight so far." I told him.

"And have you been promised the power of the ultimate forms of those Arcana?" He asked with a sly grin.

…ooh… nice… "We gonna fuse them now?" I asked him.

"Some." He admitted. "You aren't quite strong enough to use most of them, but I can assist in the creation of some of these."

I grinned. "Let's do it."

* * *

I left that room with Surtr and Thor, the ultimate forms of the Magician and the Chariot; The giant who will burn the world and the berserker of thunder. Nice.

I also fused Daisoujou, who had learnt Samsara; the ultimate Light skill. Yep, arses will be kicked with these bad boys.

Surtr is also this close to learning Ragnarok. I have no idea what the hell it will do, but it will be awesome.

"You've used it before." Pharos told me. "Against the Lovers."

Really? Well I don't remember much of that. I kinda blacked out at the start, woke up smashing Yukari's face in, then woke up in the middle of the street with half a mask on my face. What did I miss?

"Not much." Pharos lied. I'll interrogate him on it later.

"You won't get anything." Whatever.

"Shinji, Kenjamin, Yukari." I pointed out. "You're the first wave. Aigis, Junpei and Mitsuru are the second. Then I'll run with Koromaru with whoever's still standing."

That plan got nods all around. "Good." I replied. "Let's go."

* * *

Few minutes later, we were locked in battle against those Samurai chaps again.

Shinji jumped back and put an Evoker to his jaw. "ATLAS!!" He shouted, pulling the trigger as a stone fist fell from the ceiling and crushed one Samurai.

"Nice!" Yukari shouted, shooting a tornado arrow through it and into the Shadow behind it.

Well, I say fell, but the stone hand really grew from the gold ceiling in a downwards direction. There goes the First Law of Thermodynamics…

"You've been ignoring that from day one." Pharos shrugged. "Nothing new."

Well, it's the first time we've done it so offensively. "KALA-NEMI!" Kenjamin shouted, summoning his new Persona. It was red and had huge, fancy shoulders.

And it just cast Ziodyne. Yay.

* * *

Eventually, we got into a fight where I was useful. These pagemasters or whatever apparently resisted all the elements instead of fire.

"SURTR!" I shouted, summoning the ruler of Muspellheim to purge all that is unholy with glorious hellfire.

"You like to dramatise things, don't you?" Pharos asked me.

"I like Maragidyne." I told everyone as the Shadows screamed in the blaze.

One of the Shadows lurched out of the blaze towards Kenjamin.

"STOP!" He shouted, hand outstretched. Out of sheer shock, the Shadow obeyed as gold paper surrounded it. "Hama-time." Kenjamin smiled, clenching the fist as the Light spell killed the Shadow.

And now the boy's doing M.C. Hammer. Great.

* * *

"GIGA…" Shinji started with his huge stone cone in hand. "DRILL…"

"No." I replied, switching to Thor and smashing the rock with its hammer. "We are not doing that."

"Tch." Shinji spat with disgust as he kicked down a wall. "Whatever."

_**Please refrain from damaging my property unnecessarily**_

Oh crap.

"You guys hear that?" Kenjamin asked.

"Hear what?" Yukari asked.

"I did…" Shinji replied, "What about you Fuuka?"

_~ I didn't hear anything, ~_ Fuuka replied. _~ But I sense the Reaper coming your way! ~_

"That was his voice!" I shouted. "I've been able to hear him from the start, and we gotta move NOW!!"

We all set off at a run, while Kenjamin asked a surprising question.

"What's going on?" He asked. "What's the Reaper?"

No-one told you already? "The Reaper is the Master of Tartarus." I replied. "He sees all of this as a game, and us as his opponent."

"So why don't we fight him?" He asked.

"Because the one time we did kill it we used lots of C-4 and five stories worth of concrete to crush his mangled body." I replied. "And this time we don't have time to set another trap."

"But… aren't we strong enough to fight it?" Kenjamin asked.

We all screeched to a halt. Are we?

"No." Pharos shook his head. "Nowhere near."

Crap.

"You might manage to fend it off though." Pharos admitted. "If you're lucky and you send the girl away."

So those with resolved Personae then. "We run for now." I ordered. "Once we get another Resolved Persona-user, then we'll take him on."

"If we haven't already made the Dark Hour disappear by then." Yukari corrected.

I nodded as I ordered the hasty retreat. "Yeah, if someone resolves within two weeks, then we'll fight this guy fair and square."

_**I look forward to it**_

_~ Huh? ~_ Fuuka replied. _~ The Reaper just retreated! ~_

"It sees this as a game." I explained, slowing down to a jog. "He must really look forward to taking us on head to head…"

* * *

We spent ages in there. In fact, we barely had enough time to take out the Guardian with the second team before we had to leave, the Dark Hour ending.

We agreed to come back later to climb the rest of the block.

* * *

"COUGH!! WHEEZE!"

I helped Akinari calm down from his coughing fit on the way to work the next day. "It's… starting to settle down, I think…" He told me. "Thank you for coming."

"Anytime." I told him. "You alright?"

He nodded. "It's better when I'm not alone. Why do I have to face this alone?" He asked. "Other people don't have to deal with this sickness. I won't ever walk through a sunny field again because my legs and heart can't handle it… All that's left is to draw my sheets around me and count the beats of my heart until they stop forever…" Man, that's dark. "Why is this only happening to me?"

I gave the honest answer. "I don't know." I told him.

"Of course not." He replied. "No one knows. I don't even know. I mean, I understand why I'm dying, but '_why_' am I dying?" He asked. "There isn't any meaning to life that I can find, so perhaps I'm not missing all that much."

"Maybe not…" I agreed.

"I wish I could run away." He told me. "But if my body was capable of that, I wouldn't be here anyway… No matter what I do, my body is there to remind me… I'm going to die… And there's nothing I can do!"

He started coughing again. "Please don't leave… just yet… When I'm alone… it feels like it could end at any second."

"Try not to talk so much…" I told him.

"I know, but…" He coughed. "I'd like to talk… for a little bit longer."

He tried to smile. "I am feeling…" Akinari wheezed. "A little better… so thank you…"

**SMASH!**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Sun Arcana…_

"Don't worry…" He told me. "I'll be fine now…" He coughed, but not as harshly as before. "It was good seeing you…"

Best get off to work.

* * *

I got an Email from Fuuka while I was at work. –{ It's Yukari's birthday tomorrow. }-It said. –{ Please can you keep her busy tomorrow afterschool while we get the dorm ready? }-

I'd completely forgotten. Thank You Fuuka! I sent back an affirmative.

Now to find her a present...

* * *

Crap.

Crap.

The problem with being loaded is that you have no idea what to buy your girlfriend for her birthday.

I mean, if I didn't have this job, or she didn't know I had this job, then I could buy her something expensive and it would show that I worked hard for it, but if I do that, then it's too easy and is pretty meaningless!

So I actually have to put some thought into it!

"Excuse me sir, but would you like some flowers?"

YES! That will do!

"'Course, if you buy them on the day, then it looks like you forgot." Pharos told me. "And if you bring them along, then that ruins the surprise."

Good point. "Can I order a Bouquet?" I asked. "And could you deliver it to this address?" I asked her, giving the dorm address.

"Who's the lucky lady?" The flower lady asked.

"My girlfriend." I told her. "Though I live in the same dorm as her, so don't put my name on it."

"Would you like me to sign it as You Know Who?" She asked, writing down the address.

Maybe Voldemort got a different name in the Japanese translation? "No thanks." I told her. "Just with the message… _To Yukari, with love. Happy Birthday._" Yeah, that sounds nice without being corny or creepy.

"Which makes it both." Pharos replied. Shut up Pharos.

"Alrighty then!" The lady replied. "Which flowers should I use?"

…Crap.

Only ones I'm an expert in are Lilies, and you don't give a girl funeral flowers for her birthday, and it's really the wrong time of year for roses…

Man, I sound just like my cousin right now…

Good plan. Six in the afternoon right now so… ten AM Sunday morning. I clicked Marina Ward and hit the call button.

She picked up. _/\_ "Morning! Now who the hell are you and how did you get this number!?" _/\_

Yep, that's my cousin. "Hey Marina." I replied.

_/\_ "Minato? How the hell are you!? How come you haven't been answering your phone!?" _/\_

Ah. Right. "Last one broke after some idiot pushed me off a boat." I explained, "Listen.."

_/\_ "What!?" _/\_ Marina shouted down the phone. _/\_ "Who did that? I'm the only one allowed to push you off boats!" _/\_

Yep. She's that crazy. "Listen, it's my girlfriends birthday tomorrow. What-"

_/\_ "Whoa, you actually found someone capable of putting up with you?" _/\_ We love each other really. _/\_ "She must have brain damage or something." _/\_

Nope that's me, but not telling her that. "Look, what flowers should I get her?" I asked her. "She doesn't like Roses."

_/\_ "What's her favourite colour?" _/\_ She asked.

"Pink."

_/\_ "Get Gerberas." _/\_ Marina replied.

"Thanks. Bye."

_/\_ "Hey, hold o-" _/\_

I hung up. "Gerberas please." I told the lady.

_/\_ _There must be some kinda way out of here,_ _/\_ My phone sang, _/\_ _Said the Joker to the Thief._ _/\_

Marina. I answered it. "You do realise that international calls are seriously expensive, right?" I asked her.

_/\_ "So how come you can afford it all of a sudden?" _/\_ Marina asked. _/\_ "Don't say you borrowed someone else's mobile because only an idiot would let you, and you are using a mobile phone right now." _/\_

I almost forgot that she's almost as brilliant as I am. "Sorry." I replied. "Just wanted your advice so I called. Everything's fine over here, so how about your end?"

_/\_ "Pretty good." _/\_ Marina replied. _/\_ "Now about this girlfriend of yours…" _/\_

I sighed. "Look, if this is gonna be a long phone call, I'd be happier if I was footing the bill."

_/\_ "You're being surprisingly generous for once." _/\_ She replied. _/\_ "Alright, call me back." _/\_

She hung up as I finished my order. The flowers would be delivered on our doorstep waaay before we set off for school tomorrow. Then I headed off to Chaghall's Café to call my cousin back.

* * *

_/\_ "Sound's like you've been keeping yourself busy." _/\_ Marina replied.

"I have." I nodded, sipping the coffee. I'd given her the gist of my social life, not including dark hour details, since April to now, not telling her just how much I was earning in my job though. I'd told her that I was temping as an intern. Much more believable. "So, what did I miss back home?"

_/\_ "Remember Dave Richards?" _/\_ She told me. _/\_ "Who's going out with Stacy Brooke?" _/\_

Both good friends of mine from my school class, Judgement and Empress respectively. She was pregnant with his baby when I left. "How are they?" I asked her.

_/\_ "They've had a kid!" _/\_ Marina told me. _/\_ "A Baby boy called Minato." _/\_

… "They seriously named their son after me?" I asked her.

_/\_ "Apparently it was thanks to you they didn't get an abortion." _/\_ She explained. _/\_ "So I guess you knew about it already, huh?" _/\_

"I couldn't exactly tell anyone about it." I replied. "How'd their parents take it?"

_/\_ "Surprisingly well." _/\_ Marina replied. _/\_ "They reckon Dave'll be a good father, and he's planning on marrying her once he has the cash." _/\_

"That's Dave all over." I told her. He was always keeping me out of the trouble Marina was getting me into. "How's Jessica?" I asked.

Her silence said it all. "Not well?" I asked.

_/\_ "She still hasn't forgiven you." _/\_ Marina replied sadly. _/\_ "None of them have." _/\_

Fairs Fair, I did kill her brother. "Have they gone after any of you?" I asked her.

_/\_ "No, you know how the Blood's are." _/\_ Marina replied.

I did. They never did anything that'd make them look like the villain. "That's good." I told her.

Then I saw the time. "Hey, I need to get back home." I told her. "I've got school tomorrow."

She laughed. "What's so funny?" I asked her.

_/\_ "You, calling Japan home all of a sudden." _/\_ Marina replied. Whoa, I hadn't noticed that. _/\_ "You're coming home for Christmas, right?" _/\_

"Of course." I told her, getting up from my seat and leaving the Café. "Tell everyone I said hi." I told her. "And tell Dave to call me!"

_/\_ "You think the young father can afford a nice chat with you?" _/\_ Marina asked.

"Good point." I replied. "Tell him to send me a message."

_/\_ "Will do." _/\_ She replied. _/\_ "Later!" _/\_

"Bye." I replied, hanging up, and then headed for the Antiques shop.

* * *

I put Thor in overnight to get the Mjolnir in a couple of days. Once I got that, I'm gonna put Surtr in so I can get Laevateinn.

Until then, I've no plans to go to Tartarus without the badass weapons.

* * *

Got an Email from Dave at Stupid O'clock in the morning. 'Course, for him, it's Sensible O'clock in the evening.

-{ Good to hear from you finally. }- It read. –{ Stacey and I are fine with the lad. Hope you don't mind us stealing your name XD. You wanna be the Godfather? JK. }-

Oh, gonna joke around with me, hey? _Sure._ I sent back. _I'd love to._

Mwahahahahaha!!!

"Yeah." Pharos nodded. "That has zero chance of coming back to bite you in the backside."

* * *

-{ Seriously? That's great! }-  
-{ Yeah, I know you were just messing, but this is what you get for tempting fate. I do warn you about that. }- He really does.  
-{ So, down to business. Found anything about CT? }-

Coffin time. Haven't heard that Acronym since April. _You would not believe the start of it._

"How does he know about the Dark Hour?" Pharos asked me.

"Because he's been able to enter it since he was twelve." I told him. "My Cousin could do it since she was ten."

That surprised him. "..Wow. Didn't see that coming."

"Why?" I asked him. "Why should all the Persona users be Japanese?"

"Fair point." Pharos replied. "So why haven't you brought this up with the others?"

"Because we need power by any means necessary." I told him. "If we recruited a dog and a ten year old kid, then why wouldn't we import some teenagers from England?" I asked him.

"So for their sake then." Pharos nodded. "Anyway, don't you have a school to go to?"

Crap. Need to catch Yukari before she sets out.

* * *

Thankfully, I did. She liked the flowers, and she quickly figured out that I'd sent them.

Of course, she recruited me to go on a shopping trip after school so I could carry her bags. Keeping her out of the dorm for a few hours was going to be easier than I thought.

* * *

Once it was lunchtime, I got to writing a reply for Dave while I ate my lunch.

"Good Afternoon, Minato-kun."

Is this a smarmy face I see before me? "Oh, Kihei." I took another bite out of my lunch. "What'd up."

"My test score." He grinned, showing me a copy of the exam results poster. I hadn't even been to see it yet. "As you can see, you are now _Second Place_ to me!" He cackled.

"That in the school or the class?" I asked.

"I-Irrelevant!" He told me. "You are Second place in the year!" He laughed. "Who reigns over who now?" He asked.

I sighed. "Aigis, hold onto my sandwich for a second."

She took it. "Understood."

"Dude, chill." Junpei warned me as I examined the test paper Kihei was brandishing like a search warrant.

"He hasn't done anything yet." I reasoned, looking at the top ten names.

1st- Keihei Hiruma, 98% Average  
2nd- Minato Arisoto, 93% Average  
3rd- Kazushi Miyamoto, 92% Average

Fuuka went down? Wait, who came third?

…

Kaz?

…

"Kaz?" I asked, turning back. "Did you seriously get 92% Average this time?"

He fell of his seat, crutches falling on top of him. "KAZ!" I shouted, jumping to my feet. "You okay!?"

He forced himself up. "I got what!?"

I passed him the exam results. "HOLY SHIT!!" He shouted. "I- I mean, I've been studying more since I can't exercise because of my leg, but Ninety-Two!?"

I clapped him on the back. "Well done mate! I'm bloody impressed!"

"A-hem!" Kihei coughed. "Aren't we forgetting _my_ victory?"

"Oh yeah." I shrugged. "I guess I was still a bit shaken up after Akihiko's death… you do realise he lived in the room opposite mine, right?" I asked him. "Forgive me for being upset over a friend dying!"

Akihiko, forgive me for using you like this, but this guy is too arrogant for his own good.

"Same thing could be said of you." Pharos noted.

This guy is too arrogant for my own good.

Hey, look at all the evil glares he's getting.

Why is Yukari giving me one?

"Because she knows that you recovered from Akihiko's death that quickly." Pharos answered. Damn.

"Though, I can't really use that as an excuse." I admitted. "You're right Kihei." I said, patting the guy on the shoulder. "You won and I failed to study. Aigis, can I have my sandwich back?" I asked her.

"Here it is." She replied, handing it to me.

"Thanks." I replied. This is a good Sausage Butty.

* * *

Apparently, my _real_ present for Yukari was to foot the bill for whatever she asked me to carry. Meh, whatever works.

"There's one more store I want to go to..." She told me. "You don't mind, right?"

I wished I was carrying boxes so I could move my head comically. "Nope." I replied, carrying half a dozen bags or so. "Not at all." I was still waiting for a call from Fuuka giving me an Okay to come back home.

Speaking of phone calls, Yukari's started ringing. "Hold on." She told me, getting it out of her pocket. "Oh…"

Her face darkened. "Hello..." She told whoever was on the other side of the phone. "…Yeah ...What? ...So?" Yukari was getting angrier as the phone call continued. "Get to the point, okay? ...Huh?" Her eyes widened with surprise. "It's not funny! ...What!?" And now that surprise is intense anger. "How do you think that would make Dad feel!?"

Oooh, this was not a happy phone call. "Fine." Yukari snapped. "Do whatever you want... Just don't call me again!"

She hung up the phone angrily. "Sorry…" She told me.

"You alright?" I asked her.

"Oh, yeah... I'm fine." Yukari lied. "Thanks for asking… You know who I was on the phone with, right?"

"Your mom?" I guessed.

Yukari nodded. "Yeah, it was my mom. She says she wants to get remarried..."

"Not to wish you a happy birthday?" I asked her.

"That too, but…" Yukari sighed. "I don't really care if she wants to get married again, but I can't stand how she's been living... Running away from life, jumping from guy to guy... I don't think that's fair to my dad."

Fair enough. "Sorry, I'm okay now." She told me. "Thanks." She sighed. "I'll never be like her. I'll never be that weak... Running away to forget your problems is the worst thing you can do. I've decided that I'm gonna live on my own." Wait, What? "I'll show her that I can be happy that way."

**SMASH!**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Lovers Arcana…_

Except you can't. Not truly.

"Thank you." She told me happily. "For some reason, I feel like I can tell you anything, Minato. Let's head back now." She decided. "I'll do the rest of my shopping some other day."

I sent the message I'd saved earlier to Fuuka. _ABORT! RETURNING TO DORM NOW FROM P-MALL!_

Yeah, I typed the location just now, but it'd give them time to give a quick finish on the party preparations.

* * *

Yukari wasn't in a party mood when we came home. Oh, she enjoyed it, but I wasn't gonna score at the end of the night either.

"Minato, you were never gonna score tonight, and you know it."

Shut up Pharos.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

Not gonna get into detail with the party itself.

Yep, more social links, more Tartarus, and more Minato backstory. Marina is of course Minako / Female Protagonist. I named her Marina after her voice actor, Marina Inoue. Thankfully, the Japanese VA had an acceptably western name.

Accepting ideas for Dave's Persona. It's gotta fit the Judgement Arcana, and can't be summonable in P3. Current idea is Arthur, but we got until game time Christmas to decide.

Yes, Kenjamin did a MC hammer reference. It had to be done.

Minato's ringtone today was 'All Along The Watchtower', done by either Jimmy Hendrix or Bob Dylan. Both did a version of it, but I don't know who did it first.

And gasp! Other Persona Users!

No, they won't be coming to Japan. No way in hell will that happen. But you will see them in action. That will be awesome.

And gasp! Resolved Persona Users can hear the Reaper! But they can't see Pharos.

Yet you can see that traumatising mental image Yukari gave us all at the start of the chapter. My brain is still downing bleach in shots after that.

Sorry for the delay, the Beta made a hilarious and very aggravating accident while Beta'ing the story. Don't tell him I told you guys or he might get angry at me.

Wait, he reads this too...

Craaaaaaaaaap...

Next chapter up whenever, and until then, enjoy!

Current Game date: October 19th, 2009.


	69. Chapter 69

Alright! New chapter!

Now, Christmas Holidays are coming up. For most authors, this'd mean a lot more free time to write stories. For me, it's the opposite. I'll write while I can, but releases will be slowed by both my real world commitments and my Beta's real world commitments.

Now for reviews. Fairly English Story got a song on youtube dedicated to it: I'll Face Myself (Persona 4) Extended Version by Lunardragon2607. It's good, go watch it.

TenshiReike, more devil politics all in due time. And war against another clan? Sure, why not, I'll see what I can do.

Slackerman, no, I won't be having a party at the end of every chapter. This chapter especially.

Naru-chan, I'll be doing something better. Taking Minato to England to meet all of his friends and relatives. It will be very swet.

Slicerness, no way in hell am I changing this Minato in any way but the gradual better. I was talking about changing the description up there. Nothing happens in game at Christmas Dark Hour-wise, but in this story, Minato's going home for Christmas. As for my info on the Personae, They're all heavily based on gods and deities from around the world, so you only need to look them up and learn more about them. A good story needs good information behind it, and since I'm fairly well versed in psychodynamic psychology and ancient mythology, I'm a pretty good choice for writing this sort of thing.

Kaelin Voidshadow, I only said that once everyone had resolved then they'd be able to stand on even footing with the Reaper. It'll still be a hard battle. But yeah, eventual beatdown for old Reaps.

Dr. Tempo, the problem with Ardha is that it's a Hindi god, and Greifin, same goes for Heracles being Grecian. I got Merlin suggested to me, which was good, and I agree with your point about Arthur Pendragon being more Fool/World than Judgement.  
Viperzero, Odysseus… hm… Nah, more of a Fool Arcana… Though I am playing around with Uroboros.

Nightmaresyndrom, everybody loves Giga Drill Break, except when someone is doing it on _them_. If you had a chance to do one, you'd jump at the opportunity. That is, If you've watched Gurren Lagann. I have. It's good.

Have A Little Feith, yes, I did know that. Eros was the god of life, love and fertility.

Distant Dream, I don't know who Hengist is, but I'll look him up.

And now, Chapter time. Yay!

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

At some point during the past few days, Fuuka resolved. Her new Persona is called Juno, and she's got Wi-fi.

Yeah.

Her new Persona lets her use the internet without a computer or even standard internet access.

And as we found out last time we went to Tartarus, She's got a new skill called Oracle.

I hope she learns to control it soon, because right now it'll either heal us, kill us, or nuke the enemy.

So now we've killed the Reaper twice.

* * *

Anyway, today's Thursday, so time for Music club.

Or, it should be, but Keisuke kidnapped me before I got to the club room and dragged me to the roof.

"Well, I told my dad about my opportunity to study abroad, and get this… He said I should give it a try." Keisuke ranted. That's a good thing, right? "Can you believe that!?" He shouted angrily. "Before, he was telling me I should QUIT the band! All he ever wanted was for me to become a doctor, and now he's saying I should follow my dreams… I don't know what I should do." Keisuke sighed. "I'm so confused…"

So am I. "Do whatever you want." I told him.

"Th-That's true, but…" Keisuke groaned. "If I study abroad, it'll seem like I'm only doing it because my dad told me to…"

Yep, he's confused. "Thanks." He told me. "I've been having a really hard time with this, but I feel a lot better now. You're the only person I can talk to, Minato-kun."

**SMASH!**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Fortune Arcana…_

"You've always done what you've wanted to in life, haven't you, Minato-kun?" He asked me. "Oh, sorry." He added, shaking his head. "Let's get going. I'm having my driver pick me up, so if you want, I can have him drop you off near your dorm."

Yay.

* * *

The lack of limo was a bit of a let down, but an Audi A5 is an Audi A5.

Fuuka was the only one home by the time I got there. "You skip music club too?" I asked her.

She nodded, closing her laptop. It wasn't even turned on. "Actually, I wanted to talk to you." She told me.

"Really?" I replied, sitting on the couch. "About what?"

"Do you remember how I said that I don't have the strength to believe in the future?" She asked me. I nodded. "Well, being with you has taught me why."

"Oh yeah?" I asked.

Fuuka nodded. "It's because I never finish anything I start." Whoa, really? "People who are not truly happy cannot look forward to the future… And that's how I was." She told me. "I always used to quit before I finished anything… I never had a future to look forward to."

"That's a pretty harsh observation." I told her. A pretty damn true one though.

"After I told you how I felt about you… Everything seemed to change." Fuuka continued, nodding to herself. "I knew you wouldn't feel the same, but… I still felt like I needed to tell you. No…" She shook her head. "I felt like I wanted to tell you. And, I didn't care how things turned out… I think I can change, little by little."

She grabbed a paper bag from her feet and passed it to me. "Here." She told me. "Since you're always listening to music, I thought you might like these."

I opened the bag and found some headphones inside. "Hey, thanks!" I told her, putting them into my Mp3 player and shoving them into my ear.

_Cause I'm a thousand miles away_

Whoa! What the hell!?

_And I'm out of oxygen_

This is not natural quality!

_And I'm falling faster than I'd like to be_

This is… this is a good five years ahead of our time.

_And I'm closer to the sky_

I looked at Fuuka, who was looking at me expectantly.

_Than I'll ever be to you again_

"H-how are they?" She asked me.

_Find the exit signs and disappear_

"Fantastic…" I replied, taking them out of my ears.

She smiled. "This is from my heart…" She told me. "Remember how I told you that I was pretty good with mechanical devices? Well, I finally gave up on cooking…" This isn't good. This is patentable and can be sold to Sony for thousands. "I want to be true to myself when I'm with you, Minato-kun, so…"

**SMASH!**

_Thou art I… And I am thou…_

_The bond thou hast nurtured hath finally matured…_

_The innermost power of the Priestess Arcana hath been set free…_

_We bestow upon thee the ability to create Scathach, the ultimate form of the Priestess Arcana…_

_This bond shall never be broken… even as you aid one another from afar…_

Another English Persona. Nice.

"'Sup Dude?" Junpei asked, coming through the door. "Hey Fuuka-chan!"

"Hi Junpei." Fuuka replied. "How was your day?" She asked.

Junpei grinned. "Boring, but it's about to get a whole lot better!"

"You're about to see Chidori in the hospital again, aren't you?" I asked him.

He dumped his bag by the door and headed out again. "You bet! Later!"

* * *

Aigis seemed to be deep in thought as I walked her to school the next day. "You alright?" I asked her.

"Sorry, I was thinking." Aigis replied, shaking her head. "I was considering what I might learn by attending school. But, that is irrelevant."

"If you say so…" I replied.

* * *

"Alright everyone, one last thing and we can all go home!" Hidetoshi announced at the student council meeting that afternoon. "We're going on a school trip in three weeks, and Ekoda wants us to go to Kyoto." He slammed the piece of paper against the table. "I don't particularly care where we go, but I've got a personal vendetta against the man, so I'm taking down counter-suggestions!"

"I thought you were his little lapdog?" Kittan asked, laughingly.

"That's my vendetta." Hidetoshi replied, nodding. Mitsuru wasn't around, so Hidetoshi was leading the meeting in her stead. "Chihiro-san, where can the school afford to send us?"

"Um…" Chihiro consulted her chart. "Not that far… Kyoto is about the furthest we can go…"

"Shame…" Kazuma sighed. "I thought we'd get to go to England since Minato-kun's from there…"

"Not a chance." I sighed. "I'm no tour guide."

"You gonna let Ekoda get his way though?" Pharos asked him. "Then again, why shouldn't you? Going to Kyoto doesn't hurt you in any way."

That kind of sensible thought leads to surrender. "How about… Inaba?" I asked, pulling a familiar place name out of my arse.

"Inaba?" Hidetoshi asked. "Where's that?"

"It's the rural town that Rise comes from." Pharos reminded me. "Remember?"

"Out mainland." I replied. "It's a rural town, so it doesn't have all the tourist attractions that Kyoto has, but it'll give an appreciation of how other people live." Damn, I am good at pulling stuff out of my arse. "We can even call the school over there and arrange for their students to have trips over to our school sometime." I added. "So in exchange for their students running our school trip, our students will run their school trip over here in the future."

"How close in the future we talking here?" Midori asked.

"Next year probably." Hidetoshi replied, "Considering that they'll probably be doing their planning for the school trip already, like we are." He started making notes. "Kazuma-kun, Kittan-kun, you two go do some research into the Inaba school system. Midori-san, Chihiro-san, prepare a financial report. Minato-kun and I will make a formal draft of the application to the head." He looked around. "Go!"

* * *

"I'm sorry to make you stay behind," Hidetoshi told me as we worked on the formal suggestion, "But I wanted to tell you something…"

"Anything for petty revenge." I told him.

"Three cheers for sweet revenge." Pharos nodded.

Stop being emo. "What is it?" I asked Hidetoshi.

"The cigarette butt incident will be dropped." He told me. "They say it's my fault, for asking so many questions. I wanted to be Student Council President next year, and the teacher agreed to endorse me. But, I lost any chance of achieving that goal when I disagreed with him."

Hold on, "Aren't you a third year?" I asked him. "How could you be president if you're graduating come march?"

Hidetoshi froze. "Holy… how the hell did I not realise that!?" He laughed, collapsing in his chair with his head in his hands. "I'm such an idiot!"

"You really are." I laughed with him. "Bet you're pissed with yourself right now."

"You're damned right I am…" Hidetoshi sighed, recovering. "The student body is also annoyed with me. I rambled on about rules and fairness, but all I really proved was that I was desperate for power…"

"So desperate that you forgot that said power was worthless to you?" I suggested.

"Ouch." He replied. "But yes."

I shrugged. "That was thick. Don't do it again."

He laughed soberly. "Now I know why the President asked you to join student council…" He told me. "You don't do hollow words or sympathy, you genuinely mean what you say…"

"Actually, she asked me because she has a small social circle and Junpei was the alternative." I shrugged. "But that's why she let me stay."

Hidetoshi shook his head, laughing slightly. "You know, if you didn't say it like that, you'd be cynical."

"It's just the truth." I told him. "I think Nixon was wrong."

"Trust." Hidetoshi nodded. "The system only works if you have people's trust, and trust is not something you force them to feel."

"That's fear." I agreed.

Hidetoshi nodded again. "When Ekoda suggested that you should be a suspect, I felt as if I was being bullied by an ignoramus who just had more power than me. I felt like the truth was being bent and I might lose a friend as a consequence. If it wasn't for you, Minato-kun, I would've gotten carried away. Thank you."

**SMASH!**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Emperor Arcana…_

"You're welcome." I told him. "And thanks for helping me get back at Ekoda with this." I added.

"You?" Hidetoshi asked, raising an eyebrow. "This is _my_ revenge!"

* * *

"Don't tell anyone what I just told you." Hidetoshi told me as he locked up the student council room later. "I realize it's out of character for me… I'm sure everyone would just make fun of me." We started walking down the corridor together. "Remember, I expect you to keep this a secret."

"Keep what a secret?" Keisuke asked from behind us. Craaaaaap…

Wait, none of us are gay, so this is cool.

"I think you're so far in the closet, you can see Narnia." Pharos sighed.

Nope, I'm just mentally scarred about last time two of my social links met.

"Smoke grenades?" Pharos asked.

You know the time I mean. The time it all went to hell.

"Ah." Pharos nodded.

"Hey, mind if I borrow Minato-kun for a minute?" Keisuke asked us. "We'll all walk home together afterwards, okay?"

"Sure." I shrugged. "Be right back, Hidetoshi."

* * *

"Um, don't tell anyone this, but…" Keisuke put his hands in his pockets. "I'm still deciding about whether or not I want to study abroad."

"You told Hidetoshi?" I asked him.

Keisuke shook his head. "Not yet, but I'm just…" He sighed. "My dad's trying to make all my decisions for me. He chose the school I'd go to, the dorm I'd live in… Even the flight I'd take! I haven't had a say in anything… He's been acting all weird since I had that talk with him about quitting the club… It's like he thinks he understands me now…"

Now I can see the common denominator between Keisuke and Hidetoshi.

"They both need to get laid?" Pharos asked.

No, they both have power issues. "Are you gonna be a doctor then?" I asked him.

"A doctor?" Keisuke asked, happily. "But, if I study abroad, then there's no turn back, right? I mean, I couldn't be a doctor then, could I?"

He sighed. "My teachers, my friends, and especially you--everyone's been so supportive… I know what you must be thinking… A chance to study abroad--what an opportunity…"

"Speaking from experience, it's not that special." I told him. "Takes a month or so to get used to the change in language, but after that you get used to it."

Keisuke sighed. "Sorry, Minato-kun. It seems like all I ever do is complain to you… But I always feel a lot better after talking to you, so thanks."

**SMASH!**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Fortune Arcana…_

Keisuke sighed. "Now I don't know what I really want to do… In times like this, I must put my faith in the heavens… You can go on without me." He told me, setting off in the opposite direction. "I have to go to the book store. I'm going to buy a fortune telling book and stay up all night until I finish reading it!"

Oh no you don't. What I'm about to do is a serious gamble, but I'd rather put my faith in this than some amateur fortune telling. I grabbed his arm and walked back to where Hidetoshi was waiting.

"Help us out here Hidetoshi." I said. "Keisuke here doesn't know whether to study music abroad or become a doctor."

**SMASH!**

Damn…

_**THOU HAST REVERSED THE FORTUNE ARCANA!**_

Crap…

_**UNTIL THIS WRONG IS RIGHTED, THOU SHALT NOT HAVE OUR BLESSING!**_

"I know." Hidetoshi replied. "I've been waiting for you to tell me though."

Wait, what?

"And how come you went to Minato-kun before me?" Hidetoshi asked Keisuke. "I asked for Minato's help because he was on the student council, but what does your life decisions have to do with music club?" Hidetoshi asked him, letting out some pent-up anger.

"Wh-who told you?" Keisuke asked, look at me angrily.

"Nobody!" Hidetoshi shouted. "A real friend like me could tell from a mile away that something was up!"

**!HSAMS**

_Thou hast righted the Fortune Arcana…_

That felt so wrong.

* * *

We talked about it on the way home, and managed to talk Keisuke out of trying out fortune telling. Now, don't get me wrong. I know that some people, like the Fortune telling lady from Escapade and Igor can tell the future through their methods. But Tarot was designed for psychological treatment, and the school nurse is an expert at fixing the deck so he gets the right cards.

If I can get that skill down, then I'd be unstoppable at any card game I tried my hand at.

"But then it wouldn't be fun." Pharos pointed out. And that's why I'm not learning card magic.

* * *

You know what is fun? Listening to two Japanese schoolboys sing David Bowie. It's even more fun to join in.

Now, if only we were all completely wasted, then this would be hilarious.

As it happens, Japan's pretty strict on underage drinking, so no chance on that happening. Sigh.

"Oh, hey." Yukari called to me as I came into the dorm as Keisuke and Hidetoshi walked away, singing Suffragette City. "The Lost are increasing, huh... That makes me think that a Shadow is coming... But this will be the last one, right?" She asked. "So let's do our best!"

"Yeah." I nodded. "So we going to Tartarus tonight?" I asked.

"Mitsuru-senpai isn't here." Fuuka replied. "So we can't go."

"Tch." Shinji grunted. "And since Aki's dead, the rest of us have to stay at home…"

"Hey, that's not fair!" Kenjamin warned Shinji.

"I'm his best friend, _and_ I got power of attorney." Shinji smiled. "I can use his memory _and _his stuff however the hell I feel!"

"Great to know we've all recovered." I told everyone. "Uh, Fuuka?" I asked. "You've blue screened."

"Huh?" Fuuka replied. "Oh no!" She immediately rebooted the laptop, got the same screen, then unplugged the computer. "I must've overloaded the RAM somehow…" She sighed, flipping the laptop over onto her lap and grabbing a screwdriver.

"Heh." Shinji chuckled "At least _someone_ knows how to use one of those machines around here…" He noted, glaring at me.

What's that look for?

"He's talking about your screw-up with the surveillance system." Pharos told me. "Man, your memory sucks."

It does. Whatever would I do without you Pharos?

"Fail." He replied.

I just suppress my failures. "Hey, I'm just impressed I got as far as I did with that." I told him, retreating to the safety of my bedroom.

* * *

"Hey, Minato?" Yukari asked me after school as we walked back to the dorm. "Do you have a reason for fighting?"

"Huh?" I asked back.

"Oh, it's nothing…" She replied. "Just something I was talking about with Mitsuru-senpai earlier…"

Ah, I see. "Well, I guess it's more of a motive than a reason." I told her. "I do it because I can."

"Because you can." Yukari asked, deadpan.

"Told you it was more of a motive." I shrugged. "That and I like fighting. I don't really need a reason." I admitted.

Yukari chuckled. "I guess I can understand that." She replied. "The next battle will be our last, so let's do our best."

"Makes you feel old, doesn't it?" I asked her.

She nodded. "Yeah, it does… Um, going to the bookstore is kinda lame…" She added, noticing where I was headed. "Let's go somewhere else."

You got something against books, Woman? "Wait, lemme see how much money I have…" Yukari asked, rooting through her schoolbag. "Oh, no!" She started rooting faster. "Where's my wallet!? D-Did I drop it.!? But, when..?" She rooted even harder, in the knowledge that it wasn't there. "I had it when I pulled out my ticket at the station… Wait…" She stopped rooting. "Someone bumped into me right outside the train station. Sorry," She said, heading back towards the station. "I'm gonna go back there and look around. It'll just take a minute!"

"I'll come too." I told her, setting off at a walk.

"No, wait here, okay?" She ordered me. "I'll be fine, so don't come after me!" She started jogging up the steps. "I'll be right back!"

* * *

She wasn't right back. So I went after her to help her 'look'.

Some nice chap had found her wallet. Lovers Arcana. Problem was, the nice chap in question was gropeman from the train, way back when I met Chihiro on the train.

He was moving his hand in for some Booty, which Yukari clearly was not happy about.

I grabbed his right wrist. "Huh?" He asked. "Where did you come fro-"

I brought the guy's forearm down on my knee. Hard. "AARRGHH!!" He screamed as it broke.

"I warned you." I told him, twisting the disconnected half of the arm 90 degrees, "That if you ever," I shoved his wrist into his arm, stabbing his flesh with his own bone as the sharpened bone reached his elbow. "**Ever.** Did that again…" I brought the guy's stump down on my knee again as he screamed, giving him a total of six fractures in his forearm as his own bone cut through his skin. "You would end." I felt my mouth begin to sprout fangs as I kicked his jaw in. "**You've. Been. Warned!**" I growled as I stamped on his throat, leaning in to look into his bloody face. "**And Now I'm About To-**"

I stopped dead when I recognised that face. "A-Adachi?" I asked, fangs receding.

Even Pharos was surprised. "Didn't see that coming."

"M-Minato…" Yukari gasped out of sheer horror.

Damn, I'm scaring her. "Get up." I told him, stepping off him. "If you get to the hospital, it should only take six months to heal." He forced himself up with one hand, shaking out of terror. "**Don't Make Me Repeat Myself.**"

I picked Yukari's wallet from the ground as Adachi ran for it. "You okay?" I asked her.

"Um… yeah…" No, she wasn't. "Thanks…"

**SMASH!**

Huh?

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Lovers Arcana…_

"But…" Yukari looked at the blood on the floor. "Wasn't that… overkill?"

"I fulfil my warnings." I told her. "Hell, I beat the crap outta him first time I warned him so he should've gotten the message."

"You seemed pretty friendly with him earlier." Yukari noted.

"Didn't recognise him." I admitted. "He has one helluva slasher smile, doesn't he?"

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Yukari said, almost giggling. "Hey, why'd you come after me?" She asked, getting annoyed. "Didn't I say to wait?"

Ah, right. Independence is kinda her thing. "Do you think it's funny?" Yukari shouted. "I got my wallet by myself. I didn't need your help!"

I could just tell her that I can see what she's really feeling on her face, but that's really, really not a good idea right now. "I'm sorry." I told her. "I got lost on the way to the bench."

"Thanks…" Yukari sighed, somewhat calmer. "It's okay… Sorry." She told me. "I'm going back to the dorm. You go get your book."

I let her go. Seemed the right thing to do at the time.

"You're getting better at this." Pharos noted. "A while ago you'd have just given her a hug."

That would've probably earned be a reversal in the balls.

Well, I got some time to kill before the next train home. What next?

"How about practicing that little trick you pulled on that cop you pulverised?" Pharos suggested.

What little trick?

"The one you used to move one hundred metres from starting position way too fast."

What're you talking about?

Pharos sighed. "Look, you kicked the crap out of Adachi where you're standing right now, yeah?" I nodded. "Well, look where you were when you saw what was going on."

I did.

I sprinted back to the strip mall entrance to test my time.

Eleven seconds.

"You covered that distance in half a second." Pharos told me. "I think you need a word with Naoki."

You're damn right I need a word with him.

* * *

"Ah, Minato-chan!" Mitsuko smiled at me when I walked into Bookworms. "It's so good to see you!"

"Just waiting for the next train." I told her. "Not stopping long."

"Oh, that's alright dear." She smiled. "I've some wonderful news to tell you."

"Oh right?" I asked her. "What is it?"

"Is that Minato-chan?" Bunkichi asked, hobbling down the stairs. "Were you going to tell him without me dear?" He asked his wife.

"Don't be silly, dear." Mitsuko laughed. "I was just about to call you." She turned to me. "Our son's tree has been replanted!"

"That's right!" Bunkichi nodded. "Some kind soul dug it up and replanted it atop of a nearby hill, where it can watch over the school!"

I nodded with a smile. "I thought it would make him happy."

Bunkichi almost dropped his pipe. "Wait… You did this Minato-chan?" He asked.

I smiled. "'Course." I told him. "I had a little help, but this way everyone's happy, right?"

Mitsuko started crying.

**SMASH!**

Wait, what?

_**Thou hast taken the Hierophant Arcana up to Eleven… Transcending beyond the impossible to achieve your goals… **_

"Holy crap that's never happened before." Pharos noted.

You don't say. "Are you alright?" I asked Mitsuko.

She nodded, pulling me into a hug. "Thank you…" She whispered into my ear. "…Thank you…"

* * *

"I'm doing better today." Akinari told me the next morning. "I know it probably looked pretty bad last time, right?"

"You scared me half to death." I told him.

He smiled. "Sorry. "I had been reading a book before you came that day." Right? "I got so absorbed in the reading that I forgot to close the window, and I didn't realize how chilly it was."

"Must've been a good book." I replied.

"It was." Akinari replied. "Do you read many books?"

I nodded. "It all depends on the book."

Akinari laughed. "I can definitely relate to that. A bad book is a really big waste of time because you have to get so far into it before you write it off…"

"One time, I tried reading Twilight." I shuddered. "It was physically painful to read." I think Marina recommended it to me on purpose.

But if that's the case, then why did she read the sequels?

"I read a lot of books these days." He told me. "I find that they're the easiest ways to spend my time… since I can get lost in a book's private world." He looked at me. "Do you read books all the way to the end?"

"If it's boring, I stop reading." I answered honestly.

Akinari smiled. "I don't read the endings either though I think our reasons for doing so are different." He told me. "I really get into the story and usually reach the end quickly, but…" He sighed. "I never want to finish it…" He put on a sad smile. "Because if I finish the story, I'll be stuck here again." He told me, fear flashing across his face. "Alone in this room… As Akinari, the person who can't escape his fate."

That must be terrifying. "Stories about hope or heroism…" He told me. "Those're the kinds of books I read. So hopefully, if I do decide to finish reading them, I'll feel happy at the end when I come back here."

**SMASH!**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Sun Arcana._

Idea. "Have you ever watched Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann?" I asked him.

He smiled. "I have, actually. It was very… inspiring." He laughed weakly. "But time is ruthless… you need to get going, right?" He asked me.

I checked my watch. Damn, I really do. "I hope we get another chance to talk." He told me.

Same here.

* * *

"Your face is so emotionless…" Mitsuru commented that evening in the dorm. "I never know what you're thinking."

"Is that so?" I asked, sitting on the couch opposite her.

She nodded. "As you know, the next operation will be our last… Are you feeling nervous?"

Honestly..? "No." I told her. "I feel ready."

"That is amazing…" She smiled. "It is unusual for someone to be so calm before a battle."

Calm? I'm anything but calm.

I'm hungry for blood.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

Like a wolf.

So, there it is. The new chapter. I liked this one, got some stuff done.

The song Minato was listening to when he tested the headphones was 'Lost Like Tears In The Rain', one of the songs Fightstar have done about Neon Genesis Evangelion.

Yes, Minato took a social link up to eleven and beyond the impossible. He's just that awesome.

And Gasp! Adachi! I wonder how many of you saw that one coming?

And Gasp! Screwing up the school trip! To Inaba now! Can anyone guess what's going to happen there?

And Gasp! Minato's got a new trick! Or does he..?

And Gasp! I'm gasping far too much!

Yeah, that's better. The Twilight reference wasn't a stab at Twilight, it's a reference to the stab at Twilight made in Persona 4. Minato's word choice during his beat down of Adachi was a reference to the song 'To Hell With Gattai', which I used as the Hermit's fight theme.

Finally maxed out Fuuka, reversed and righted the Fortune Arcana, and added Keisuke and Hidetoshi friendship. Named some more members of the student council, and did some epic foreshadowing during Adachi's beatdown. Anyone who spots it gets a cookie of some sort.

I've been playing around with the idea of going above and beyond the social link max with some social links. The only ones I have in mind so far are the Magician and the Chariot social links, but I'm open for suggestions.

One more chapter, then its time for the Arcana Hanged Man battle! And the 'final' showdown against Strega! I can't believe that this story is about to reach its 'end'!

Pfft, yeah right. Hands up anyone who actually thought that the Hanged Man was gonna be the last Shadow you'd have to fight? Come on now, be honest. I didn't. I didn't expect what came afterwards though, that _was_ a surprise.

And as with both scenes, as usual, I'm gonna outdo them with sheer amounts of _what the hell_. Enjoy!


	70. Chapter 70

Alright! One more chapter until Hanged Man Battle

First off, all of you except KRP FAIL. You know how Minato pointed out that gropeman (Adachi) was of the Lovers Arcana? He was Magician in chapter 25. No-one changed Arcana at that point in their life.

Slackerman, I do make the social link system my bitch. Just wait until February.

TenshiReike, how will he experience the midnight channel if there's the Dark Hour? Hm… Gonna have to think about that one…

Jaredhimself, was Adachi getting his just desserts, or was Minato doing something that'd turn Adachi into a complete monster?

Derek Barona, did you know that if you slicked Minato's hair back, then he looks just like Ryoji? They even have the same mole on their face.

Have A Little Feith, No. No he won't. And yes he will. And the Black Mages version is even moreso.

Heraklinos, I have no idea what Touhou project is. Sorry.

Hey Dragon's shadow. First off, you'll have to wait and see. And pre-resolved Persona? Hm…

Naru-chan, Christmas.

Slicerness, getting P4 max Persona? Possibly. Also, it's Maxes. And yes, Minato did that to a guys arm. Why do you think his friend tried to stab him in revenge? Minato is a very violent and sadistic person when he loses it. Remember the time he was charmed?

Nightmaresyndrom, it's going to have to happen now. Yes, he will prep more social links. And the hotspring incident will be better than before. And he'll figure it out soon enough. He's a smart lad, our Minato.

Tanithmagnus, By that point, Minato has something better than a smoke bomb. He has cast iron balls of steel. And you're damn right about Ryoji.

Kaelin Voidshadow, he's gonna die the most awesome death in the entire story.

Abyss of Essence, good to hear from you again. And yeah, that was his stupid mistake. He got caught.

One more thing. I've been reading Narutaru lately, and I'm enjoying it. Problem is, it's not on Onemanga or Mangafox, and Mangavolume only has the first 57 chapters and I think it's missed some. Anyone know where else I can read it?

And now, chapter time.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

_~ Come on everyone! ~_ Fuuka told us as we cut through the Shadows. _~ Just one more floor! ~_

I sliced the Laevateinn through an hourglass Shadow. "How's everyone doing!?" I shouted.

"HERMES!!" BANG! "Doing great over here man!" Junpei shouted, burning down the Shadows with his Persona.

"RAH!" Mitsuru shouted, cutting through more Shadows with her sword. "Everything is going well."

"I love this hammer." Shinji announced, throwing the Mjolnir through a tank Shadow, only for the hammer to fly back towards him. "And she loves me." He laughed.

Only Shinji could throw something that heavy that hard. "Sweet." I announced, taking one hand off the burning sword to grab my Evoker. "ALICE!" I shouted.

BANG! "_Hehee!_" The little girl sang as she twirled in front of me as cards holding spears fell from the sky, slaughtering oh so many Shadows.

Die For Me! is awesome.

* * *

"So…" Mitsuru commented once we reached the next floor. "This is the top…"

I looked around. There was, admittedly, no stairs up, but there was a roof above our head, and the walls were way too far to reach. "Fuuka?" I asked. "What floor are we on?"

_~ The one-hundredth and sixty-forth floor. ~_ Fuuka replied. _~ We've all done so well to get this far! ~_

"Is something bothering you Arisoto?" Mitsuru asked.

"Nothing," I admitted, "It's just a bit…"

"Anticlimactic?" Shinji asked. I nodded.

"Dude, not even a piñata?" Junpei asked sadly. "I was looking forward to that…"

"I just thought that it'd be… bigger." I told everyone. "Like, I was expecting more floors and we'd actually get to stand on the roof."

"The Dark Hour will end after the final battle." Mitsuru reminded us. "There isn't any need to climb higher than this."

"I suppose…" Junpei sighed. "So, what's gonna happen after we kill this next guy?"

"SEES will most likely be disbanded after the final battle." Mitsuru told us, sitting against the telepad.

"Damn… really?" Junpei asked.

Mitsuru nodded. "I have so many memories of my time in SEES… good ones… bad ones… What about you?" She asked me. "Did you enjoy participating in SEES?"

I nodded. "Yeah." I told her. "I really liked it."

"I hope you always remember the good time we shared together." Mitsuru smiled as Shinji patted me across the back.

"Come on." He said. "Let's just go home already."

* * *

"The end always makes people nervous…" Kenjamin told me on the way back to the dorm. "So, what about you, Minato?" He asked me. "Are you nervous?"

"Nope." I told him honestly. "Not at all."

"You're amazing…" He replied. "No wonder you're the leader. I get chills when I think about the Dark Hour disappearing…"

I for one will kinda miss it.

* * *

Next day, I got stuck with clean-up duty with Keisuke. "This room is smaller than my bedroom, but it's still pretty big…" He told me as we tidied the place up. "Hey, let's take a break." He told me.

"Wuss." I laughed, leaning on my mop.

"I've decided that I'm going to study music in Germany." Keisuke told me.

"Really?" I asked him.

He nodded. "I'm not really excited about it… But I already told Sensei that I don't want to become a doctor, so…"

"Which school?" I asked him, trying to cheer him up.

"Felix Mendelssohn College of Music and Theatre." He told me. "It's in Saxony."

… "I know where it is." I told him. "You got a music scholarship into the Felix Mendelssohn College of Music and Theatre?" I asked him.

"Uh, yeah." He replied. "That's what I've been telling you."

"Not which school!" I shouted. "You've been accepted into one of the world's best music colleges ON A SCHOLARSHIP!" I realised I was raising my voice. "Sorry. On a scholarship, and you're not really exited about going!?" I asked him, before turning to a handy wardrobe. "Idiot!" I grunted, smacking my head against it. "Idiot!" Bang "Idiot!" Bang. "Idiot!" Bang

"Minato-kun, LOOK OUT!" Keisuke shouted.

"Idiot!" Bang.

**SMACK!**

* * *

_Minato-kun! Are you okay? Minato-kun! Minato-kun…_

* * *

"Finally, you're here, hee-ho." Blackjack sighed. "Been trying to summon you in your sleep all week, hee-ho, what have you been doing at night?"

I took a seat opposite him across the shiny black table. "Climbing Towers." I replied, looking around the room. "So, what's happening?"

Blackjack stood up. "I'd like to call to attention the first meeting of the Jackish Parliament, hee-ho." He announced. "Everyone, I'd like to introduce Minato Arisoto-ho."

Wait, What?

Blackjack gestured towards a human-proportioned Jack Frost in an orange and black Victorian-style suit. "This is Damn Jack, the newly appointed master of the Frost clan, replacing Father Frost."

"Drink." He ordered me, sliding a glass of an amber liquid across the table.

I downed it. Jack Daniels. "What happened to Father Jack?" I asked.

"He didn't approve of the new regime, Hee-ho." Blackjack replied. "He wished for King Frost to remain in power."

"Alright then." I replied, nodding. "Continue."

"This is the head of the Lantern clan." Blackjack told me, as he gestured to the Demon sitting next to me as he lifted a pie from under the table and cut a slice. "His name is Candle Jack." He said, offering the slice to him. "Don't say his name unless you have the pie."

"Why?" I asked.

"**Because I didn't bring any rope.**" He told me from beneath the sack over his head.

Oookay… Wait. "Is that sack over your head, or is it your head?" I asked, considering that the white 'eyes' on the sack just blinked.

They curved happily. "**Who knows?**" He asked. "**And it is a pleasure to meet you.**"

"And a pleasure to meet you as well, mister Arisoto." Added the skinny Skellington sat opposite me. "I am Jack Skellington, the king of the Skull clan, The Lord of Halloween, The Knight of Nightmares, the Pumpk-"

"Yes, we know that, Hee-ho." Blackjack sighed. "To business."

"Hold on." I said. "You're actually Jack Skellington?" I took the pie and cut a slice. "And Candle Jack?"

"Why yes." Skellington nodded.

"**Quite so.**" Candle added.

I smacked my head against the table. "Great." I groaned. "Just lovely. With Damn Jack Daniel's over there I suppose that Jack Sparrow is in the bathroom, right?"

Daniels laughed. "Sparrow? Boy, he's a fictional pirate!"

Blackjack sighed. "Hee-ho… next you'll be saying that Chuck Norris is real…"

I sat up strait. "Chuck Norris _is_ real." I told him.

"Nope. Sorry!" Jack Skellington shrugged. "Chuck Norris is just make-believe!"

"**A boogie-man we tell the kiddies will get them if they're naughty.**" Candle nodded.

"Momma Frost always told me that he'd round-house kick me into next week if I didn't do as I was told!" Damn Jack chuckled.

I shook my head. "No, Chuck Norris is real." I told them. "I met him once." At a book signing.

The silence was chilling. "Y-You're serious..?" Skellington asked.

"**We're all going to die…**"

Oh crap. "He doesn't really have superpowers though." None that I know of anyways.

The four demons sighed in relief. "Alright then…" Blackjack announced, getting some papers from under his desk. "Onto business…"

I heard a door open behind me. "I'm sorry." Came an unfamiliar voice. "But, do you mind if I sit in on this?"

We all turned to see a young man around my age, black hair slicked back and wearing a black trenchcoat over white gloves and boots. "What're you doing here Thanatos?"

Thanatos? "I just caught wind of this meeting and wondered if I may take part?" The Death god stated politely, taking a seat between me and Skellington.

"And how are our affairs any of your business?" Damn Jack asked, getting angry.

"He's with me." I vouched. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if this guy turned out to be Pharos.

"Very well!" Skellington clapped his bony hands together. "The more the merrier!"

Blackjack sighed, rubbing his forehead beneath his… hey, he doesn't have a crown or cape anymore. "Alright then." He sighed, leaning over the table to hand me the documents. "We've devised a series of laws and protocol for the running of the new Frost Government."

Seriously? I took it and looked over it.

It made no specifications over who should rule, but it emphasised a balance of law and freedom, with outlines for a penal system and a justice system. So far, it appeared to be some kind of Parliamentary Republic, with the main difference that the members of parliament weren't voted in, but were instead chosen by the Head of State, (The Jack King), and the main seats were the Heads of Clan (Jakkai), and one Prime Minister (Master Jack).

There was no mention of who these seats were to be filled by, which interested me, but there biggest surprise was that these rules were… sensible. They laid down strict but fair rules, with harsh yet reasonable punishments for breaking them. Jury's, insurance, law enforcement, social service, plans for the creation of a medic clan (Cross Jack's), Hell, these rules could make a decent country. "Who wrote this?" I asked.

"I did." Blackjack replied. "They've been looked over by the three current clan heads, and they await your judgement."

My judgement? "Why mine?"

Thanatos took a brief flick through them. "Apparently, your input as a human is valued amongst demons."

"I was actually hoping that you would perhaps become the Jack King, Hee-ho." Blackjack told me.

Wait, what?

Actually, looking at him, he isn't the fun loving guy I fought alongside a few months ago as Zenbu Jakkai. He's older, he's worked hard.

He actually wants something good for the kingdom I gave him.

"So that's why you wanted to create an empire…" I nodded. He wants a strong, unified rule to keep the Jack's safe under.

This is a better solution. "I am aware that as the Head of State, I would only be dealing directly with you four, and any demonic clans that the Republic is currently dealing with." I pointed out. "I will remove the law against declarations of war." I stated, taking the demonic Magna Carta from Thanatos and crossing out said line, "Under condition that war will only be declared rationally and with my order." I started filling in names. "The Master Jack shall be Blackjack, and I agree with his judgement on the current Clan Heads." I added, signing in their names. "I'm impressed at what you've done so far," Seriously, when I tell Naoki this at school tomorrow he will flip. "And I trust your judgement in ruling your nation in the immediate future."

Thanatos chuckled. "Technically, this is a dictatorship with you as the head." He told me. "Yet this is the closest that the Warp has ever gotten to a real republic."

I looked at him. "So what are you doing here, exactly?"

He smiled. "Oh, I've just been sealed away for the pest decade, so I've been going around, seeing what I've missed. The Law and Chaos factions are still at it like pitbull's, yet the zany little Jack's are actually making some progress." He stood up, smiling at everyone's slightly offended face. "It's been a pleasure meeting with you all." He replied, walking back through the door from which he came.

* * *

_Minato-kun! Are you okay? Minato-kun! Minato-kun…_

* * *

Eyes open. Unfamiliar ceiling. Where the hell am I?

"Y-You're awake!" Keisuke shouted. "Oh, thank goodness! I kept calling your name…" He continued, lowering his voice, "But you wouldn't open your eyes, so I…"

"Ow…" I sat up, clutching my head. Keisuke grabbed it and felt around my skull. "Erm…" I noted awkwardly.

"Well, I don't see any cuts on your head apart from this old scar so I don't think you need any stitches…" He diagnosed. "How is your memory?" He asked me, backing off. "Can you tell me your name?"

"'Course I can." I told him. "Keisuke Hiraga."

"Hey, that's not funny!" He told me as I laughed.

"It's freaking hilarious, Minato Arisoto." I told him. "What happened?"

"I was worried that when you fell, you hit your head, and… H-Hey, do you remember what I was talking about before all this happened?"

"I was banging my head against a wardrobe over the university you were going to when I blacked out." I told him, rubbing my head.

"I was the one who put that box up there…" He admitted. "We have a maid who cleans our house, so I don't do much cleaning." Don't invite Junpei over then. "I guess I just got lazy and put it up there." Keisuke seemed pretty damn apologetic. "It's all my fault. I'm really sorry… All I could think about was what would happen if you didn't wake up. I was getting so scared… You were in trouble, but I couldn't do anything to help you… I couldn't do anything to help you because I'm not a doctor…"

"Don't worry about it." I told him. "I've been hit over the head with worse." It's just that I used to expect bottles and bricks hitting the back of my head on the way home from school so normally I don't black out.

"You're strong, Minato-kun.." Keisuke told me. "Edogawa-sensei told me about what happened to your parents… When I asked how you got that scar." Dammit, am I something to brag about to that nurse? "I can't even imagine that." Keisuke told me. "My parents are always there for me. Maybe I take them for granted… But seeing you lying there like that…" He laughed bitterly. "Now I know how it must feel to lose someone you're close to…"

**SMASH!**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Fortune Arcana…_

"Yeah, I want to be a doctor…" Keisuke admitted. "But, that's exactly what my dad wants me to be…"

"What's that got to do with anything?" I asked him.

"Oh, sorry." He waved the question away. "We should get going. Can you walk?" He asked, getting up and offering his arm. "Here, you can lean on me."

I used his weight to pull myself up, but I was fine walking. A quick word alone with the nurse and he hadn't broken his Hippocratic Oath and divulged that I had brain damage, which was a small mercy.

"I could've told you that." Pharos pointed out. "I was here while you were out you know."

Oh really?

"Yeah, I was." He asked questioningly. "Why? Here else would I be?"

Council of Jackish Parliament perhaps?

Pharos laughed. "Yeah. Right. And I bet Junpei was Secretary of Defence."

Now that'd just be silly.

"Nah, it'd be silly if John Cleese was the Minister of Silly Walks."

* * *

"It seems like Koromaru-san can sense the change in how everyone feels." Aigis told me as I fed him that night. "The battles with Shadows are coming to an end… We will avenge the death of Koromaru-san's owner in this next operation."

"Hey, do you think Koro-chan knows that this next operation will be our last?" Yukari asked.

"I think he does." I replied, sitting down once he started eating.

"Of course he does!" Junpei shouted. "Koromaru is friggin' awesome, dude! He's not afraid of battling Shadows, even though he's so small. I'm taking out the next Shadow for Koromaru!"

"If he doesn't beat you to it, you mean." Yukari replied with a laugh.

* * *

The next day was Saturday, and I walked to school with Yukari and Aigis. "The moon will be full soon…" Yukari commented. "We're almost done. Let's give it everything we've got."

"As always." I told her.

"After all this is over, let's celebrate." Yukari told me.

"NOOOO!! IT'S NOT POSSIBLE!!!"

Aaaaaand there he goes again. "You okay Aigis?" I asked as I caught her after the distraught young man pushed past her with tears in his eyes.

"Sorry, I was thinking." Aigis replied, not in any rush to get off me. "I was wondering what will become of me once we have defeated all the Shadows. I hope I can continue to attend school."

"Of course you will." I told her.

"I mean, it's not like we're just going to send you back now, are we?" Yukari asked.

"I'll kill Ikutsuki if he even tries." I nodded.

I wasn't joking. It's a hypothetical question, but I seriously would kill him if he tried.

"You certainly aren't a violent person, are you?" Pharos asked.

You clearly haven't been paying attention.

* * *

"And that's why the student council suggest that we visit Inaba for our school trip this year." Hidetoshi told the teachers after school that day. He led the presentation while I seconded the presenting of said presentation, while everyone else threw the numbers and details at the teachers. "We're not forcing this upon you over the previously suggested plan of going to Kyoto," He added, "But we personally feel that the students would gain more from a rural understanding of Japan than they would from attending yet another popular tourist destination."

"Seconded." Ms. Toriumi said. "I'm in, what about everyone else?"

"Ms. Toriumi." Ekoda told her. "This school has a tradition of taking the second and third years to Kyoto for their school trip every two years." He flashed a glare at us. "I see no reason to break tradition merely because of some poorly constructed arguments of rebellious students."

"Objection." I said. I'm not in a courtroom, but it had to be said. "If we were rebellious students, then we would hardly have been allowed in student council." I bowed slightly. "All of us are very careful to commit any misdemeanours off school property."

Several teachers forced down laughs. Ekoda wasn't one of them. "Your proposal is rejected." He said. "Dismissed."

"I don't think you have that authority." Ms. Toriumi told him. "As it happens, unless a teacher can provide a strong argument against the idea, then the decision goes to the head for consideration, with the faculty's votes on the matter." She made some notes on some paper. "I support this decision."

"As do I." Ms. Kashiwagi smiled. "I also support the suggestion. I hear Inaba has some _wonderful_ hot springs."

Gritting his teeth, Ekoda looked at Mr. Ono, the other homeroom teacher coming on the trip. "Mr. Ono, I'm sure that you were looking forward to visiting the shrines this year, am I correct?" He asked.

"I was actually." Mr. Ono replied. "However, it is the teacher's duty to support the students, and it fills me with pride to see my students work so hard collectively towards a unified goal." He polished the Outenta Mitsuyo I'd given him earlier on condition that he helped us out with this one. It was a famous Katana that banishes darkness that I got from Tartarus recently. It doesn't have such an awesome ability, but Mr. Ono even gave me a helmet as change. "Besides, my sister is a teacher over in Inaba, so I'm sure that the deal will go over smoothly." He added, smiling at the seething Ekoda.

* * *

"I think that went rather well." I told Hidetoshi afterwards.

"If you say so…" Hidetoshi blushed. "Anyway, it's a big weight off my shoulders." He turned towards me. "I may have given people the impression that I'm selfish, but I'll win back their trust." He pulled something out of his pockets. "Look at this." He said, showing me a cheap lighter. "You know the cigarette butt in the bathroom? One of the guys fessed up." Really? "And you know what else?" Hidetoshi grinned. "He promised me that he'll never smoke again. This lighter is proof of that. I earned his trust by showing concern for others, just like you taught me." He put the lighter in my hand. "Here, I want you to have this. I've been looking down on people. But, you taught me an important lesson. I don't think I'll ever compare to you, though."

**SMASH!**

_Thou art I... And I am thou..._

_The bond thou hast nurtured hath finally matured._

_The innermost power of the Emperor Arcana hath been set free._

_We bestow upon thee the ability to create Odin, the ultimate form of the Emperor Arcana..._

_This bond shall never be broken... even as thou leadeth thine own pantheons…_

So now we become gods. Nice.

Wait, Odin? Man, we are getting old school.

"Do you remember the story I told you?" Hidetoshi asked me. "About the TV anchorwoman..? The man sent to prison was my father… not my uncle…" Knew it! "I see now that sincerity IS important, and I'm proud of myself for learning its true meaning. I also realized what an amazing man my father is…" He smiled. "It's time to go home. You wanna go somewhere? You know, we've never hung out outside of school, have we?" He asked. "I mean, other than investigating, right?"

Too right. "Alright Hidetoshi my man!" I declared, putting an arm around his shoulder. "To Tekken!"

* * *

Hidetoshi kicked my arse at the arcade. I beat him at the sumo arm wrestle game though. I managed to beat the impossible setting. And all it cost me as getting barred for life.

"Apparently they'd just gotten it replaced after some 'asshole in a beanie' demolished it." Pharos told me.

Shinji then. I'm not surprised.

What was surprising was that Mitsuru actually called me over to discuss tactics for once. "I don't think Strega will simply allow us to defeat the last Shadow." She told me. "They will either try to stop us outright, or secretly set a trap for us. What do you think they will do, Arisoto?"

"Too late in the game to rely on traps." I told her. "They're gonna try and stop us outright."

"Yes, I agree." Mitsuru nodded. "They will most likely try to stop us outright. Even if they were to set a trap, Yamagishi would be able to detect it."

"Like Mitsuru said, we'll be facing Strega in our next battle…" Shinji added with a smile. "Well, I'm actually looking forward to it. I'm going to give them hell in return for what they did to Aki."

"The atmosphere is so tense." Fuuka noted. "But, we should all try to relax… We'll need to remain calm if we want to win the last battle."

"I cannot understand the nervousness you all are feeling." Aigis commented. "But I know that everyone will be giving their all in this battle, and so will I. This will be the last time we fight, so we must do our very best."

_/\_ "--autumn, the lights are beautiful. Particularly at the Moonlight Bridge in Minato-ku—" _/\_

Junpei hit the mute button the second I turned to the TV. "I've been so busy lately that I haven't been able to see Chidori…" He sighed. "Well, we're almost done. After we kill the last Shadow, I'm gonna go straight to the hospital!"

"Turn the damn TV back on!" I told him. "It's talking about me."

"You are aware that Minato is also Japanese for 'port', right?" Pharos asked you. "You live near Port Island."

… Ah. "Nevermind." I told him. "Just my imagination."

* * *

Next day was the first day of November, and it was Sunday.

"I got really into my reading last night and never went to sleep…" Akinari told me once he got out of his coughing fit. "I thought I'd be fine since I have many nights when I'm unable to sleep because of my illness, but…" He paused to cough. "I guess my condition won't improve if I keep taking chances, though."

"No, it won't." I told him angrily. "Just what the hell do you think you're playing at?" I asked him. "You were bang out of order."

"Yes, I suppose I need to apologize. It's been a long time since anybody raised their voice at me." He smiled. "I came all this way because I was hoping to find you…" He told me. "Remember how I talked about reading upbeat stories? There are plenty of stories, but I don't think reading them will ever be able to make me feel better…"

"Why not?" I asked him.

"The problem is, all those stories were written for someone else. I guess what I'm saying is selfish…" I suppose I could. "I'm being selfish about you, too." He told me. "You're always coming to see me, and I take up a lot of your time. How much of your valuable time have you used on visiting me?" A fair amount, but not that much considering. "I don't deserve it." Akinari smiled weakly. "You're spoiling me, I'm afraid. That's why I like you, though."

**SMASH!**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Sun Arcana…_

Akinari started coughing again. "Sorry… It seems I used too many words today. I'd like us to be able to speak here again some time…"

* * *

Once Tanaka found out I was going to Inaba, He set me some work to do. Apparently one our sub-company's, Junes, is opening a new hyper-market over there, kinda like a Tesco's. And apparently he wants me to interview and decide on a manager. I'm liking Kitoh Hanamura so far, but we'll just have to wait and see.

* * *

"Welcome back." Mitsuru told me once I got home. "The day after tomorrow is the day…" She smiled. "It's been a long journey, but we're finally here. We're the only ones who can defeat it, so don't let your guard down until the very end."

* * *

Next day, I walked to school with Junpei and Fuuka.

"Well, tomorrow's the day." Fuuka told me. "How're you feeling?" She asked me.

"I'm ready." I told her. "You?"

Fuuka nodded. "I sure am." Junpei grinned. "But I just know I'm not gonna be able to concentrate in class… What about you?"

"I'm not worried." I shrugged.

"Dude, how can you be so calm!?" Junpei asked, surprised. "Well, I'll be counting on you, man."

Fuuka nodded in agreement. "I'm positive a Shadow will appear tomorrow. Strega may be up to something as well…"

"Damn…" Junpei sighed. "Dunno what I'm gonna tell Chidorita if that bastard gets killed…"

"Anyway, The number of The Lost didn't decrease after the last operation…" Fuuka said, swiftly changing the subject.

I almost broke my neck. "Wait, what!?"

"Dude, didn't you notice?" Junpei asked. "It's been all over the news!"

"But, we're almost done." Fuuka told me as I shook my head. "Peace will return to this city soon, so please make sure you're prepared!"

"Oh yeah, tomorrow's Culture Day." Junpei told us. "I'll probably just stay home and rest, though… We've got the last operation that night."

"So why rest?" I asked him.

"You do realise that as your Persona gets stronger, your physical body doesn't, right?"

"Seriously?" Junpei asked, surprised. "But I swear I'm getting stronger!"

"Your muscles aren't getting any bigger though." I told him. "You're fitter and you have more endurance, but your physical strength is from channelling your Persona."

Junpei sighed. "Damn… and that's all going away soon, isn't it?"

"Might not." I shrugged. "Just won't have to fight anymore."

If this actually is the last battle. I'm starting to get some doubts…

* * *

Yukari asked me to go with her to her Fathers grave after school that day. I paid a visit to my parent's grave while I was there, but mostly stayed with Yukari.

"Hey…" Yukari said to me. "Do you remember… you know… last time?" She asked. "And you came to help me?"

I nodded. Hadn't done that in a while. "Um… Sorry I got so mad at you…" Yukari apologised. "I don't like having to depend on other people. I wanted to be able to take care of it myself… but I ended up needing your help. I never told you this, but…" Yukari smiled. "I was really glad you came. I don't think I could say this to anyone else, Minato…" Slight blush even. "Thanks for your help back then. I really appreciate it."

I smiled. "Anytime."

"Trying to play it cool, eh?" Yukari laughed.

**SMASH!**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Lovers Arcana…_

"Whew!" Yukari said, stretching. "That's a big weight off my shoulders. We should get back."

* * *

That night, everyone gathered together in the dorm.

"Well, tomorrow is the last operation…" Fuuka told us.

"Yeah…" Yukari nodded. We've been through a lot this last six months…" She turned to me. "Don't ya think?"

"It went by quickly." I nodded.

"It was a lot better than doing nothing, right?" Junpei asked. "Besides, we made some new friends."

"Yeah, I guess." Kenjamin guessed.

"Well, it's all been worth it, if you ask me." Shinji grunted. "It's been years since I got this power… and you don't hear me complaining."

"Anymore." I finished, then dodged the headsmack.

"Two and a half years is a long time." Fuuka said as I raised a fist to fight back. "Oh, wait… For Aigis, it's been even longer, huh?"

I lowered my fist as Aigis replied. "I was asleep for much of the time, so I have not been in operation for very long."

"How 'bout you, Mitsuru-senpai?" Junpei asked. "You started before Akihiko-san, right?"

"Me..?" Mitsuru asked. "Yes, it was just me at first." She chuckled. "Of course, back then, SEES didn't exist, and this was just a regular dorm."

"Did the Chairman recruit you?" Yukari asked her.

"No…" Mitsuru replied, shaking her head. "I've been aware of the Dark Hour since I was a child… One time, my father's research team was attacked by Shadows in Tartarus. That's when I awakened to my Persona… when I witnessed the incident."

"That's what happened?" Yukari asked, surprised.

"It seems I was the second." Mitsuru added, glancing at me. "If that had never happened, perhaps none of you would have to bear this terrible burden."

"Senpai…" Fuuka said sadly.

"It would've happened to someone eventually." Shinji told Mitsuru. "Besides, the enemy can't just be ignored."

Mitsuru smiled. "I suppose that's true."

**SMASH!**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Fool Arcana…_

* * *

I spent the next day in my room in what was supposed to be a meditative state. I was trying to go over the battle in my mind, but since I had no idea what form the Hanged Man would take, it was hard.

I did however, figure out three things.

1) Where the battle will take place.  
2) How the fight with Strega will go down.  
3) I am good this meditating thing.

I'm not foreseeing the future. I'm going over the potential situations in my head, and working out what I need to do to make them happen. Planned Chaos.

* * *

_~ I found it! ~_ Fuuka told us in the command room that evening. _~ It's at the- ~_

"The Moonlight Bridge." I told her. "Lucky guess."

_~ You're right. ~_ Fuuka nodded. _~ The twelfth and final Shadow. ~_

"Hmm… this is it…" Ikutsuki looked at me. "Tell me, how did you know?" He asked me.

"I told you." I smiled. "Lucky guess." I just didn't have time to go into the long explanation. "And I'm guessing that Strega are at our end of the bridge." I asked Fuuka.

_~ That's right. ~_ She nodded.

"They know this is their last chance." Mitsuru explained. "Even though we were expecting this, we should still be careful."

"Those bastards…" Kenjamin swore.

Shinji was polishing Mjolnir. "Tch." He smiled. "Saves us the trouble of looking for them."

"You've all done a fine job up to this point." Mitsuru told me. "This will be our last operation. Let's all come back safely."

I nodded. "Shinji, Kenjamin and Koromaru. We're gonna fight Strega." I announced, tugging on Akihiko's gloves. "If you're up to it afterwards, you can join in with everyone against the Hanged Man." I drew Laevateinn, but didn't ignite the wooden handle. "But if we're gonna kill them, I'm doing it, understand?"

"What!?" Yukari asked. "Minato, Are you serious?"

Shinji's was the only face with its jaw closed. "That gonna be your last gift for Aki?" He asked. "Revenge?"

I shook my head as I headed for the door. "Keep blood on bloody hands." I kicked the door open lightly but dramatically. "Let's go."

To hell we ride.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

Indeed they do.

Epic battle next chapter, then epic plot chapter after.

Now, this is the second version of this chapter which I put up, since KRP had some problems connecting, and I think I've figured out why. There's a possibility that the snow is affecting the main servers somehow, which is unlikely but its the most logical explanation considering my current information. Laevetienn is the sword you get from fusing a Nihil weapon with Surt.

The next chapter will take a while. Since it's Christmas, I'll have less time to write, but I will whenever I can, but the next chapter will most likely be in the new year unless I can do something about it. Since I've already got 2200 words down, it may be up sooner than later.

Until then, Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!

Unless I get time to write. In which case I'll wish you good ones again.


	71. Chapter 71

ALRIGHT! FOUR HUNDRED REVIEWS!! Jaredhimself gets the prize!

Alright, party over. This is it everyone; the final battle.

Or so our heroes think. I started writing this after I sent the last chapter to my Beta, but he's yet to get it. But I'm just gonna make a start on this one.

Now, apparently there's a problem with the Alerts system, so nobody got the Alerts they were supposed to. Argh. Sorry about that, though it's got nothing to do with me.

JRS74!! You're back! YAY! And 43 chapters in one day? Nice.

Slackerman, thanks, I accidentally attributed Slicerness's question to your name. My bad. And the Jack Plot Thread is just getting started.

Shrill-tastic, yes, it is about time. Kamina Glasses? It shall be done.  
At this point in time, the Friggen Epic Sequel will take place in 2016. Long gap, I know, but Fairly English Story will end on the day Minato dies in the game. The sequel will involve the True Enemy, and will involve Minato reaching unthinkable levels of awesome. And that's saying something, considering the sheer insanity he pulls off in this chapter.  
Minato will not confront Izanami on his _first_ visit to Inaba. That said, in the Fairly English Timeline, Persona 4 will go down exactly as it did in the game; Minato only caused events, he did not change them.  
That said, considering the potential relations between Dojima and Minato, the Ryoji's words of "That was so bloody worth it guys. I mean, really. Bloody worth spending the night in a jail cell, chaps." Says it all.  
"Get bent…"  
Marina meeting Seta… Nah. One Englishman protagonist is enough for one story.

Heraklinos, how do you think Minato will react? Violently, of course! You'll get the full details next chapter.

Slicerness, Minato got three months of community service for disproportionate response. He got off lightly because he claimed Self Defence.  
And no, he's level 8. Death social links level up twice as fast.  
Mjolnir can be used with or without the Thor, same goes for the other weapons. Which is why Minato uses the Laevateinn; so he can burn stuff when he has other Personae equipped.  
Fortunes Revolver has done some decent P4 stuff, if you like the SetaXNaoto pairing. I do. However, the second best Persona story by far (Yeah, I'm biased, but even so it's a close contest) is Persona 4: Simulacrum. It's a P4 sequel that's going Megami Tensei on itself, albeit in a darker, less awesome way than mine is. Oh, it's good, but come on. I got the Jackish Republic with Jack Skellington, Jack Daniels and Candle Jack as the Parliament. That in itself is right up there with the King Kittan Giga Drill Break and Sylar playing Spock.  
But yeah, read Simulacrum. You can find it in my favourites pile.

Have A Little Feith, He'll fuse Thanatos when he's of a high enough level, same goes for Orpheus Telos. However, you might be seeing Thanatos sooner rather than later.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

"You know the significance of today, do you not?" Takaya asked us as we approached the bridge. I held out my arm to stop everyone and walked up to him with Shinji, Koromaru and Kenjamin.

"It's the day that will be carved on your tombstone if you do not back down." I warned him.

"You claim you hunt the Shadows to prevent the disaster they bring…" Takaya scoffed. "Yet, countless lives are lost each day without their intervention…"

"And countless lives are born." I told him. "What's your point?"

"My point is that the power we wield is not itself evil… You cannot deny that. So why don't you just admit it?" He asked. "You do not wish to eliminate the Dark Hour… You are merely deceiving yourselves…"

"A while ago you asked me for my reason for fighting." I told him. "I have an answer for you."

He smiled. "A reason worthy of destroying the essence of your being?" He asked with scorn. "Tell me this… wondrous cause for which you fight."

"Because I can."

Everyone froze.

"What did you just say?" Takaya asked, half with disbelief, half with fear.

"You heard." I told him. "I fight against the Shadows and to end the Dark Hour because I can. Nothing righteous about it." The Laevateinn flared to life in my hand. "The opportunity to commit some genocide and save some likes in the process was there, so I took it. I'm no righteous saviour." I grinned evilly. "I'm just a killer with a messiah complex."

"You're really painting yourself black here, aren't you?" Pharos asked. It's all part of the plan.

"You… you would destroy this majestic world of darkness for your own amusement!?" Takaya seethed.

I twirled the Evoker in my left hand. "That's the basic gist of it." I taunted. "These guys with me are probably fighting because they think it's right or something," I added, gesturing to the rest of the team, "But I like what I like and what I like is to kill stuff. And right now, I wanna kill _that _bigass thing." I finished, pointing the burning blade towards the dark shape up in the air. "Now that's going to be fun." I grinned.

Man, I am really coming across as a psycho here. I'm glad everyone in the team knows me better than this. "So, you guys gonna shift, or are we gonna plough through you?" I asked him.

"You are indeed foolish children…" Takaya sighed, shaking his head in his hand. "Erasing the Dark Hour is the same as erasing yourselves. Tch." He grunted. "Is even that beyond your comprehension? As I believed, our goals are irreconcilable." He drew an overly long revolver from his crotch. "Jin…" He told his partner as he drew his own Evoker.

"Forget these maggots." Jin replied, pulling a Grenade from his Briefcase and juggling it in one hand.

"Fate shall decide who shall prevail…" Takaya taunted, putting the gun to his jaw. "Come!"

Wait, this isn't going to plan. "Dude, that's not an Evoker!" I warned him.

He cackled with delight. "_Hypnos!_" He shouted, pulling the trigger. Blood flew into the sky as a grey, featureless man with black wings grafted onto his spine with oversized red nerves hovered over him. "Now," Takaya laughed. "You shall be judged!"

Fire, Ice and Thunder fell all around us from the sky as his Persona flapped its wings. Multi-elemental…

I changed Persona to Black Frost. "Shinji!" I shouted. "Smash the railings!"

"You got it." Shinji grunted, swinging the Mjolnir into the metal fence to his left.

The smashed metal poles didn't fall into the river of blood. Instead, Kenjamin used his dominion over electricity to launch them at Strega as a projectile attack. "NOW!" I shouted, leading the charge against them.

"There's no cure for stupidity!" Jin shouted, summoning his robot-spinning top of a Persona to launch a poison gas at us. Koromaru roared, and Cerberus's flames incinerated the gas, which gave me enough cover for me to lunge through and swing my burning sword into Jin, who blocked with his briefcase as Takaya dodged out of Mjolnir's way.

Koromaru then jumped and bit into Jin's shoulder as he fell back, away from my next attack as Kenjamin joined Shinji in the full assault against Takaya. They were fighting surprisingly well so far, all things considered, but we hadn't even summoned our Personae yet.

"ATLAS!!" Shinji shouted, pulling the trigger of his Evoker as a stone fist fell from the sky and crushed the ground in front of Takaya. I only noticed because it distracted Jin enough for me to land a decent kick in his face.

"Oh, you're gonna pay for this!" He shouted, smashing me in the jaw with his briefcase. "MOROS!"

I rolled over on the floor, dodging his Persona's drill as Koromaru leapt back from the attack, then rolled onto my feet to get a Grenade shoved down my throat. "Play time's over, kid." Jin grinned, jumping back as he pushed me down and pulled the pin. "It's time for the real deal!"

SWITCH TO SURTR **BOOM!**

That was so close, yet I feel so good right now…

"Shit…" Jin grunted as I walked towards him out of the flames billowing from my mouth. "You guys are tougher than I thought!"

"I haven't even started yet." I told him, stabbing the burning sword into the ground and changing Persona to Thor. This guy was immune to Fire, so I channelled lightning down my arms.

He paled. "Wh-what!?" He shouted. "What the hell is that!?"

"We can use our Persona's skills without summoning." I told him. "Can't you?"

Jin clenched his fist around a grenade, then his hand burst into gold flame. "Holy-" He gasped, then grinned. "Heh… looks like I can!"

Pharos slapped his head. "You… IDIOT!!"

_~ That's not fire… ~_ Fuuka warned. _~ That's… Huh!? ~_ Fuuka gasped. _~ Napalm! His Persona lets him use napalm skills! Is that even possible!? ~_

Apparently so. "You're gonna burn, kid!" He dropped his briefcase and charged for me with both hands. I caught them with my own, by blue sparks fighting against his melting golden flame then dripped down to the ground and burned through the tarmac. "Hahah…" Jin laughed. "So this is what it feels like!"

I shoved my knee into his stomach and he fell back, winded, and I kick-smacked him down across the back with both fists, knocking him to the ground. "Guah!" He shouted, before rolling over to dodge my falling knee strike. "Ragh!" He shouted, shoving his burning hand into my face.

"AARRGH!" I screamed, backing off as I switched to Kikuri-hime and healed the scarring as the napalm flew from my face. "You arsehole…" I grunted, switching back to Surtr. "You will BURN FOR THAT!" I shouted, grabbing my Evoker.

_~ Wait! Fire spells don't work on him! ~_

The fire giant cast Fire Break. "They do now." I laughed, watching the unwitting Jin get to his feet, launching Napalm down his arm again. "RAGNAROK!!" I shouted, summoning Surtr again.

Jin was consumed by glorious hellfire and felt every degree centigrade of it before leaping from the fiery pillar and crawling back to his buddy.

"Dammit…" Jin gasped, patting out his smouldering jacket as Takaya nursed his bleeding shoulder. "Is their power THAT different than ours..?"

"Different?" Kenjamin asked, pointing the Gae Bolg into Takaya's throat as he backed up against the edge of the bridge.

"For us, it's not that simple…" Jin gasped. "It has to be forced out."

"You were the ones giving Shinji those pills." I nodded. "You need them to prevent your Persona from killing you."

"You guys don't have the slightest clue what will happen if the Dark Hour disappears, do you?" Jin asked as Koromaru growled. "It won't matter for normal people, since they don't remember anything anyway... But for us—"

"That's enough." Takaya ordered. "Now, then… Ordinarily, we'd withdraw…" He reloaded his gun. "But not tonight."

A bullet shot past my face and knocked the gun from Takaya's hand. "Gah!" He shouted, grabbing his bleeding hand. Good shot Aigis. "This body, as ephemeral as it is…" He gasped. "It is worthless without my power…"

He pulled out a knife and held it to his own throat. "Therefore, only one choice remains… I shall prove my existence here and now!"

Jin smacked the knife out of his partner's hand with his briefcase. Shame. "What are you doing!?" Takaya shouted at him.

"Don't be so reckless!" Jin shouted.

Takaya was taken aback. "Jin?" He asked.

"Sorry. But…" Jin sighed. "Those are your words, not mine." He turned to me. "You win… Looks like you'll get your wish…" He grabbed Takaya's arm and backed to the edge of the bridge. "Go do what you came for."

"Wait!" Shinji shouted, realising what they were going to do.

"I'd rather die than surrender to you!" Jin shouted, jumping up onto the ledge with Takaya. "Take a good look! This is how we live!"

They jumped.

"What the hell were they thinking!?" Kenjamin asked.

"They chose their own fate." Shinji sighed. "Don't let it faze you."

I looked at the two of them. Koromaru had abandoned me to help them against Takaya, but they were pretty beaten up. "Was he that strong?" I asked them.

Shinji nodded. "Those knockout spells of his were a pain. Thanks Kenjamin." He added, looking at the little guy.

"No problem Shinjiro-senpai." Kenjamin smiled.

* * *

Soon, everyone regrouped and we were able to see the Hanged Man Shadow clearly.

It took the form of one bigass blimp; maybe even a Zeppelin.

"I'm gonna have to ask for volunteers for a suicide mission." I announced. "Because if that thing's the actual Shadow, it'll disappear as soon as we kill it, and if it's just possessed, then it'll crash after we kill it."

"Um, I can teleport you back here if anything goes wrong you know." Fuuka told us.

… "Really?" I asked her. "Since when?"

"Juno gained the ability to do it recently." Fuuka replied. "But I can only bring you back: I can't send you forward."

Tch. "Well, that solves one problem." I admitted. "Anyone got any ideas on how to get up there?" I asked.

_\_ "WELL HELLOOOO PEOPLE'S!!" _\_

We all looked up to see some spotlights shining onto us from the blimp, and I could see someone standing atop of it. Pharos, Eyes.

"You got it." Pharos told me, giving me the Shinigami Eyes.

I saw a black human shaped silhouette-like Shadow with a tail wearing a long, white captain's coat. He wore a white pilot's hat with the Hanged Man Mask atop of it, and crimson Kamina shades where the Shadow's eyes should be. It had a huge mouth with thin, needle like teeth. You ever seen Venom from Spiderman? Imagine him with a tail dressed in a white overcoat, hat and Kamina shades, give him a megaphone and stick him atop of a blimp. There, that's what I'm seeing.

_\_ "OH, SNAP!" _\_ The Shadow shouted as a rope ladder unravelled itself by the bridge. _\_ "Get Your Evoker's ready, 'cause we're about to throw down! Everybody on that bridge, get on the fragging deck!" _\_ The Shadow grinned maliciously. _\_ "BUT STAY ON YOUR MOTHERFRAGGIN TOES!" _\_ The Shadow shouted. _\_ "WE'RE RUNNING THIS SHIT NOW!" _\_

Right then. "Kenjamin and Koromaru, stay here with Fuuka." I ordered. "I'll climb first, then Junpei, Aigis, Yukari, Mitsuru and Shinji will take you up the rear." I slapped my head. "That came out wrong. Just…" Thankfully, the accidental innuendo was lost in translation. "Follow my lead." I told them, as I climbed up the swaying ladder as the Shadow sang.

_\_ "I'M ON A BLIMP! I'M ON A BLIMP! EVERYBODY LOOK AT ME 'CAUSE WE'RE FLYING ON A BLIMP! I'M ON A BLIMP! I'M ON A BLIMP! TAKE A GOOD, HARD LOOK AT THE MOTHERFRAGGING BLIMP!" _\_

He's murdering that song worse than the original guys did.

* * *

_\_ "I'M ON A BLIMP, MOTHERFRAGGER IN THE FRAGGING SKY!" _\_ The Shadow sang as I helped Shinji get on the Blimp. _\_ "STRAIGHT PIMPING ON MY BLIMP, AND I'M SO HIGH" _\_

Alright, screw this. "Ready everyone?" I asked.

_\_ "ARISOTO WEARS CLOTHES LIKE A FRAGGING GIMP" _\_

"I DO WHAT!?" I shouted with rage.

_\_ "HE CAN'T STOP ME AND MY SHADOW'S CAUSE WE'RE ON A BLIMP!" _\_

Right, that's it. "This Shadow is going down." I ordered. "We're splitting into three teams: Shinji and Yukari, Mitsuru and Junpei, and Aigis with me." Most logical teams. "GO!"

_\_ "_Hit the ignition switch._" _\_ Said a calmer, more menacing voice as we split up and ran down the three corridors. _\_ "_We're on a blimp, bitch! We're flying in the sky because we're that rich!_" _\_ We? _\_ "_We're the Hanged Man! We're on a Zeppelin! You're in Iwatodai on a train, fighting Priestess!_" _\_

Nice touch there.

* * *

Aigis had gotten much stronger than I'd noticed. She was bouncing off the walls, launching bullets into Shadows left and right. At some points, it felt like I was the one giving her support.

_\_ "GIVE THE FRAG UP!" _\_ The Shadow shouted over the intercom. _\_ "THIS BLIMP IS REAL!" _\_

This guy's starting to get annoying. _\_ "FRAG LAND I'M IN THE CLOUD'S, MOTHERFRAGGER! FRAG TARTARUS I'M ON A BLIMP, MOTHERFRAGGER! I'M ON THE DECK WITH MY BOYS, MOTHERFRAGGER!!" _\_ YES! Finally telling us something useful! _\_ "THIS BLIMP'S ENGINES GONNA MAKE SOME NOISE, MOTHERFRAGGER!!" _\_

_~ Everyone! Head down to the bottom and to the front! ~_ Fuuka told us as the Blimp gained speed. _~ That's where the Shadow's are! I think there's two bodies for the same Shadow this time, like with the Lovers! ~_

Good idea. "Let's go Aigis!" I shouted as I cut down a Maya.

BANG! "Understood."

* * *

We arrived at the door to the deck at the same time as everyone else. By the looks of things, I'd done the right thing making sure that there was someone in each group who could heal. "Ready?" I asked everyone.

They nodded, and Junpei knocked the door down and we burst onto the outside deck to find the Shadow from before, singing into a microphone that was hanging from the ceiling.

"Hey Mom, if you could see me now!" The Shadow sang into the microphone. "Arms spread wide as the human's prowl!" It pointed to the sky with one hand. "We're gonna fly this blimp to the moon somehow!" With our brother on the deck…" The Shadow grabbed the metal pole and ripped it from the ceiling. "ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!"

I looked around to see everyone surround the Shadow, wind blowing in everyone's faces. Below us was the wooden deck, and the Blimp's surface was above us, forming a ceiling. Behind me was the entrance to the inside of the blimp, and the three other sides were open air.

"Yo!" The Shadow shouted, lifting its hat at me. "See you all made it!"

I saw the Hanged Mask atop the hat. "Where's the other one?" I asked it, twirling my sword threateningly.

"Driving." The Shadow replied from behind its glasses. "This is a blimp you know."

"You said." Junpei pointed out angrily, setting his own katana ablaze. "Fifteen frickin' times."

"And now it ends with you." Mitsuru continued, a blizzard developing around her rapier. "So tell us; why can you talk?"

The Shadow grinned. "Big Bro taught us."

"Your brother?" Yukari asked. "Are you talking about the other Shadows?"

The Shadow laughed heartily. "Are you seriously that stupid!?" It asked. "All I learnt from those idiots was how to get my ass handed to me _by_ our brother!" It pointed its metal sword to me. "You guys are aware that we've been in hibernation for a decade, waiting for your return, big bro."

… "Me?" I asked. Why am I not surprised. Probably because everyone else is.

"Though, he couldn't have gotten this far without his younger brothers and sisters." The Shadow smiled. "So you guys are welcome to the party too. Hermes, Io, Atlas, Penthesilea, Palladion, And you, Pharos!" Wait, he can see him? "You're all just as welcome to this party as our older brother is!"

Pharos, you know why he can see you, don't you?

"Yeah." Pharos nodded.

You can't tell me though, can you?

"No." Pharos shook his head.

Right then. "So, before we kill you," I began talking, "Care to enlighten me about Hermit's prophecy?" I asked him.

"What, the Fire and Ice and Rage thing?" The Hanged Man shrugged. "Not a clue. Guy was an absolute coward for someone with drills."

Right then. I charged forward and swung with the Laevateinn, which the Shadow blocked one handed with the mic pole, then he pushed me back and blocked Yukari's arrow with it before smashing into Junpei's face then Mitsuru's leg, before ducking under Shinji's hammer blow, tripping him up with the pole before throwing him into Aigis, who collapsed in a heap against the railings.

"Fail." The Shadow sneered, launching a wave of dark energy at them, forcing Aigis and Shinji off the edge of the Deck.

"AIGIS!" Junpei shouted as I charged at the Shadow again. "SHINJI!"

_~ I've teleported them back here! ~_ Fuuka told us. _~ They're safe, but I can't send them back to fight with you! ~_

The Shadow stabbed the broken metal into my gut, then pulled the pole out to smack Mitsuru in the chest before stabbing his weapon into the ground then kicking Junpei in the face. He managed to grab hold of the railing and pull himself back on board as Yukari started healing me.

"Too slow." The Shadow sneered as he kicked Yukari away from me. I rolled onto my shoulders as Yukari yelped, then pushed up into a kick against his face. "UGH!" I landed with my knees straddled across the Shadow's body and, weaponless, began to pummel the Shadow's face in with my glove-clad fists.

Then something grabbed me by the back of my jacket and threw me against the wall. "Ugh!" I grunted, wiping the blood from my mouth from where I bit my lip.

Another humanoid Shadow, this time in a black hooded cloak with dull armour underneath, helped the Hanged Man up to his feet. "Hey, who's driving?" The Hanged Man asked.

"_Let the night decide our course._" The second Shadow replied ominously. Damn, that is a dark voice.

The Hanged Man chuckled. "Never thought I'd feel so well." It sang, starting its song up again. "It would be funny if somebody fell. Hey, what's that burning smell?" It asked rhetorically.

"_It's that Akihiko chump burning in hell._" The black Shadow answered.

"Oh, that's it!" Junpei growled. "You are going DOWN! RRAGH!"

The black hooded Shadow backhanded the charging Junpei across the deck as the Pilot-Kamina Shadow charged for Mitsuru and Yukari. Mitsuru held the Shadow off while Yukari backed far enough away to use her Persona. "IO!" Yukari shouted, summoning a powerful gust of wind which sent Junpei flying.

"Hey, thanks!" The Hanged Shadow shouted as he grabbed Mitsuru's sword and pulled it off of her. "Make my job a lot easi-URK!"

Mitsuru had launched a large ice-spear into the Shadow, launching it into its black ally as Yukari launched a tornado arrow through the both of their faces, making a big hole in both of them as the Kamina glasses fell to the ground, skidding towards my feet.

I reached down and grabbed them, putting them on my face. "Remember Yukari, yours is an arrow that shall pierce the heavens!" I declared, striking the appropriate pose.

My reward was a smack in the back of my head. "The Mask's on my hat, idiots." The Hanged Shadow laughed as it stood on my shoulders. "What're you gonna do now, bitches?" It asked, launching a force attack to knock Mitsuru off the ledge.

I pushed my shoulders up against the Shadow's weight, then dropped into a roll before twisting into a donkey kick against the Shadow's chin. The Hanged Man caught it one handed just before contact, however, and threw me back onto the floor.

The Shadow had fused with the other one, now wearing a beige cloak over black armour, with an impressive grey pilot's cap on its head. "Just you and me now, bro." The Shadow boasted as it threw Yukari off the ledge. "So." The Shadow gave me a Cheshire Cat Smile. "What're you gonna do?"

I got to my feet and spat blood onto the deck as the Shadow threw the Laevateinn over the edge. "I'm gonna kick your arse." I told it, activating the seal of the Demi-Fiend.

The Shadow laughed. "Bring it one then, big brother!"

I charged to give a right cross, but the Shadow tilted its head out of the way.

Just as planned.

I twisted my hand at the last second to grab the back of the Shadow's head, then pulled it down as I smashed my right kneecap into its face. I then launched my left elbow into the back of the Shadow's neck, smacking it to the ground as I stole its hat.

"Prepare to die." I told the Shadow as I grabbed the mask with both hands and snapped it in two.

…

"Oh, didn't I tell you?" The Shadow asked as it stood to its feet. "That's not my hat." It grinned. "That's not my mask." I dropped the two fragments to block the Shadow's punch. "And I'm not the Arcana Hanged Man."

What.

The Shadow tripped me with its tail and kicked me to the fence. I stood up in time for the Shadow to punch me in the face, spinning me overboard.

"NOW!" The Shadow shouted with delight. "TRANSFORM!!"

The Blimp split apart, transforming into a giant robo-blimp, Optimus Prime style.

Just as planned.

I drew the Evoker from my pocket as I fell through the air and switched Persona and I aimed for my ear.

I'd brought this one for this exact situation.

"**CTHUHLU!**"

BANG!

* * *

The Old One rose from the ocean of blood as I landed on its shoulder. The green monstrosity drew itself to its full height and faced the flying Shadow head on.

Truth be told, I don't think I could summon a Persona this huge anywhere other than here; it's sending waves of blood into the street simply from the displaced mass.

_\_ **HAH!** _\_ The True Hanged Man Shadow laughed. _\_ **You really are full of surprises! What next!?** _\_

I put on the Kamina shades and pointed at the target. "Cthuhlu!" I shouted, bracing myself. "PUNCH!"

The Tentacled behemoth screamed in hate, launching a gargantuan fist _through_ the steel giant, then dragged it down out of the bay and into the ocean depths. The machine giant writhed helplessly under the leagues of blood as the underwater god smothered it in rage.

"Finish it." I ordered, firing another Evoker shot into my skull.

I felt the Shadow shudder as Cthuhlu broke the mask, and I saw the Blimp-mech dissolve in an ocean of black mist as it died. "Get me out of here Fuuka." I ordered as the Persona I was standing on began to fade away.

_~ You got it! ~_

The world vanished in a flash of light.

* * *

"DUDE!" Junpei shouted, giving me a huge high-five as I materialised. "That. Was. Awesome!"

"Indeed." The Hanged Man Shadow from before stated, clapping sarcastically. "But you forgot one thing."

Everyone turned to face it as they drew their weapons. "No one said that I couldn't _lie._" The Shadow sneered.

The world blurred as I charged for it, smashing a palm into its face and pushed it to the ground. "No-one said you couldn't _die_, either." I sneered, straddled atop it. "And there's something you forgot too."

I felt fear from the Shadow. "W-what?"

"You don't need to destroy the mask to kill a Shadow." I told it with a smile, changing Persona again. "You just need to kill it _dead_. ALICE!!"

Black fire seared through my veins as I shoved a Die For Me! into the Shadow's face, taking pleasure in its dying screams.

Yep. I'm a monster. That's what you become when you fight monsters for too long.

"It's over." I stated, standing up as the Shadow burned.

"Operation completed." Aigis nodded as the Shadow collapsed into oblivion. "Or should I say, 'Mission complete'?"

"Yes…" Mitsuru sighed. "It's finally over…"

"I believe a celebration is in order." Aigis suggested. "What will be our victory cheer?"

"Can we go home now?" I asked, nursing what I think might be a broken rib.

"One… Two… Three." Aigis threw her arms into the air. "Can we go home now?"

Alright, that was just hilarious.

Everyone agreed, judging from the mass hysteria. "What was that?" Yukari asked, wiping a tear from her eye.

"So, um, Senpai…" Junpei hesitated. "You're gonna throw us a party tomorrow, right?"

Mitsuru sighed. "You don't waste any time, do you?" She asked. "Well, I suppose I could arrange for it."

"Ooh! In that case, how 'bout sushi!?" Junpei asked excitedly.

"Sushi, huh… It's been a while…" Shinji pondered. "Well, I've got dibs on the squid and eel!"

"Oh, then I call the fatty tuna." Yukari ordered.

"Um, we're divvying it up already?" Fuuka asked. "In that case, save me the salmon roe."

"Hey, wait a minute…" Junpei panicked. "You can't do that!"

"I reserve the shrimp, Halibut, scallops, and sea urchin." Aigis reported.

"Hey! That's not fair!" Junpei protested. "You don't even eat!"

I kept quiet. I know nothing about Sushi, so I'll just eat Junpei's food.

"You should all be ashamed of yourselves, fighting over sushi." Kenjamin sighed. "Senpai, please order tamago for me. They say you can tell a chef's skill by how he prepares eggs."

"Um, how old are you again?" Yukari asked uncomfortably. Kenjamin is just that awesome.

"Okay, okay." Mitsuru groaned happily. "I'll have the very best delivered tomorrow."

"For real!?" Junpei whooped. "Aw man, it's great to be alive!"

"Don't get too excited, Junpei." Yukari laughed. "You're getting the leftovers."

"What!?" Junpei shouted. "But, it was my idea in the first place!"

"Guess I'm gonna eat someone else's portion then…" I sighed, getting another barrel of laughs.

Mitsuru looked up at the full moon. "I guess it's time to say goodbye to the Dark Hour." She said. "Even though it seemed like a curse, for some reason I'm reluctant to let it go."

"Yeah..." Shinji sighed as everyone else turned to look at the glowing rock in the sky.

"We really did it, didn't we..?" Yukari asked.

"Yes…" Mitsuru nodded. "We saved the world, even if no one knows it."

* * *

But that night wasn't the end of it. The battles were just beginning.

We hadn't saved the world that night.

We ended it.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

DUN! DUN! DUUUN!

Yeah, that's Chapter 71, the last Arcana Shadow.

I quite like how this one went down. The Shadow's learnt from their past experiences and decided to stop using little tricks or sending big damn monsters. Just get them into an unfamiliar environment and have a human-shaped Shadow beat down on them. And it worked, until they made the huge transformation.

I'm not sure about that last paragraph, but I stuck it in there as homage to the Persona 3 manga, which started with the Hanged Man battle, which ended with words to that effect.

So, next chapter, things get awesome. Expect it between Christmas and the New Year (Hopefully).

So, Merry Christmas! Enjoy!


	72. Chapter 72

MERRY CHRISTMAS!! TWO CHAPTERS IN ONE DAY!!!

Alright! Party time! There is absolutely no way that anything bad could happen in this chapter!

Nope. Nothing bad will happen in this chapter other than wholesome party fun. Honest.

Now, reviews. Dragon's Shadow, sorry I missed you last time. Yep, Adachi changing Arcana is epic foreshadowing. No demons are involved (yet, Ameno-Sagiri get's his turn), and he hasn't had a change of character. I'm not taking a fourth option for this.  
I never actually made Gungnir, so I need to find out what it looks like. Then I'll decide whether to give it to Kenjamin or have Minato keep it. It looks just like the one Odin carries, right? Yeah, I'll probably give it to Kenjamin then.  
Minato needs no crown. His hair is crown enough.

Slackerman, I'm very flattered, but I'm afraid that I'd have to decline. And if you like Eldritch Abominations, then we've got lots more coming.

Derek Barona, the sad part is that Minato actually is only doing it because he can. He has no excuse like justice, regret or revenge like the others. He honestly just wants to kill things.

Slicerness, I'm not a trekkie either. I've only seen the newest movie, but Sylar was awesome in it. Simulacrum is the one that takes place _years_ after P4, and Seta's a pretty decent bloke in it. Mind you, his Shadow's a douche. Sorry if the last chapter wasn't so descriptive, I'll try to make up for it in future.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

"Good morning."

I got out of my bed. "Morning Pharos."

"Nice weather, isn't it?" He asked, opening the curtains. "This is indeed a new day… For both of us."

Hm? "All the fragments of my memory…" Pharos sighed. "They've finally come together. I now know my role clearly."

I got out of my bed as Pharos continued. "The time has come. As difficult as it may be, I must tell you something. I am afraid this is goodbye." You serious? "I want you to know…" Pharos continued, "For me, our friendship was a miracle. But, miracles don't last forever." Pharos sighed. "If only they did…"

"Nothing lasts forever." I told Pharos, now sitting on the bed in my pyjamas.

"Maybe you're right." Pharos sighed. "Even if there was a thing as eternity, how would we ever know? It would be the same as if it didn't exist."

"That doesn't matter though." I told him.

He perked up. "You're right." Pharos nodded. "What's important is that it happened. I shall treasure our conversations always. Even if today is the end, the bond between us can never be severed… Remember that."

He disappeared and reappeared by the door. "It was fun while it lasted… Farewell."

He walked out of the door, closing it behind him.

_\_ _"Since you've been gone, Since you've been gone, I'm outta my head, can't take it!" __\_

**SMASH!**

_Thou art I… And I am thou…_

_The bond thou hast nurtured hath finally matured…_

_The innermost power of the Death Arcana hath been set free…_

_We bestow upon thee the ability to create Thanatos, the ultimate form of the Death Arcana…_

_This bond shall never be broken… even as thy world meets its end…_

Great. Just had the last battle, and _now_ I get that badass.

Well, if that was the last battle. I'm still not fully sold here.

Wait, meets its end?

…

That suggests that I'm not done fighting.

"Yo, Minato!" Junpei shouted, ramming my door down. "Is your stomach ready!? Tonight's the big celebration! I'm gonna eat like there's no tomorrow!"

I threw the clock at him.

* * *

"It's just Sushi." I told Junpei once I was dressed and Coherent.

"Yeah, but this is Mitsuru-senpai we're talkin' about!" Junpei protested, rubbing his face. "Maybe we'll get the good stuff! And how come you get to break into my room but it doesn't go both ways?"

"I told you months ago why sleep is important." I told him. "Not enough sleep makes me violent. You saw me last night."

"Fair point." Junpei shuddered. "You kicked that Strega guy's ass!"

"Shinji broke Takaya's bones though." I sighed. "So he wins again."

Junpei clapped me across the back. "Forget about it Minato, Sushi! You better come back right after school, man!" He told me as he ran off into school. "I'll be waiting!"

* * *

And wait he did not. Soon as school was out, he dragged me back to the dorm to get the place ready for the party.

* * *

Eventually, the Sushi and everyone got there. "Whoa… Nice spread." Junpei praised Mitsuru, mouth starting to water.

"The slices are huge!" Yukari noted.

"Man, I'm starving…" Junpei groaned. "Can we eat?"

"Hey, where are Aigis-san and Ikutsuki-san?" Kenjamin asked.

…I'll kill him. I really will kill him.

"He took her to the lab for a tune-up or something." Shinji explained. "He said they'd join us later."

Ikutsuki, you get to live another night.

Fuuka giggled. "The Chairman just can't stay away from the lab, can he?" She asked.

* * *

Before too long, a car pulled up from outside. "That must be my father." Mitsuru noted, getting the door. I didn't know the pirate was coming.

Alright, that was harsh. Just because he's intimidating and has an eye patch doesn't make him a pirate.

The fact that he takes peoples money does.

Alright, _that_ was harsh. It's hard doing this without Pharos.

"We've been waiting for you." Mitsuru told her father as he stepped into the dorm with two Kirijo officals.

"So… it's over at last, huh?" He asked.

"Yes." Mitsuru replied proudly.

"Congratulations, everyone." Takeharu Kirijo announced. "You've done well. There are no words to express my gratitude. Though you will never receive the recognition you deserve, it is undoubtedly a monumental achievement."

"Thank you." I told him.

He walked over to Yukari and took her hand. "To you, I owe a special thanks..." He told her. "For lending us your power until the very end."

Yukari was clearly embarrassed. "Oh, it's… it's no big deal." She replied.

Kirijo moved back to where he was stood. "The twelve Shadows that were the cause of all our troubles have been destroyed, thanks to your efforts." He announced. "You needn't bear this burden any longer. You deserve a chance to experience the joys of youth." LEE!! SENSEI!!

Sorry, it's a reflex. "The Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad will be dissolved as of midnight tonight." Takeharu Kirijo announced. "No longer must you put your lives on the line in battle. Tomorrow, you can triumphantly return to a normal school life."

Everyone looked around at each other uncomfortable. "Is something the matter?" Mitsuru's dad asked.

I knew what was up. "Will the dorm remain running?" I asked him. "I don't think we really want to be separated."

"Ah." Takeharu nodded. "Very well, the dorm shall remain functioning as such." He decided. "I had no intention of shutting it down as it was."

"Alright, everyone!" Mitsuru declared. "It's time to celebrate. Your feast awaits you." She bowed theatrically. "There's no need to hold back; eat as much as you'd like."

"Sweet!" Junpei shouted. "I've been waiting for you to say that!"

**SMASH!**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Fool Arcana…_

* * *

We did.

"Listen up, everyone…" Junpei stated, standing up between the piles of empty plates. "I have an idea… How 'bout we all take a picture?" He pulled out a camera. "Actually, I tried to take one last night… but I forgot it wouldn't work during the Dark Hour."

"You mean… you brought a camera with you last night?" Shinji asked in disbelief.

"Well, it was our LAST battle, after all." Junpei explained, walking over to one of the Kirijo suits. "Hey, could ya take our picture?" He asked.

"Hey, hold on." I said, "Ikutsuki hasn't brought Aigis back yet." I looked around. "And where's Yukari?" I asked.

"Go find her." Junpei ordered. "We'll take another picture once Ai-chan comes back with the Chairman."

* * *

I found Yukari in the command room watching her Dad's recording. "Hey." I told her, seeing the sadness on her face.

"We really did it… huh?" She asked distantly.

"Yeah…" I said, sitting by her, watching the large projection. It was much better quality than the projection we saw back in Yakushima, as well as on my iPhone.

_/\_ _"I am to blame for this. I knew the risks, but I was blinded by the promise of success…"_ _/\_

I put an arm around her. "You know, at this last bit, he was thinking of you."

She looked at me with a sad smile. "You don't know that."

I shook my head. "Yeah, I do. Just watch, you can see his face turn to a parental smile right at the end."

We watched.

We saw his face turn into a parental smile right at the end.

Far too fast.

"Rewind it." I told her. She saw the parental smile, but I only just noticed the jump. "Play it again in slow motion."

"…okay?" She asked, doing as I said.

We watched it again in slow motion.

Her jaw dropped as she saw the skip.

"It's been doctored…" I whispered, before jumping over the couch and slamming my fist against the alarm button.

* * *

"What's the meaning of this!?" Takeharu Kirijo demanded, storming into the command room with everyone.

"Professor Takeba's recording was doctored." I explained, showing the clip slowed down and enlarged on his mouth. "Who gave you this tape?" I demanded.

"It was Ikutsuki…" Takeharu replied, gritting his teeth.

"But do you seriously think that Ikutsuki-san would do something like this?" One of his aides asked. "If he had been plotting something for the past ten years, wouldn't we have noticed something by now?"

"Ever heard of deep cover?" I asked.

**DONG**

* * *

Dark Hour.

"Apparently, I was right." I sighed. The two Kirijo suits had transmogrified, leaving S.E.E.S. and Takeharu.

A bell was ringing in the distance. "Everyone, get ready for battle." I ordered, tugging on Akihiko's gloves. "That bell is coming from Tartarus, and whatever it is, it can't be good."

* * *

We got there to find Ikutsuki standing at the entrance of Tartarus with a gun. "IKUTSUKI!" Shinji roared, waving his axe over his head.

Aigis was stood behind him, even more emotionless than usual. "Aigis! What're you doing here?" Yukari asked.

"She is here merely to fulfil her role." Ikutsuki laughed. "As a weapon."

"What." I stated blandly. This was not happening.

"Ikutsuki-san, what's this all about!?" Junpei asked desperately, not liking what was happening either.

"You said the Dark Hour and Tartarus would disappear if we defeated the twelve Shadows… That's why we fought so hard!" Shinji shouted. "But, now-"

Mitsuru cut him off. "What is your intention?" She asked Ikutsuki. "It was all a lie, wasn't it? You knew from the beginning that the Dark Hour wouldn't disappear."

"Excellent deduction, Mitsuru." Ikutsuki told her. "Unfortunately, your realization has come too late."

"No…" Yukari gasped. You know, I always joked that I'd kill him. But now it looks like I really might do it.

"You tricked us…" Kenjamin obviously stated.

"Everything is as I planned…" Ikutsuki boasted. "It is not unexpected that the Dark Hour and Tartarus remain. In fact, I never intended for you to rid the world of them. Quite the opposite, actually."

"What do you mean?" Fuuka asked.

"The twelve Shadows were parts of a whole…" Ikutsuki explained. "They were destined to be reunited… And that was accomplished in no small part, thanks to your efforts. Soon, Death, the almighty, shall arise and bring fourth the Fall…"

"Death..?" Kenjamin asked, not believing what was happening either.

"The end of all shall come and free this world from despair…" Ikutsuki answered. "The death of everything… but also the beginning."

"Wh-What is he saying..?" Yukari asked. "Is he out of his mind..?"

No. He's perfectly sane. "Ten years ago…" Ikutsuki explained. "I, too, was a scientist for the project we've spoken of. The experiment went awry, but that is not why the Dark Hour and Tartarus were born." He grinned. "They manifested as a result of harvesting the Shadows' power-- just as the experiment was designed to do. That is why your grandfather gathered so many Shadows…" He smiled. "To bring about the Fall."

He's just incredibly twisted. "That can't be!" Mitsuru shouted.

"People have filled the world, yet turned it into a void!" Ikutsuki preached. "The only hope of salvation lies in ruin! According to the prophecy… The Fall will be orchestrated by 'the Prince'." Oh right? "And once the Prince has delivered us all, he shall rule the new world as King! The man who tried it ten years ago failed. But I will not; I shall succeed!"

"Man, he's totally lost it..." Junpei shook his head. If I didn't know better, I'd agree.

But I do know better. The Fall is The Conception. The Dark Hour acts as the Vortex world where man and demon intertwine. And Tartarus is a proxy for Kagutsuchi.

He's trying to create a new world with himself as king.

"I apologize for deceiving you, but this was for your sake as well." Ikutsuki smiled. "If you follow me for just a little while longer, you, too, will find salvation."

"You call that salvation!?" Fuuka shouted.

"I have a question for you…" Yukari asked with tranquil fury. "In the video from my father… He said to defeat the Shadows… Was that a lie, too?"

Ikutsuki smiled with realisation. "Ah… He did record that himself." He chuckled. "Of course, I had to make some modifications."

"You doctored it." Mitsuru nodded, clenching her fist around her sword.

"I corrected it." Ikutsuki bit back righteously. "Your father was a superb scientist…" He added to Yukari. "He may not have known it, but I truly respected him. While others focused on the Shadows' abilities, he explored much more important things…" Ikutsuki sighed. "But unfortunately, he could not comprehend the magnificent potential of the Fall…"

"What..?" Yukari asked in disbelief.

"He left that recording at the expense of his life…" Mitsuru realised.

"It would seem so." Ikutsuki nodded. "But, it did prove rather useful, so I'm sure he's happy."

"So you were behind it all!?" Yukari shouted with hate. "You used both me and my father!"

"'Used' is such an ugly word…" Ikutsuki sighed. "It was for the sake of the world, so how could it be wrong?"

"One last question." I said, taking a few steps towards Ikutsuki. "Were you the one who supplied Strega with Evokers?"

He laughed. "Of course. We gave them the power, it would have been wrong to deprive them of a means to use it!" He smiled. "Of course, that means that I supplied them with the Suppressants too."

I nodded. "Right then. S.E.E.S. was formed to right the mistakes of the past." I explained, drawing my Evoker. "We're gonna finish the job."

Ikutsuki sighed. "How disappointing. I had hoped you would see the light." He shrugged. "But, you are just children, after all. I suppose it can't be helped. Aigis!" He shouted, pulling a remote out of his pocket. "The time has come for you to fulfil your role. Capture them, and prepare them to be sacrificed!"

What.

Aigis stepped forward. "Understood."

She disappeared and reappeared right in front of me, fist headed for my chin.

Way too fast.

* * *

"What is going on here!?" Mitsuru's father shouted. I thought we left him at home?

I opened my eyes.

We were in some outdoor section of Thebel, and everyone in S.E.E.S. except for Aigis was strapped to an iron crucifix. Aigis was stood holding Mitsuru's dad prisoner, while Ikutsuki stood lording it over everybody.

"What the hell!?"

"What is this!?"

"Father!!"

Everyone was less than pleased with their current predicament.

"Ikutsuki…" Takeharu growled. "What is the meaning of this!?"

"It is just as it appears…" Ikutsuki laughed. "They are to be sacrifices-- harbingers of the Fall. The arrangements are complete; the prophecy shall be fulfilled."

"WHAT!?" Shinji shouted, struggling against his constraints. How the hell can they keep _him_ down!?

"You son of a bitch!" Junpei roared. "I'm gonna rip your head off!"

Ikutsuki put his gun to Takeharu's head and cocked the barrel.

"You traitor!" Takeharu spat. "Are you insane!?"

"Of course not." Ikutsuki replied with a smile. "You know, your father was an unlucky man. Even you, his son, after all this time, do not understand his vision."

"My father was wrong." Kirijo growled. "Death as deliverance… That is not an ideology anyone should ever embrace!"

"Fool…" Ikutsuki sighed.

"FATHER!!"

BANG!

* * *

Blood and grey matter splattered all over Aigis's white armour.

"FATHER!!" Mitsuru screamed. Everyone else was stunned into silence.

"Ten years…" Ikutsuki grunted, removing his bloodstained glasses. "I've wasted ten long years! I'm not like your father…" He kicked the headless body over. "I won't make any exceptions!"

"You…" Shinji grunted. "Bastard…"

Ikutsuki laughed. "I had intended for Aigis to kill you all, but not you." He said, pointing a gun at my head. "You're much too dangerous. I don't think that this weapon could kill you." He cocked the gun. "But this one in my hand can."

"NO!" Yukari screamed.

"HE'S INSANE!" Junpei shouted.

"Do it." I ordered Ikutsuki.

The world stopped.

* * *

"What did you say..?" Ikutsuki asked.

"Do it." I repeated. "Pull the trigger and launch that bullet into my skull." I waggled a finger in the general direction of my head. "Right here."

"H-have you lost your mind!?" Kenjamin demanded. "Do you wanna die!?"

Ikutsuki smiled. "I see. So… you too see my perfect vision."

"Nope." I smiled. "I'm daring you to fire that bullet into my skull." This bluff had better damn work, because I reckon I can get Aigis to snap out of it if he orders her to kill me. "Do it." I repeated.

I grinned as his hand began to shake. "You don't dare, do you?" I asked. "You know that I've got an ace in the hole, something awesome incase planned just incase this happened." I laughed. "You coward." I taunted. "You don't even have the guts to kill a teena-"

BLAM!

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

Well, that failed.

I hope you all enjoyed Persona 3: Fairly English Story. It's been a pleasure writing this story, and I hope you've had as much fun reading it as I've had writing it. I was going to continue the story, but I'm getting tired, so I'll just end the story here before the quality starts to deteriorate. I guess we get the Superbad Ending, but, well, what're you going to do?

This unfortunately means that, with Minato dead, I cannot continue the story through the rest of the planned plot, but with the protagonist dead, I guess there's nothing more I can do. Nyx wins, we all die. Yes, it's a sucky ending, but I hope you can all forgive me.

So, goodbye everyone! I hope my next stories are only half as good as this wa…

Oh.

Wait

Story's not over apparently.

My bad.

Pfft. Yeah.

As if I'd let it end there.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

The second I felt the blood drip down my face, I knew that I was alive.

And if I was alive, then that meant that I had won.

_The ground below my feet, elevated._

"Thou… art… I…" I gasped.

_Instinctively programmed there for me_

"And… I… Art… Thou…" I coughed up the blood.

_No thoughts, my visions clear, not too complicated_

"From the abyss of… all soul…" I choked, "I summon thee…"

_I'm here because you're here_

I raised my head and roared.

"**THOU ART THANATOS! THE DESTROYER OF SOULS!**"

_YOU'VE GOT A PROBLEM NOW!_

I fell to my feet as Thanatos destroyed the steel I was crucified to.

_The speck of fear grows in your eyes!_

I started to walk towards Ikutsuki, who backed away in fear.

_You'll meet your death in no disguise!_

I reached inside the jacket of Takeharu's corpse and drew a handgun.

_It may come as a small surprise!_

"A death for a death..." I said, pointing the gun at Ikutsuki's head.

_There will be no compromise…_

He grinned maniacally and put his gun to his jaw.

"Massacre!" Ikutsuki commanded. "COME FORTH!"

_FOR YOU!_

What.

BLAM!

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

That's better. Sorry for the little prank earlier, but I just couldn't resist.

So. Yeah. Ikutsuki's got a Persona. What.

Those of you who bought the first Persona game for the PSP may know what's coming. One of the most epic fight scenes in the entire story.

And you're gonna love it.

Song just there was Nikopol, from the Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagan soundtrack. It's better known as Viral's Theme. Interestingly, Nikopol translates roughly into 'City Of Win'. How appropriate.

Until then, Merry Christmas! And A Happy New Year!


	73. Chapter 73

Hey everyone, hope you all had a great Christmas. My favourite present? A Fievel stuffed toy. Remember American Tail? If not, then all you need to know is that I got a warm and fuzzy wave of nostalgia. It was great.

Rightho. Back to work. I got an awesome fight scene to write, so let's get these over and done with.

ByLanternNight, I wanted to put Cthuhlu into that fight ever since I realised that he was summonable in one of the SMT games. I kinda did the transforming blimp bit off the top of my head, but I really wanted Cthuhlu to punch something. Sorry.

Marada, Heraklinos, if that was the case, then Minato's last name would be Kuzohana. Sorry, but it'd leave waaay too many plot holes.

Greifen, City of Win, City of Victory, same thing really.  
Sorry if it seems that Minato's taking everyone else's roles. Minato got the option to snap out at Shinji's funeral in-game, but I just took it further to give him the chance to help Shinji resolve. Remember, This Minato's been going to funerals all his life, so he has a lot of respect for how they should be.  
They were strapped to individual crucifixes. And it doesn't matter whether Minato described them as Iron or Steel, since neither could hold Shinji down, so they're clearly not either.

Dragon's Shadow, He still isn't strong enough to fuse Thanatos. He brought it out from the shock of getting shot in the head _for reals._ First time with the Evoker was enough, but then he got used to it. For the purposes of the argument, his level is currently 59.

JRS74, giving Ikutsuki a Persona was my idea. That scene plays out the same in P3P.  
And since Minato doesn't know that he's on the observatory rooftop, due to never having been there, he wouldn't know it as such. It looks like Thebel, so Minato assumes it is as such. However, it's insinuated that it's the top of Monad, but Minato's yet to go there either.  
As for the Hanged Man, I agree with you. You're not sure whether the Shadow was the overpowered, arrogant sod, or if Minato was. You're probably thinking of something else, but that was my thinking behind it.

Slicerness, Simulacrum gets much better as it goes along. I actually had a discussion with the author recently about any potential accusations of Plagiarism from between our stories.

Slackerman, in one of the early drafts, Evokers shot bullets. They changed it last second because the localisation team would crucify it on spot if that was the case.

Have a Little Feith, have a little faith. Yeah, I made that pun. don't hate me…

Nightmare Syndrom, I'll do you… Six better. Yeah. SIX. ALL IN THIS CHAPTER.

Now to live up to my own expectations. Not looking forward to this at all. Oh, I'm looking forward to you guys doing it, but actually doing it is gonna be daunting. DAUNTING I say.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

Black glass with bloodstains dripping off them flew into the sky in a spiral.

**Crackcrackcrackcrack…**

What.

**CRACK**

This cannot be good.

**SMASH**

Time didn't stop this time. By the looks of things, everyone heard this one.

_**THOU ART I! I! ART! THOU!**_

_**THOU LOOKETH IN THE MIRROR OF THY SOUL AND SEETH THINE PERSONA!!**_

_**BUT THY MIRROR HAST SHATTERED! BEHOLD THINE SHADOW!!**_

The glass stopped moving, then spiralled into the space above Ikutsuki.

_**LET THINE MIND WARP UNDER THE DEPRAVITY OF THE HOLLOW ARCANA!!**_

It formed into a nude version of the Hanged Shadow, but with no face, large red wings, and a golden crown above its head.

_**I AM NYARLATHOTEP! **_ It said. _**THE CRAWLING CHAOS!**_

"Wh-what!?" Fuuka gasped as Ikutsuki laughed maniacally.

"So **this** is what a Persona feels like!" Ikutsuki laughed, drawing the remote from his pocket. "AIGIS!" He commanded. "Destroy the lesser sacrifices!"

Koromaru leapt through the Persona and grabbed Ikutsuki's remote with his jaw, crushing it as the Persona dissolved. "W-What!?" Ikutsuki snarled, pointing his gun at the dog.

"NO!" Aigis shouted, shooting the gun from Ikutsuki's hand, then turning to shoot the bindings on everyone's crucifix.

"Great work." I told them as Mitsuru ran towards her father's corpse. "Now for this one." I added, turning to Ikutsuki.

He was gone. "Behold, Mortals!" His voice shouted from above. I looked up to see him standing on a rising column. "Despair! And! DIE!"

I rushed to break down the column as Ikutsuki fired another shot into his head. The black demon scythed down as I tackled the monolith, toppling it with the power of the Demi-Fiend as I started scrambling the falling stone. Ikutsuki stepped forward and rode the pillar down as it fell, then turned his gun on me and laughed. "I wonder…" He boasted. "What would happen if I shot you somewhere else?" He asked.

I stopped scrambling and started running, pointing my gun ahead of me and fired. Ikutsuki must've fired at the same time, because the two bullets ricocheted off each other and clattered onto the pillar.

Didn't happen twice though. Ikutsuki missed the next two shots and I managed to get him in the shoulder as he reloaded. He screamed, and I smashed his face in with my emptied gun.

Grunting in pain, Ikutsuki staggered through a hole in Tartarus's wall that the falling pillar had made. Said pillar collapsed behind us, so that means that we're alone here in Yabbashah. "Nyarlathotep!" Ikutsuki shouted, pointing his gun to his head again. "COME!"

I pushed his gun away from his temple at the last second, the bullet cutting through his glasses and through my head. "COME FORTH!" I roared, and Surtr rose from behind me and struck us both with his flaming sword. So I can't summon Thanatos anymore…

Ikutsuki headbutted me and leapt into the shadows as I regained my balance. Damn, his head is hard…

I took this as a chance for a quick inventory check. I had no scrolls, no evoker, Aki's gloves were gone, and all I had was an empty gun and my Leatherman in my chest pocket.

Ikutsuki wouldn't have missed that. He must've asked Aigis to remove our weapons, and I've explained to her in detail why this knife isn't a weapon.

I heard a gunshot down the corridor, and looked to see waves of darkness rush towards me. I switched to Alice for protection and covered my face, but the force was still enough to knock me off my feet.

* * *

_**THOU ART I, AND I ART THINE**_

_**THY SOUL SHALL WARP SANITY INTO MADNESS**_

_**REALITY SHALT YIELD TO THE DESIRES OF THINE MIND**_

_**IF THIS WORLD BE HOLLOW, THEN FILL THE ABYSS WITH DREAM**_

_**THOU HAST OUR BLESSING**_

_**RENDER THIS NIGHT ASUNDER**_

* * *

Sounds like a plan. Now why is there a wall in front of me?

It collapsed at the thought to reveal Ikutsuki pointing a gun at me.

I wish I had some ammo… why is a white ammo clip growing out of the wall?

Ah, so this is the Hollow Arcana. This makes a lot of my previous fights make much more sense.

I clapped the gun's handle onto the ammo clip and snapped it off and started firing at Ikutsuki.

He did the same, but both of us missed each other was we approached. By the time we were close enough to press our gun's into the other person's face, we'd both run out of bullets.

A white ammo clip grew out of the ground and twisted around Ikutsuki's arm before connecting into my gun.

A black clip twisted around my gun arm and slithered into Ikutsuki's gun.

I switched to Melchizedek and shot a bullet into Ikutsuki's forehead, knowing full well what it'd do.

**BLAM**

Melchizedek punched Nyarlathotep in the face as Nyarlathotep sliced a claw through the king's head. It hurt like hell, but it knocked Ikutsuki back enough for me to re-aim the gun towards Ikutsuki's body.

BLAM

I dropped down to the ground and fired the gun wildly as Ikutsuki's bullet hit my cheek instead of my kneecap. The two Personae collided, and I kicked Ikutsuki's legs from underneath him and rolled over atop of him.

Why did Surtr come out just now?

And why do I have Alice equipped right now? Where did Surtr and Melchizedek go?

Ikutsuki laughed. "Have you realised yet?" He asked. "My Persona can kill yours."

Crap. I dodged back against his next shot, then rolled back to a relatively safe distance.

I only have ten Personae left, and the white mask has already reached my mouth. Bad things will happen if it finishes.

That said, I noticed a black mask growing up Ikutsuki's face as well as he stood up. "Oh, are you running away now?" He asked. "I thought you only ran _towards_." He sneered.

I can't let him summon my Persona. So I can't let myself summon his either.

I threw away my gun. It's gonna do more harm than good.

"Idiot." Ikutsuki laughed, summoning Nyarlathotep with his own gun. Crap.

I jumped along the floor to reclaim my gun, but as soon as I grabbed it, Nyarlathotep shoved its claw inside my chest and started pulling out Alice. "HELP ME!!" She screamed, her arms flailing helplessly against the claw clenched around her chest.

I grabbed her hand. "DON'T LET GO!" I told her desperately as I fired bullets wildly into Nyarlathotep's head. "JUST HANG ON!"

"D-Don't let me die…" Alice sobbed as Ikutsuki laughed. "P-please help…"

I pulled her back into me as I rammed my shoulder into Nyarlathotep's body only to fall through air. "ALICE!!" I shouted.

"H-He-" Her eyes bulged as the dark Persona crushed her ribcage inside its hand, and Alice faded into nothingness.

Now I'm carrying Thor.

I'm past angry now. I stood to my feet and tossed the gun into my left hand, summoning a white, grotesque blade from the metal floor and grabbing it with my right hand at the seal of the Demi-Fiend came into action.

Ikutsuki laughed and grabbed a black hatchet that extended from the wall. "Come!" He laughed gleefully, his eyes flashing black.

I charged keeping my gun low and my sword high. I sliced for his head as I shot his knee, but he forced my gun arm up as he ducked, shooting my jaw so Nyarlathotep could wrench Mjolnir from its master and crush Thor's head under it. I kneed Ikutsuki in the face, but he shot again for me and then in his own head as he fell, summoning his Persona once more to destroy Kikuri-Hime.

She was the fifth Persona he just killed. I'm not giving him another chance. "BYAKKO!" I roared, firing a bullet through my skull. The white tiger pounced onto the traitor and bit deep down into his gun arm. Ikutsuki screamed as I stamped on his arm, kicking the gun from his fingers as he flailed helplessly with his axe.

The axe met Byakko's back and the tiger screamed in pain as it died. What.

I jumped back as Ikutsuki swung for my leg, and pointed my gun at him as he rose to his feet.

"Did you know…" Ikutsuki asked as he clutched at his bleeding shoulder. "That all this business with Evokers… even headshots… really aren't necessary to summon a Persona?" He laughed as he extended his injured arm, a rotating blue card appearing above it. "I just didn't want you to learn how to do this!" He swung his axe through the card, and Nyarlathotep rushed through me, tearing Ganesha out of my back as Ikutsuki healed. "That makes… Seven, right?" He asked from behind insane eyes as his mask grew across his mouth. "I wonder just **how many can you hold?**"

His voice had distorted underneath the featureless mask, and I noticed my own reflection. My sardonic white mask had already reached my nose. Not much time.

Dammit Pharos, where are you when I need you?

I fired a bullet into my head to summon Loki to heal me, but that was my last shot. I reloaded from behind the wall as I dodged Ikutsuki's next volley of Eldritch demon and switched to Siegfried to do a power charge.

Nyarlathotep tore through the immortal hero like it had the others. "Make this count." The hero demanded with his dying breath.

I intend to. With the power of Odin, I charged a Primal Force into my hands and smashed them into the ground. The white mask grew faster as the room turned into thousands of spikes; a nebula of pain that turned Ikutsuki into so much Swiss cheese.

I only stopped when I saw his mangled body skewered by dozens of bloodstained spikes. Yep. That should do it.

"_**Why, thank you."**_

What

A wingless Nyarlathotep grabbed me by the throat and lifted me into the air. _**"It's a shame that I didn't get to finish, but you saved me the trouble of killing him myself, so I suppose it works out."**_ Its fingers tensed around my neck. _**"And these fingers… I can do more with these than with my old claws."**_ it jumped and pushed me through the ceiling. _**"But I miss my wings."**_ It added as it pushed me though another floor.

By the rate he's pushing me through these ceilings; I don't think he needs them.

* * *

Nyarlathotep let me drop to the floor after it'd pushed me through half of Tziah. _**"That's better."**_ It stated, flexing its regrown wings. _**"I suppose they just needed the exercise."**_

I'd dropped my weapon's downstairs, but I still had Odin. I channelled a Thunder Reign into my hands and charged for Nyarlathotep.

It pushed at my face and Odin flew out from behind me, my head passing through Nyarlathotep's hand like water as the thunder fizzled out; no Persona to power it.

"_**This makes…**_" Nyarlathotep crushed Odin's head with one hand. _**"Three Personae left."**_ It lashed out with its tail and sent me flying back into the gold wall. _**"Do you know what happens when you run out?"**_

I grunted to my feet. "You become one of the lost…" I answered, not as defiant as I hoped it'd be. "Without a Persona, real or figurative, you're just an empty shell."

The outer god clapped sarcastically. _**"Very good. Now say goodbye to Anubis."**_

What!? I lifted up my hands to create a wall between me and Nyarlathotep, but it smashed through it and grabbed at my mask.

"_**You dare use my power against me."**_ It laughed. _**"The power to shield the mind from reality, the power of the deepest subconscious."**_ Nyarlathotep rammed its knee into my chest _hard_, and I lost my stance. _**"This power to control Tartarus."**_

I kinda figured that out. _**"Let's see how long you last without it."**_ Nyarlathotep laughed as it started pulling at my mask.

Not good. I grabbed at its arm, but saw that my hands wouldn't connect with it. I called up the power of the Demi-Fiend, however, and I did.

"_**Ooh, interesting."**_ Nyarlathotep chuckled as it fell back, holding my mask. _**"But it's just too little, too late."**_ It crushed the mask with one hand.

_**And now you have lost**_

So the Reaper's watching this too. I stood up and forced a Hamaon down my right hand and a Mudoon down my left. As long as it doesn't get a hit on me, I can win this.

* * *

It got a hit on me. Hard ones, two of them.

And now I am only left with Loki.

"_**Accept the inevitability of your fate." **_Nyarlathotep commanded me. _**"You cannot defeat me."**_

Come on Demi-Fiend… can't you… work… more!?

* * *

Naoki gets spikes coming out the back of his neck when he does this. Sometimes, I grow fangs.

* * *

I pushed out as much juice as I could get and charged forward as I felt my fangs grow. I was much faster now.

I skidded to the ground as Nyarlathotep clawed forward, then rolled into a donkey-kick aimed for his chin. It grabbed my ankles with its other hand, but he couldn't get my Persona out of there, so I twisted up and smashed its face in with fist.

My hand broke. So did its head.

I twisted out of its grip as I healed myself with a Diarama, then rushed forward to attack again.

I was much, much faster now. Hell, I was even starting to beat this guy _down_!

Then Nyarlathotep disappeared.

"_**This is a nuisance."**_ Nyarlathotep commented as it grabbed my left wrist and my shoulder from behind and trapped my feet with one of its own and its tail. _**"And the seal's roots are in this arm?"**_ It asked.

Then it pulled. I screamed as my arm popped out of its shoulder, but the demon didn't stop.

Then my flesh started to tear. "_AAAAARRRRGGGHHH!!_" I screamed, gritting my teeth together as I tried to fight Nyarlathotep off.

* * *

I collapsed on the floor, and immediately pushed myself up.

I fell down to my left side in a pool of blood. What the hell..?

I turned around and saw Nyarlathotep holding a human arm like a sword, gripping it by the wrist as blood seeped out the other end.

_It had a demonic seal on the bicep._

"_**Oh, sorry."**_ Nyarlathotep threw the arm back at me and it slapped into my face. _**"What with all your screaming, I thought you might look a little more… frightened? Angry? Something at least."**_

It tore my arm off… it seriously tore my arm off…

Nyarlathotep grabbed me by the chest and shoved me against the wall. _**"But that's the odd thing, isn't it?"**_ It asked. _**"All of your power… none of it's yours."**_ It raised another arm to shove it into me. _**"Either you're channelling the power of the gods as Persona… or you're stealing powers from your enemies… or you're simply mimicking the skills of others…"**_ It shoved its arm into my chest and grabbed Loki. _**"You're nothing."**_ It told me as it tore out my last persona and incinerated it in black flame. _**"A cheap thief with no more tricks up his sleeve."**_

Then why can I still think?

* * *

I grabbed Nyarlathotep by the back of the head with my remaining arm and nutted it as hard as I could, right beneath the spiky crown.

"**I am a shadow…**" I told it as the black liquid coursed over my skin. "**The true self…**"

Nyarlathotep merely shoved its hand into my chest again and the blackness blew back like a cloud of dust. _**"Really. That's the best you can do?"**_

I grabbed its arm and forced it deeper through me. "Nope." I replied, grinning despite the pain. "Because you missed one little detail."

"_**And what did I miss, mortal?"**_

"I'm Minato Arisoto." I replied. A rotating blue card rose to the outer god's face as the bones of a hand appeared beneath it. "I took this social link to eleven." I explained as the bones regenerated, connecting to my shoulder as the finger bones clenched the card, destroying it. "Daisoujou!"

The mummified priest appeared above us and laughed as gold walls surrounded us, spinning slowly as light encompassed the ground. Samsara. The ultimate light skill.

The world turned to light.

* * *

I knew that wouldn't kill it, but it gave me chance to run for the stairs like hell while I healed myself. "Diarahan!" I cast on myself, biting down on my lips as the nerves and muscle regenerated and scratched underneath my shirt, which didn't get torn off somehow.

Once my skin was back, I proceeded to run past the blockade and into the next block of Tartarus.

* * *

It was some freaky disco place that was waaay too dark for my liking. The reason being that I barely noticed Nyarlathotep in the darkness.

"_**It's useless to try and outrun your fears."**_

I dodged the claw in time to keep my face, but not in time to save my fringe.

"That took ages to grow!" I shouted, even though it really didn't matter at this point. "RRAGH!" I shouted, crushing Daisoujou's card in my hand.

The room lit up and I saw that Nyarlathotep had taken on a new form. It was now a freaky guy coming out of the floor. Random white masks littered its body and tentacles, which also came out of the floor. It shrugged off my attack, which wasn't good.

This is my last Persona, but I don't think Nyarlathotep can just take this one away from me.

Thing is, this Persona only has light skills which don't work, and healing skills.

It's useless in this fight.

* * *

_I can help you… but this will be the last time, alright?_

I nodded. Good to see you again.

* * *

_I see no hear no evil,  
Black writing's on the wall…_

I approached the main body as darkness spread across my body again.

_Unleash a million faces,  
And one by one they fall…_

"_**That didn't work the first time you tried."**_ Nyarlathotep sneered as a tentacle shot out for me.

_Black hearted evil…  
Brave hearted hero…_

I calmly grabbed the appendage with a bone white hand, and sneered as Ichor burst from it as I crushed it.

_I am all, I am all I am…_

I tore it out of the ground and sliced it with my sword. _**"WHAT!?"**_ Nyarlathotep exclaimed as I charged forward with the blade, slicing through anything stupid or inanimate enough to get in my way. Nyarlathotep shrunk into the floor as I sliced for it, so I sent a wave of dark energy down the corridors as I summoned Daisoujou to flood the place with light.

_Go ahead and try to see through me,  
Do it if you dare…_

I couldn't find the bugger, so I charged up another dual attack.

_One step forward, two step's back  
__**"I'm here."**_

I span around behind me and rammed the scorching chaos into its face, destroying several walls as the collateral damage.

_Do it… do it… do it… DO IT!_

That got him.

_Can you see all of me?_

I charged and stabbed down through the rubble.

_Walk into my mystery!_

I launched spiralling light and dark energy down the blade.

_Step inside and hold on for dear life…_

The outer god didn't stand a chance.

"**Do You Remember Me?**" I asked.

_Capture you and set you free_

"**I Am All, I Am All I Am…**"

I withdrew the blade and sliced the Ichor from it, sending another destructive shockwave that breached the outer wall.

This wasn't the power of a mere outer god.

This was much more.

The power of The Death god.

Thanatos.

* * *

I watched Nyarlathotep die and vanish, revealing Ikutsuki still alive, but completely drained. Good.

I grabbed him by the throat and dangled him off the ledge and waited for him to become coherent.

"You won't." Ikutsuki sneered. "You don't have what it takes to murder."

"You wouldn't be my first." I told him.

Ikutsuki laughed. "That was self defence." He replied. "It's not the same as deciding to kill a man." He sneered into my eyes. "No-one will know if you drop me here to my death, so why do you hesitate?" He asked.

I sighed and dragged him back inside the tower. "I wanted to see if you were serious about the Fall."

Ikutsuki laughed maniacally. "It's too late to stop it!" He declared. "Even if you kill me, all that'd do will delay the inevitable!"

"How long for?" I asked him.

Ikutsuki stopped. "For what?" He asked back.

"If I killed you, here and now, how much time would we gain?" I asked him.

Ikutsuki shook his head, laughing. "Only for as long as it takes for the true harbinger to realise his true purpose." Ikutsuki laughed. "But after that, Nyx shall descend and destroy humanity."

"So I only need to stop the harbinger from realising his destiny." I nodded, pulling out my Leatherman and flicking out the knife. "Then the Fall will never happen."

Ikutsuki froze. "Y-you can't do that… everything I've done… IT WON'T BE FOR NOTHING!"

I stabbed into his throat, then cut outwards. "Everything I do will make sure that your life was for nothing." I corrected. "And you're right about killing in self-defence." I nodded as he started to choke on his own blood. "It is different from choosing to kill someone."

I cleaned the blood from my knife and closed it as Ikutsuki gurgled. "It's true that I killed my girlfriend's brother in self-defence." I admitted. "But kid's get stabbed in alleyways all the time in England." I told him. "The police usually give up after a few days of investigating, and even then they can only prosecute you if they have 99% evidence." I sighed as I sat next to the dying man. "But that's just the way it is back home. You're not the first bastard I've killed in cold blood, and you won't be the last."

I stood up and grabbed his ankles. "But that's the way the world is." I told him as I dragged him to the edge. "You need bigger bastards to clean up the evil ones. That's what my knife is for." I told him. "For when I need to murder, not defeat." I sighed as I dumped his limp body by the edge. "But you can't hear me anymore, can you?" I asked. "At least, I hope not, for your sake." I stood up and pressed my shoe against his back. "That'd make this part hell."

I kicked the corpse over the edge, then watched it splatter against the ground.

* * *

By the time I got back to where everyone was, Shinji was comforting Mitsuru who was still clinging to her father's body. "He's dead." I told everyone as I walked up to them. "Both of them."

Shinji nodded and picked up Takeharu's corpse. "Come on." He said. "Let's get home."

* * *

_Remember, remember, the fifth of November.  
Guy Fawkes and Gunpowder plot._

The next day was November 5th. Bonfire night. The night where we set fires to remember when terrorists tried to eliminate all of parliament in one night using gunpowder underneath the House of Lords. They were stopped at the last second, and the English government was saved.

But what if they were too late? What if parliament burned that night?

I expect that the royal guards would feel like we did. Useless. Pathetic. Betrayed. Failures.

We had a bonfire at 1AM that morning. It was twenty hours too early, but Junpei agreed to help me destroy Ikutsuki's body.

Only ashes remained of him now. There was no evidence of the crime we had committed.

Except for the weight of the apocalypse on our shoulders.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

Yep. Sad ending.

I hope you all had a good Christmas, and that you'll have a happy new year. I might have a new chapter out by then, but don't count on it.

…wow, that was a sad ending. I think that may be one of the lowest moments of the entire story.

And fittingly too.

So. Minato lost everything in that battle. Everything. And yet he still came out on top. I was discussing the events of that battle with a friend, and he thought I was asking for his advice on how Minato should win it. I wasn't asking for it.

So. To list:

Minato has lost the Hollow Arcana, the Demi-Fiend, Pharos, Shadow power, and half of his emo-cut. Remember when I compared that fringe to a crown earlier? It's symbolic.

But now that explains why the Fall was delayed. Before you ask, Minato can only card summon Personae from Arcana he has reached rank 11 with. And he can get those dead Personae back from the Velvet Room.

That was one of the harder chapters to write in my opinion. It didn't turn out as epic as I had imagined, and I had to write out a lot of the ideas I wanted to do, but I think it worked well here, especially with the return of 'I Am… All Of Me…' towards the end.

Nyarlathotep was the main antagonist of Personas 1,2, and 2.2, but you all knew that already.

So… yeah… until next time, see you.


	74. Chapter 74

Hey everyone. New chapter time. UPDATED WITH CORRECTIONS!

ByLanternLight, I'm not lying when I say that I only put that hollow mask in so Minato had something to lose in that fight. Why do you think he never used it much until that fight?

Dragon's Shadow, Minato can only Card summon Personae from Arcana that he'd taken up to eleven. In theory, the other guys would be able to gain the power to card it up too, but it'll take a while. Also, bear in mind that Minato's earning enough to support a wife, three kids, mortgage, two family cars and a fishing boat so comfortably that that mortgage won't exist next year. In other words, it's my excuse to get Minato out of money troubles, he earns way too much from Tanaka.  
I'd also like to point out that in the early versions of the game, Evokers were actual bullet firing guns. They weren't a freakin' metaphor in the beginning, but that's where I got the idea for the head-shooting from. Getting shot in the head and surviving is a very hard thing to do, even for a Persona user, so I recommend against trying it.

NightmareSyndrom, how were the Jack's to know? They don't keep a constant eye on him. They're busy trying to set up a functioning society.

Heraklinos, Thank you. And you want the Inaba trip to surprise you, eh? Well, I'm not sure if I can pull off anything to outdo that last chapter, but I'll see what I can do.

So, according to you, Slicerness, I'm better than the best blockbuster movie of the year when it comes to awesomeness. Sweet.  
The Hollow Arcana basically let you make stuff out of other stuff, like how Tartarus is made from their school.  
And there hasn't been any accusations of plagiarism, but both stories are starting to go in a similar direction, so there was a chance of accusations flying at a later point. There hasn't been any, I'm just being paranoid since one of the guys I beta for had a similar problem recently.

JSR74, it is hard to imagine Minato without his fringe. But hey, I was taking loads of crap away from him as it was. I might as well go the whole hog and take his hair while I'm at it.

Blazing Reaper, I'd love to do a Persona 4 story. Unfortunately, I only have six months left to complete this story, by which point it'll be too late to do the Persona 4 one. As it is, I still haven't gotten around to actually playing P4 in person, so I'm not as familiar with it as I am with P3.  
Rest assured though, The P4 characters will make an appearance in this story, and will play a much larger role in the sequel.

Dilost, the answer to that question is Both.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

I skived school that morning to get a haircut. The fringe that I'd grown got sliced off at eye level and it looked ridiculous.

When I walked out of the barbers, my hair looked a tonne better, but it was somewhat shorter all around my head, and now both my eyes were clearly visible despite my fringe still being in my face.

Well, it hides the scar, keeps my head warm and looks decent, so it'll do.

Now to get into school without getting into trouble.

* * *

I got into trouble.

Thankfully, Mr. Edogawa, the nurse, covered for me, saying that he'd sent me to the hospital. Then he apologised for my loss.

Turns out that there's a rumour going around that Ikutsuki's dead. He is, but there's no evidence to support it other than the fact that he's missing.

I made sure of that myself.

* * *

I bumped into Shinji during lunch that day. "Meet me in the command room after school." He told me. "We need to talk about last night. All of us."

* * *

When we got home, Ikutsuki's office had been cleared out. Fuuka had stayed home too to help hack into Ikutsuki's computer, but I don't think that I'm supposed to know that.

We all gathered there except for Aigis and Mitsuru. Shinji was sitting in Ikutsuki's old chair, and I realised what it was symbolising. I'm only the leader in battle. We still need a Senpai to be in charge.

But with Mitsuru gone and Akihiko dead, that left Shinji…

Yukari broke the silence with a sigh. "I just can't believe all this…"

"It's in the papers, too…" Kenjamin nodded. "_Sudden Death of Kirijo Group's CEO_. They blame it on illness, though."

"Tch." Shinji grunted. "It's never the truth…"

"Hey, um… where's Mitsuru-senpai?" Junpei asked gingerly.

"At the Kirijo head office." Shinji answered. "She's an only child, so there's a lot of crap to be dealt with, including the funeral and the family business. She'll be there for at least a week."

"That sounds rough…" Yukari sighed. "I hope she'll be okay…"

"So, what're we supposed to do now..?" Junpei asked, getting to the point. "What'll happen to Chidori?"

"We don't know." Shinji told him. "They're probably too busy to be thinking about that." Shinji put his hands together in front of his face as he leaned forward, Gendo style. "In fact, the entire Kirijo Group's so shocked it's barely standing."

"I hope Aigis is alright…" Fuuka said.

"What the hell..?" Junpei asked angrily, getting to his feet. "Am I just supposed to wait for them to get their act together?"

"Mitsuru's talking with the board of directors." Shinji growled. "That's why it's taking so long."

"I see…" Yukari nodded. "But still, what are we going to do?" She asked. "We have no idea how to get rid of the Dark Hour…" She sighed. "We don't even know what we're fighting against."

"What was that he said about 'the Fall'?" Kenjamin asked. "What would've happened if we had been sacrificed?"

"There are so many unanswered questions…" Fuuka commented. I know the answers, but I'm not telling anyone until I've got answers to those answers.

"Yeah, but standin' around here won't solve anything, right?" Junpei asked angrily as he sat back down.

"True." Shinji grunted. "But, there is one thing that we know for sure…" He said. "That tower is still there, and there's a bunch of Shadows inside it." He stood up. "If Aki were here, he'd tell us to train, for whatever the hell's coming, and I agree with him." Shinji explained.

Sounds like a plan.

* * *

As I left the command room, I saw Fuuka slip Yukari a CD. If I know Fuuka, then she's found the original recording of Yukari's dad. Good on here.

Me? I headed out to the Velvet Room to stock up on some Persona.

* * *

There wasn't any music when I walked in there. All the chairs were turned upside down and stacked onto the tables or onto the bar, with Igor drinking alone on the couch near the table. Apart from him, the bar was empty.

I walked up to him and sat down next to him. "Where is everyone?" I asked.

"I am afraid that they have moved on in the Velvet World." Igor answered sadly. "And I too must soon depart, for I can no longer offer you my services."

What. "What're you talking about Igor?" I asked angrily. "What the hell happened!?"

"My master, Philemon, has decreed that we are no longer to interfere." Igor replied. "The battle between him and Nyarlathotep has been one concerning humanity's true nature; whether they be of the light or of the darkness." Igor took another swig of his glass. "Your actions last night… though you fought valiantly, has provided far too much evidence against the sanctity of man." He stood to his feet and picked up a suitcase. "I must bid you farewell." He sighed, putting on his hat as he stood in his overcoat. "You were a remarkable guest." He told me as he offered me his right hand to shake. "But I'm sorry to tell you that our time together has ended."

I stood up and grabbed his hand. Then I pulled him towards me and smacked him with my left fist. "What the hell has that got to do with anything!?" I shouted at him.

I helped him up from the floor. "I'm sorry for smacking you one, but I needed to knock some sense into you." I told him as I bent down to pick up his hat. "We had a contract." I told him. "Not the one between me and Pharos, but the one in my pocket." I pulled out the Velvet Key and slammed it onto the table. "As long as I accept the consequences of my decisions, I will be welcome to your services here in the Velvet Room." I told him. "Your words, not mine." I sat on the table and folded one arm, the other arm offering Igor his hat.

"But go ahead." I told him. "Break your contract. I kept up my end of the bargain, but our contract does not include the influence of any third-party members." I grinned at Igor. "Philemon has no influence here." I told him.

Igor took his hat and chuckled. "You are a wild card indeed." He said as he shrugged off his coat and placed the briefcase on the table. "Edward, if you wouldn't mind?" He asked.

The lights turned on as Elizabeth and her siblings came out from behind the bar and they began to turn the chairs back around. "Now then…" Igor grinned as he sat back down on his couch. "There has been a change in you recently. Have you noticed?" Igor asked me as I sat down opposite him. "And I am not referring to your change in circumstances."

"You're referring to the change in my mentality." I told him.

"Indeed." Igor chuckled. "Going forward, there is one thing you mustn't forget. It happens to be the very matter of which you just reminded me of." Igor summoned the contract. "I will continue to offer you my services upon you signing to this new contract." He told me, opening it. "There is no need to worry…" He reminded me. "Whichever path you choose, I shall respect your decision. However, only you will bear the responsibility for your actions…" Igor looked down his nose. Literally. "No matter what end they may bring about. Please remember that."

_I, the undersigned, chooseth this fate of mine own free will. _

"If I sign this…" I asked him. "Does this mean that I have to accept the end of the world?" I looked up at him. "Or am I still allowed to fight it tooth and nail?"

Igor chuckled. "You may do as you please." He said. "However, no matter what end you grasp, only you can pay the price for your actions if you wish to retain my services."

"And the second I use anybody as a scapegoat, or anything as an excuse, then you're out of here?" I asked him. "Leaving me to die alone."

"That is indeed the new contract." Igor nodded. "If you attempt to run from your fate, or deny the consequences of your actions, then our contract shall be rendered void. You are however permitted to fight against destiny." Igor smiled. "Please remember that."

I nodded. "Got a pen?" I asked, holding out my hand for one.

* * *

I left that room with twelve Personae. Daisoujou. Alice. Surtr. Odin. Melchizedek. Arahabaki. Hell Biker. Raphael. Bishamonten. Cthuhlu. Anubis. Loki. Right now, I can only card summon Daisoujou, but I think I'll be able to do the same for Kohryu once I'm strong enough to fuse him. And I think I'll be able to do the same for the other Personae too if I take their social links up to eleven.

But right now, I'm off to Escapade to meet with a drunken monk.

Right after I get my fortune told.

* * *

"Under the fat crescent moon… A feeble light at the hollow tower… A gunshot rings out, shattering my vision into a thousand pieces… I am sorry…" The lady apologised. "I can see no further… But I can say this… The shadow yet remains… Farewell, then…" She told me as she returned to her drink. "May your future be bright…"

I figured as much. Now it's time to hang out with Mutatsu… is he sober?

"There you are kid." Mutatsu called me over once I was up the stairs. "Take a seat!"

You know, I think he is.

"Hey… sorry about, you know…" Mutatsu stumbled through his apology before giving up. "Let's just forget about it, alright?" He decided.

"Forget about what?" I asked.

"Atta kid." Mutatsu smiled. "Anyway, I'm sober today, so just sit down and listen to what this old monk has to say."

I sat next to him and listened to his rant. "All I gotta do is look all serious and recite the sutras, and I can make easy money… At least, that's what I thought. So I begged to take over my parents' temple. But, every day is the anniversary of someone's death!" He moaned. "I'm workin' 24/7, as if my temple was a convenience store…"

"Poor men know no leisure." I shrugged.

"That's only half true, kid." Mutatsu chuckled. "Sure, I've got no time for leisure, but I'm definitely not poor. It varies, of course…" He added, twisting is hand to and fro in the universal signal for 'kinda'. "But an offering can sometimes be as much as a salary man's year-end bonus." Mutatsu put his hand down and sighed. "But I have a strong sense of responsibility." He shrugged. "I can't say no to someone who needs my service."

"Same here." I sighed. "Only I don't get paid."

Mutatsu grunted in approval. "But, as you can see, I'm too busy. I gotta push this old body of mine to the limit." He took a deep puff of his cigar. "Maybe I should think of somethin' else to do with my life. I can't keep this up for much longer… I've been drinkin' too much lately… makin' a fool of myself like I did the other day…" He sighed.

"Time to retire?" I asked him.

"Yeah, maybe you're right." Mutatsu forced a smile. "A person should know when enough's enough."

An idea popped into his head. "Oh, how about this… We never filed for divorce, and since I own the temple, we could all live there. I think it's a pretty good idea." Mutatsu nodded to himself. "I could retire and enjoy life for once. Whaddya think?"

"Are you thinking what I think you're thinking?" I asked him.

"Oh, um… well… I'm thinking about asking them to come back…" Mutatsu said with embarrassment. "You know, my wife… and my son." He sighed. "First, I gotta find out where they are. I'll hire a detective. I don't care how much it costs. And when I see 'em, first thing I'm gonna do is tell 'em I'm sorry…"

"That you're sorry." I stated.

"From the bottom of my heart." Mutatsu told me. Ah, heartfelt. You should've said so. "I'm gonna be concentratin' on this, so… I probably won't be seein' ya anytime soon…" Mutatsu told me, turning away as he stated shooing me away Japanese style. "I-I've had enough of dealing with a punk like you, anyways!" He told me. "G-Good riddance!"

**SMASH!**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Tower Arcana…_

"If I knew I was gonna end up this way, I never woulda become a monk…" Mutatsu sighed. "Heh… Oh well, I guess I'll go to a detective agency tomorrow…"

Hold on… "I heard that Naoto Shirogane's pretty good." I told him. "Pretty young, but the kid's got skills."

Mutatsu sighed as he stood up. "Thanks for the tip. Alright, let's get going, kid."

* * *

Mitsuru was still out of town with Aigis, setting the techies at fixing the damage that Ikutsuki had done to her circuits while she talked to the suits, so I walked to school with Yukari and Junpei the next day. Fuuka had already set out, but surprisingly Yukari and I were trying to cheer up Junpei for once.

Well, not that surprising really. Apparently, last night, Chidori dumped him. We did our best to encourage him, but I think it ended up us egging him on to try and make it work instead of giving any actual advice.

Something else I noticed was that Yukari's Persona resolved last night. Now her Persona is Isis, the Egyptian goddess of the dead. Lol. I may have a shot in there now.

Yeah, that joke was bad. Dammit, I miss Pharos.

* * *

Not much happened after school that day, but the night after that, Aigis came back.

"I am truly sorry." Aigis told me when I got in. "Even though he took control of me, I cannot believe I did such a thing to you… Can you ever forgive me?"

"Forgive you for what?" I asked her. "I did the same thing myself when the Lovers Shadow charmed me."

Junpei yelped and rolled off the couch he was lying on. "Dude!" He shouted, getting back up. "I'd almost suppressed that memory!" He grabbed his head and groaned. "Aaah, the trauma."

Yeah, he's faking it. "It wasn't that bad." I shrugged.

"Uh, yeah it was." Yukari said. "You did more damage than the Shadow did." Yukari shook her head. "Hell, you were about to smash Junpei's brains out with a brick if I hadn't stopped you."

Junpei paled. "Holy… you serious!?" He shook his head. "Then again, you kicked the living crap out of Akihiko."

"Wow." Kenjamin said with surprise. "I never knew that charming your enemy could make them so violent."

"Nah, I've done worse." I said. "The point is Aigis," I explained, turning back to face her, "That you had no say in the matter, therefore you have no blame." If anything, it's my fault for not realising Ikutsuki was a Psycho sooner.

Aigis smiled. "Thank you very much. I will train hard so that I can be a great help to you."

Fuuka stood up. "Quick!" She shouted. "Turn on the TV! Channel three!"

We did as she said, and we saw the evening news.

_\_ "--breaking news. Over the last two days, Apathy Syndrome has spread even further. Everyone is disappointed, after the announcement said it would begin to diminish around the twentieth…" _\_

That was enough to get us all worried. Normally, Apathy Syndrome falls back after we kill a Shadow, but now it's getting worse…

This Harbinger guy is gonna be one tough beggar to kill.

* * *

When I woke up the next day to set out to work, I saw Yukari, Fuuka and Aigis hanging out in the mini-lounge outside our bedrooms. How come they don't use the one outside their rooms?

"What are we gonna do..?" Yukari asked the floor. "Neither Tartarus nor the Dark Hour disappeared… Only our reason for fighting is gone… Argh! This is pissing me off!" She shouted. "Damn you, Ikutsuki!"

"Calm down, Yukari-chan…" Fuuka told her. "Getting angry won't help the situation."

"That is correct." Aigis nodded. "It is best if we erase him from our memories. I will refer to him simply as 'Ikutsuki' from now on." Everyone turned to Aigis as she explained her view on the situation. "Ikutsuki never mentioned anything about his plot, even when we were alone." She said. "Meaning, he completely hid his true nature. It is truly an extraordinary feat. This clearly illustrates how unique his psychological state was."

Kinda like mine. Or Adachi's.

"It's scary just thinking about it…" Fuuka said.

"And all this time, we never suspected a thing…" Yukari said. "Ugh… It makes me feel sick…"

"I remember how Ikutsuki-san would tell the most horrible jokes all day long…" Fuuka said. "But, he was just pretending… That wasn't his true self." Fuuka turned to me. "Do you think he really enjoyed the times we all spent together..?"

"No one can answer that now…" Aigis answered before I could.

"Who cares?" Yukari shouted. "All we need to know is that he betrayed us… I'll never forgive him for using my father…"

Alright, now to go hang out with Akinari for a few minutes and have a sensible conversation.

* * *

"Hey, how do you feel about a pink alligator?"

That'd be both the best and the worst idea ever. "That'd be cool." I told him.

"I thought so too. I knew you'd understand." Akinari replied with a smile. "See, it's the main character of a story that I'm writing…" Ah, right. "He was born in the calm forest of green, but he turned out to be pink. He's so visible that he can't hunt for food easily, so he's always especially hungry. The other animals dislike him and consider his coloration disgusting. Almost like he's cursed. So, he started living alone…" Sounds bleaker than it looks. "But then he made a friend. His friend was a bird-- but, a bird that was unable to fly. So the bird would stand on the pink alligator's back and practice its flying." Akinari scratched the back of his head with embarrassment. "It's embarrassing to talk about. But, anyway… How does the story sound to you?"

That makes much more sense than Elmer the Elephant. Who was admittedly awesome, but made no damn sense. "It sounds interesting." I told him truthfully. It's a pretty damn original take on the whole 'coloured animal' genre.

"Really?" Akinari asked. "I've never tried writing a story before, and I'm kind of afraid it's going to suck. But, I'm writing it for myself, so that's what matters." He laughed slightly. "Maybe I'll be able to show you the entire novel someday."

"That'd be sweet." I told him.

"Yeah…" Akinari agreed. "I started thinking about it the other day, actually… I wanted to write an upbeat story of my own to cheer me up. Maybe if I can find some meaning to life, I can put that in my story. When I write… I can see you in my mind. It seems as if you're telling me not to die just yet…"

**SMASH!**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Sun Arcana…_

Akinari stood up. "The wind is going to start blowing soon." He told me. "I can feel these kinds of things now. I hope I have enough time…"

So do I. "Let's go home." Akinari told me. "We can talk again some other time."

* * *

"I'm used to being accosted by people, but recently I had an interesting encounter…" Tanaka told me at work. "It was with a young man not much older than you. Guess what he said."

"Give me my money back?" I joked.

Tanaka shook his head. "He said, 'Thank you'."

…wait, what? "You sure?" I asked.

"I was just as surprised as you, so I asked him to repeat himself." Tanaka agreed. "But sure enough, that's what he said. I was shocked someone would actually thank me for selling fake products."

"Thought of selling something that actually works?" I suggested.

Tanaka laughed. "I don't mean to sound like a prick, but I could care less what our customers think." He admitted. "But then, he told me he quit his part time job and was going to study to become a public prosecutor. He wants to punish businessmen like me for bending the rules. He said I was an example of a negative role model. As if!" Tanaka shouted, putting his arms up in a perfect shrug. "Maybe I'm overreacting, but what if he does become a public prosecutor and puts me behind bars? Lord knows what they would do to me in prison!" Nasty things most likely. "Would you still come visit me if I was in the slammer?" Tanaka asked.

"You're not going to prison." I told him. "Even if I need to lie for you in court."

**SMASH!**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Devil Arcana…_

I hope he doesn't hold me to that. In fact, I hope nothing happens in this matter in general.

"Thanks." Tanaka told me gratefully, before sighing. "I want the shareholders to know about this. Apparently, kids these days aren't as naive as we thought…"

"Isn't that why you hired me?" I asked him.

"Get out of my office..." Tanaka groaned, sliding his head onto his desk.

That was my cue to go home.

* * *

Once I got to bed, I got a phone call from Yukari. A welcome surprise, since she lives in the room above mine. "Hey." I told her.

_\_ "Hey." _\_ I wonder if there's some kind of trap door between our rooms? _\_ "So… what happened the other night?" _\_ Yukari asked. _\_ "With Ikutsuki?" _\_

Kinda a Love Hina arrangement, but this ceiling's got nothing to hide. "We fought." I told her. "I killed him. That's pretty much it." A friggen understatement, but I've told smaller whoppers.

_\_ "You okay?" _\_ She asked.

"Yeah." I told her truthfully. "You? I saw Fuuka give you that disk."

_\_ "Oh, yeah. That was the original recording my dad did." _\_ Yukari replied. Knew it. _\_ "You were right." _\_

"He talked about you at the end, didn't he?" I asked.

_\_ "He tried to stop it." _\_ She told me. _\_ "It wasn't dad's fault… and yeah, he did." _\_ Yukari was crying. _\_ "Ya know, even if you believe in something, there's no guarantee it will always be true… I wanted to stop believing so many times…" _\_ I heard her sniff over the phone. _\_ "But, I finally feel good about it. Because, in my heart, my dad has always been my dad." _\_

"I'm glad." I told her, truthfully. "Hey, you want to go somewhere tomorrow?" I asked her, just off the top of my head. "Straight after school, just the two of us."

_\_ "Huh? Uh, Sure." _\_ She replied with a smile on her face.

Now why the hell can I tell that she's smiling?

* * *

We talked for a while after, and I figured it out. The shape of the mouth should affect the tone of your voice, right? So different shaped mouth should make different tones. Don't know why I didn't notice it before, but I'm not unhappy about it.

"Hey, good news!" I heard some girl told her friend in the main hall as I took my shoes off. "Wanna hear it? I know you do! The boy who's transferring here today is a stud!"

Another transfer student? "Really?" Asked her friend. "Are you just messing with me?"

The first girl shook her head. "No, I just saw him filling out the forms! He's from England!"

Wait, What? "Wow!" Exclaimed Friend. "Which class is he in?"

"Eleventh grade, Class F." That's my class.

Okay, this is almost too much of a coincidence.

Then I saw Thanatos come out of the teacher's lounge. He wore a white shirt with black turn-ups and a really long yellow scarf, but I knew what I had to do.

* * *

"There you are Aigis…" I panted, having looked all over for her. "Listen, I need you to find the guy who sits behind me in class, knock him out discreetly and hide him behind a tree." I told her. "I know it's an unusual mission, but it's really important that no-one sees you carry it out."

Aigis nodded. "Understood. I shall make it to class before the bell rings for home room." She set off at a stealthy run and found a large cardboard box to hide in. That's my girl.

* * *

"Alright everyone, today we have yet another transfer student…" Ms. Toriumi told us in form room later that morning. "As you all know, this is our third. That makes it a hat trick." No-one was impressed with that poor attempt of a joke. "Please introduce yourself." She told Thanatos.

"My name is Ryoji Mochizuki." He said. "I would be grateful if you could show me the ropes."

You know, I reckon that he's Pharos, but by the looks of things, he doesn't remember. For one thing, He's Fortune now, but that's definitely Thanatos.

Thanatos started moving around when Pharos disappeared for a while after I killed Fortune…

"Nice to meet you." Ryoji told everyone with a smile.

Yep, he's the Harbinger of death alright.

"Ryoji lived overseas in England for a long time because of his parents' work, so he may not be used to all of our customs." Ms. Toriumi explained. "Be sure to explain them to him. Now then, you need a seat. Let's see… That one's open." She decided, pointing behind me. "Down the middle, fourth from the front."

"Um… Ms. Toriumi?" Yukari asked. "Technically, that seat's taken…"

I expected this to happen, so I knew I didn't have to prepare a backup plan. "You must be present to be a member of this class, so as far as I'm concerned, that seat is available." Ms. Toriumi decided. "Life is nothing but a game of musical chairs. The rest of you should be careful, too." She warned.

Ryoji moved down the aisle and sat down behind me, then leaning forward to talk to Aigis. "Good morning." He said. "I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name…"

Whoa, that's a pretty damn severe glare from Aigis. "You are dangerous." She growled at Ryoji.

He was taken aback, and with a good reason too. "Dangerous?" He asked. "I haven't even asked you out on a date yet…"

"A date..?" Aigis asked with surprise.

"Aigis, chill." I told her.

Ryoji laughed to himself as Ms. Toriumi went through the register. "Rejected from the start." He said. "You're an interesting girl…"

"She is, isn't she?" I told him in English as I leaned back over my chair to offer him a handshake. "I'm Minato Arisoto, a Yorkshire lad meself."

"Oh really?" Ryoji replied as he shook my hand. "I'm from London."

I stopped shaking, but didn't let go. "West end or East end?" I asked him suspiciously.

"West end." He told me. "I'd be dead by now if I came from the East side of London."

Bit of an overstatement, but probable. East London is the poorer half of London, where even the primary-school kids carry knives. Remember that kid I saw threaten a cop with a meat cleaver I told you about? That was in the East end.

The West end, however, is the posh bit, so that explains Ryoji's accent and it isn't a demon putting it on. It makes me laugh when an English character on TV talks like the queen and then claims that they're from Birmingham.

I leaned closer to him. "You thought about applying to join student council?" I asked him. "I need some support to organise an inter-class Widegame for the school trip next week."

That got his attention. "How many classes?" He asked.

"All the boys from the second and third years." I grinned.

His jaw dropped. "Oh, I am so there."

Did I ever tell Pharos about Widegame's? I don't think it ever came up.

* * *

That lunchtime, Ryoji pitched the idea to the rest of student council. His edition of the rules was pretty accurate to my local game, so that raises suspicion, since there are thousands of variations within a ten-mile radius.

The general point behind a wide game was to get the other team's flag before they got yours. The difference between Capture The Flag and a Widegame, however, is that Capture The Flag is normally played under parental supervision, and your mother would never let her baby take part in a Widegame if she knew what it was like.

"So, how do you capture someone from the other team?" Kazuma asked, trying to fix his Japanese head around the naturally British rules.

"Can I ask Minato to volunteer his help?" Ryoji asked. I sighed and stood up from my seat, only to be brought down to the floor in a flawless rugby tackle.

Ryoji then crawled along the floor and rammed a fist into my face before grabbing me by the scruff of the neck and started smacking my head against the floor. "TELL ME WHERE THE FLAG IS!!" he shouted, punching me again. "SPILL IT!!"

I grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and nutted him. "NO!" I shouted, ramming an elbow into his face and knocking him out.

I then rolled him off me and stood up. "Since he has been incapacitated, we can safely assume that he is 'out'." I told my shocked audience. "Most variations of the game include an item which each participant must protect or they become 'out', like a potato or similar." I said. "So the brawl can continue for as long as both participants are willing to participate, but it is illegal to touch someone who is not holding a potato, no loopholes." I sneakily cast a quick Recarm on Ryoji, who started to wake up as his injuries healed.

"The teachers'll never go for it." Kittan sighed.

"Wednesday night will be gender specific group activities." Hidetoshi decided. "I'll ask Midori-san to organise something for the girls."

"We're doing it!?" Ryoji asked happily, jumping to his feet.

Hidetoshi nodded. "I'll mark it down as a group orientated team building exercise." Hidetoshi told me. "So we'll put roommates in the same group, and build larger teams from those units." He looked at the list and winced. "Damn." He swore.

"What?" Kazuma asked.

"Minato-kun's in the same room as Shinjiro Aragaki." Hidetoshi said. "That guy's a monster of a fighter."

Hold on… "Is Junpei in my group too?" I asked, checking the sheet.

He was. So was Ryoji. "Unlucky." He whistled. "I pity the team who isn't us."

* * *

Ryoji wanted to hang out again after school, but I had a date to keep, so I pawned him off onto Junpei and left before Yukari could realise the chaos that I'd probably just unleashed upon the world.

We somehow ended up going to the Wakatsu resturaunt on Iwatodai. "Mmm, this is so good!" Yukari told me as we ate. "I made the right choice, getting the same thing as you, Minato. Doesn't eating fish remind you of the ocean..?" She asked me.

"I suppose it does." I nodded, biting into my salmon.

"It's a part of our lives, I guess, living along the coast." Yukari agreed. "We even spent our vacation at the beach. Hey, after all this is over, why don't we go somewhere different, like the mountains?" She suggested. "We could have lunch outdoors. Maybe we'll even see a deer or something. Whaddya think?"

I think that there's something you really don't want to tell me. "Sounds good." I told her. "Book a cabin, spend the week in the woods," I pointed my chopsticks at her. "Spring break." I decided. "I'm pretty sure that we get a couple of weeks of then."

That surprised her. "Really?" She asked. "You promise?" She was getting exited about this. "Alright, then I'll make us lunch." She volunteered. "I might not look like it, but I'm a pretty good cook! Just you wait and see!" Her smile faded. "Don't invite anyone else, okay? It'll be just the two of us."

Sounds awesome. I leaned forward. "So why don't you tell me what's bothering you right now?" I asked her.

Her face fell. "Huh… is it that obvious?" She asked. "Well, it's this school trip." She sighed. "My mom's in Inaba right now living with her boyfriend." She stabbed into her rice roll. "And his daughter."

"Ah." I said. That explains it.

"Whose idea was it to go there anyways?" Yukari asked. "I mean, why not go to Kyoto, like everyone else does?"

"It was mine." I admitted sheepishly. "Sorry, but I wanted some petty revenge against Ekoda. I had no idea that you mom was there…"

Yukari groaned. "Figures… Anything else you want to confess while you're at it?" She asked.

"It might've been my fault that Ikutsuki killed Mitsuru's dad." I told her, much to her surprise. "He considered me a threat, so he was much more careful and to the point that night."

Yukari slammed her hand against the table. "Don't say that." She said. "That was not your fault." She sighed. "I'm not sure how to say this, but… When I'm with you, Minato, I don't feel so alone… I mean, I do have friends…" Yukari corrected herself. "And there's everybody at the dorm, but… Usually, I feel like the real me is trapped somewhere deep down inside… Maybe it's because of my family…" She said, trying to figure out what she was trying to say. "Each time I open my eyes, it seems like I'm one step behind. But when I'm with you, I don't feel that way…" She smiled and held my hand. "You're very important to me, Minato."

I smiled back. "Thanks Yukari."

**SMASH**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Lovers Arcana…_

* * *

I got a text from the Fortune Teller that night.

-{ Is this a new friend..? How mystifying… No one can see into his essence… No one, save for one girl… May your future be bright… }-

You mean one robot girl and myself.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

Long chapter is long.

So, yeah. DunDunDUUUN!

And that's just a taste of the chaos that Minato will get up to with Ryoji.

Form is what we call Homeroom over here in England, by the way.

Look forward to the next chapter soon in the new year!


	75. Chapter 75

Whoo! HAPPY NEW YEAR! AND A GRAND TOTAL OF OVER 50,000 HITS! Time for a new chapter!

First off, Yes, there are such thing as Widegame's. I've been playing them since I was twelve years old, and I have the scars to prove it.

JSR74, oops. My bad about the spelling.

DHP, The hotspring scene will be incredibly awesome.

DiLost, were you talking about the demons or the Personae when you were asking about Metatron? He'll use both Personae, but as for the demon's…

Derek Barona, you are way, waaay off.

NightmareSyndrom, Demonata are tricky buggers to kill.

Syruku, Minato recognises him from the meeting at Jackish Parliament.

Slicerness, they set off to Inaba next chapter.

Kaelin Voidshadow, it won't be that extreme, unfortunately.

Hereklinos, okay. Well, I don't think I can make it work. Sorry.

Blazingreaper, the sequel will be a few years after P4. I'll write that in two years, the theory being that once I've spent two years on a mission, I'll have a good idea of how Minato's brain would work by that time. Because of that, I only have some events, the beginning, and the end planned so far. I've no idea how it'll go down specifically at this point.

Slackerman, that's a pretty bad mistake that is, nonetheless, easier to make than you'd think. Normally I just notice and fix it. Apparently not this time.

Do your or?, I find you confusing.

ByLanternLight, once I read that, I looked over the chapter again in disbelief. GASP! HOLY CRAP! Some of those problems, like the linebreak, came about after KRP got to read them, and as for the others, we were both tired. Sorry. Fixed it now.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

Mitsuru came back the next day and went straight back to her room. Aigis felt somewhat responsible for what had happened, even though I repeatedly told her that that wasn't the case.

The police came over to ask about Ikutsuki's disappearance as well. I talked to them with Shinji, since he did a decent job of lying to the police when Akihiko died. I made up some story about a woman in Kyoto though, just to send them off on a wild goose chase so the case _should_ get buried under the red tape. After all, people go missing everyday.

* * *

Ryoji collared me the next day once school had ended. "The other day, I saw something awesome on the Internet." He told me. "It was a high school chemistry forum that said they put a container of water in the middle of the school… They dropped in one mol of sodium, causing a huge explosion." He lifted up glass jar with a dull gray metal inside and shook it lightly.

The jar was labelled _– Sodium – _

"Wanna do something bang out of order?" Ryoji asked with a grin.

"I'll get the keys to the pool." I grinned.

* * *

Unfortunately, that plan didn't come into fruition because Keisuke collared me on the way to the teachers lounge because he needed my help on something. Sorry Ryoji, Social Links before Reapers.

"So, what's this about?" I asked Keisuke once I sent Ryoji a text apologising for having to abort the mission.

"Sorry… I just don't know what I want to do…" Keisuke told me at Port Island Station. "I mean, do I want to become a doctor… or do I want to become a musician..?" He asked me. "All I know is that I'm not going to school or back home until I figure it out… I'll just find somewhere else to go until then… I took my dad's credit card from his wallet, so I've got plenty of money."

So now you're a thief. Great. "I'm glad I had a chance to talk to you before I left." He told me. "Tell the other club members I said goodbye!"

"Dude, calm down." I told him. "You're acting completely irrational and you just need to stop and think about what you're doing for once."

Actually, now that I say that, chucking a load of Sodium into a swimming pool isn't exactly a safe idea. And considering what I've got to look forward to, what with the end of the world and everything, I can think of more awesome ways to die.

Like in an epic last stand as the final hope for humanity…

"Sorry Minato-kun, but my mind's made up."

That would be cool… did Keisuke just say something?

"Take care of yourself." Keisuke said as he walked up the steps to the train, carrying a rucksack. Holy crap he's actually gonna do this. Come on Minato, think! How to stop him!

"A-Are you alright, Ma'am?" Keisuke asked a coughing old woman. That'd do.

"What's wrong?" I asked him, running up to help.

"I think this woman's in trouble…" Keisuke said with concern. "She's having difficulty breathing… and she's running a fever! I may be jumping to conclusions here, but…" Keisuke started rummaging through the woman's purse. "I-I knew it!" He declared. "She smokes! This is definitely not good..! I think she suffers from chronic bronchitis… So if she caught a cold, it may have exasperated the symptoms… Call an ambulance, Minato-kun! Hurry!"

* * *

"It's up to the paramedics now…" Keisuke sighed once the Ambulance drove off. "W-Well, I should get going…"

Come on… how to stop him!?

"UGH!" shouted an old man, falling to his knees as he clutched his chest. Thank you Ryuk!

"M-Mister, are you okay!?" Keisuke asked, rushing for the old man. "My train's about to leave… Wh-What should I do..?" Keisuke asked.

And I am a magnificent bastard. "I'll handle this." I said, getting down with the old man. "Go _find_ yourself." I told Keisuke, totally not trying to guilt trip him or anything.

"That's not important right now!" Keisuke shouted, standing up. "I'm going to go ask the station attendant to call an ambulance… You stay here and perform first aid on him."

Except I don't know first aid, other than the recovery position and dealing with injuries. I've had to wait for a lot of ambulances. Usually for my nicer opponents.

I went with what I knew and put him in the recovery position. Then came the waiting helplessly until Keisuke got back.

* * *

"Okay, I told him!" Keisuke announced as he rushed back, kneeling down by the old man and feeling his chest. "I think he's having a cardiac arrest! Make him sit up…"

I stat him up as Keisuke put his ear to the guy's chest. "O-Oh no! He's not breathing! And his fingernails are…" Keisuke took a deep breath. "I have to do something, or this man will die…" He told himself calmly. "Can you give me a hand, Minato-kun?" He asked. "Turn him so that he's facing upward… gently now…" He said, guiding me through it. "Now, if I perform CPR while giving him a cardiac massage…"

* * *

The paramedics were less than happy about seeing us again. I'm just surprised that we got the same paramedics, considering how they set off to the hospital with a patient just before the old guy collapsed. Then again, the hospital is fairly close to here.

"Alright, that's all I can do for him…" Keisuke said, clapping the dust off his hands. "Thanks for your help, Minato-kun…" He smiled. "I couldn't have done it without you. Can you believe it? We saved their lives!"

**SMASH**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Fortune Arcana…_

"Well, I decided that I'm going to go back home." Keisuke said. "I know what I want to do now… Guess I should apologize to my dad, huh?" He chuckled. "Alright then, Minato-kun, I'll see you at school!"

All in a day's work for me.

* * *

I talked with Junpei about Chidori that night. Again, mostly just encouraging him, but there isn't really much else that I can do for him.

The next day though, Keisuke dragged me into Music club for an emergency meeting. He's pretty good at dragging people. He's clearly a man of many talents.

"Everyone, listen up." Keisuke declared once everyone was there. "I want to let you all know that I've decided to quit the club. Please choose a junior as your next leader."

Gasp. "Wh-Why?" Fuuka asked. "This is all so sudden…"

"I have to study for my entrance exams." Keisuke answered with a smile.

"Then… Then you're…" Ichiro gasped.

"I'm going to med school to become a doctor!" Keisuke declared proudly.

Makoto was less than pleased. "Did your dad tell you to quit because you have to take over the hospital?" He asked angrily.

Keisuke hid a glare. "My dad doesn't have anything to do with this. I made the decision on my own." He clapped enthusiastically. "Anyways, that means I also won't be studying abroad. But since I'm beginning my studies so late, I'll have to pull all-nighters to make up for the time I've lost. I really enjoyed being your club leader. Thanks for all your hard work!" He told everyone.

"He's definitely changed." Makoto noted. "It's like; he's someone you can depend on now."

"H-Hey, what's up with all the compliments?" Keisuke said defensively, slipping me a sly wink. "Right, Minato-kun..?"

* * *

Shortly after that, Keisuke collared me and dragged me to the rooftop. I need to learn some anti-dragging skills.

"Well, since I won't be able to talk to you that often anymore…" Keisuke told me as he reached into his briefcase. "I wanted you to have this." He handed me his invitation letter to the Felix Mendelssohn College of Music and Theatre. "I received it for being awarded honourable mention… Which made me realize that I still have a lot to learn." He told me. "Studying for the med school entrance exams is going to be hard, and this would only distract me… So, I want you to have it, Minato-kun." He smiled.

I put it into my own bag. "You rely on other too much." I laughed.

That embarrassed him. "This will be the last time I ask you for a favour." He said. "You're so much more mature than I am, Minato-kun… I want you to know that I really respect you."

He laughed embarrassedly. "Do you remember how we helped those people at the station?" He asked me. Well, yeah, it happened yesterday. "Well, just like you're an important person in my life, they have important people in their lives too. If they had died, they never would have seen them again… So that's why I'm becoming a doctor." He said, before panicking. "D-Does it seem like I'm showing off?"

"Yeah." I nodded. Is that how I normally come across?

"Oh… I just thought I should act more like a senpai…" Keisuke said self-consciously. "Hey, I used to be the club leader… I feel like I just went around in a huge circle…" Keisuke laughed. "But I'm not becoming a doctor just because my dad's a doctor… I'm becoming a doctor because that's what I want to do." He thumped his chest with pride. "If you ever need an emergency operation, I'll perform the surgery. I won't let anything happen to you while I'm alive…" He declared.

**SMASH**

_Thou art I… And I am thou…_

_The bond thou hast nurtured hath finally matured…_

_The innermost power of the Fortune Arcana hath been set free…_

_We bestow upon thee the ability to create Norn, the ultimate form of the Fortune Arcana…_

_This bond shall never be broken... Even as though destroyeth that which he saves…_

Meaning I'm a killer and he's a healer? Wow, thanks.

"Good health is very important." Keisuke pointed out, trying to lead up to something. "It's best if you never even have to see a doctor. Are you getting the proper nutrients living in the dorm?" He asked. "Let's pick you up something healthy to eat on the way home."

Or, you could've just offered to buy me lunch like normal people. But hey, that's just Keisuke for you.

* * *

"Alright, you're back." Shinji told me once I came into the dorm. "Mitsuru's just given us the okay to go to Tartarus without her." He said.

Really? "Is she alright?" I asked.

"She needs more time…" Shinji sighed. "But we can't just sit around doing nothing while she gets her head together."

I nodded. "Get everyone who's coming to Tartarus to meet in the command room." I told him. "I'll be there in ten minutes."

* * *

And in that ten minutes, I made a very elaborate and fancy document on the computer, printed it off, and put it in a posh red leather sleeve.

_- We, the undersigned, chooseth this fate of our own free will. Whatever end we bring about through our actions, we take full responsibility for the consequences of our actions and vow to prevent the Fall, even with our dying breaths. -_

My signature was already on there. "S.E.E.S. has been disbanded." I told everyone. "That was the decision made on November the Fourth, regardless of what happened afterwards. This is your final chance to wash your hands of this situation and walk away. I won't think any less of you if you do." I told everyone. "But tonight, I am going into Tartarus. If you want to continue fighting, sign here."

I heard the click of a pen and saw Shinji sign his name in Japanese under my English name, then leave the pen on the contract.

Kenjamin signed it Ken Amada next, then Yukari took it and signed. Fuuka, Junpei, then Aigis all signed it. "Koromaru expresses his desire to continue fighting with us." Aigis told me. I nodded and passed her an ink block for traditional calligraphy so we could get Koromaru's paw print.

Mitsuru can sign this once she's ready. "Alright." I said, closing the contract and leaving it on the table. "Let's go."

* * *

Yukari had gotten much stronger after her Persona had resolved. In theory, she probably could manage to cut down enemies without firing a single arrow, but I guess that Yukari lacked the mindset for that kind of thing. Her healing skills are more amazing than ever, of course, but the sight of one of those Wrestler chap's with a three foot wide hole in their chest really leaves an impression on you.

Summoning Daisoujou without an Evoker got some interest with everyone else, and we all decided to see if we could all learn how to do that. So far, no luck.

_~ Everyone! I sense the Reaper! RUN! ~_

Like I said, no luck.

We all ran like hell, dodging past Shadows as we ran as hard as we could to the stairs we saw earlier.

Guess who was guarding them.

_~ I'm preparing to warp you all out of there! ~_

"No Fuuka." I decided. "Yukari, give everyone a quick heal, then swallow this." I ordered, passing her a Precious Egg to restore her spiritual power afterwards.

_~ What!? ~_ Fuuka shouted. _~ You can't fight it! It's too strong! ~_

"Are we going to just say that and run when the Fall comes?" I asked. "I've had enough of running. This time," I drew my Chainsword from the scroll, putting back the hatchet I'd been carrying. "We fight."

"Are you sure about this?" Yukari asked as she swallowed the egg, having healed everyone.

"Do you think we're ready?" Kenjamin asked, readying Gunginr.

"I wouldn't have suggested it if we weren't." I said. "Even if we're not strong enough to kill him, we can certainly hold him off long enough for us to get to the stairs." I revved my weapon and summoned Daisoujou into my hand, ready to summon. "Shinji, you call it."

He nodded as he twisted his axe in his hand. "Now." He said.

I charged with Shinji on my left and Kenjamin on my right as a green blast of destruction shot over our heads. The Reaper launched a powerful green blast right back at it, sending hellfire at us three. Shinji smashed his weapon into the ground, creating a ramp over the flames for Kenjamin and I to run up and jump onto the Reaper.

It batted me away, taking the full force of Kenjamin's wrath as Shinji charged to join in. Shinji got a thunderbolt into his face for his troubles, only to be healed by Yukari.

I switched to Cthuhlu and charged. Even though I can't summon him in this small space, his enormous strength gives me a decent power boost, perfect for shoving a Chainsword into the Reaper's back.

_**Pathetic**_

We were all blasted back by a wave of golden energy. Megidolaon.

Once I could see again, I was covered in injuries and being held against a wall by the Reaper.

_**Got you**_

I laughed and crushed the Daisoujou card, summoning him for his instant death skill.

It didn't work.

Crap.

_**You were fun while you lasted**_

Well, this sucks.

_**Any last words before your journey ends?**_

"Got a request." I grunted. "Will you let me go?"

_**No**_

* * *

"**Just so you know, the Jakkai wants to talk with you once you're done.**"

* * *

That's both the best and the worst idea I have ever had. It's also the only one I've got at the moment.

"Will you say CandleJack?" I asked.

_**What?**_

"Please?" I begged. "That's the least you could do for me, right?"

_**Very well… Candle Jack, happy?**_

I can not believe I had to resort to this.

"**Hello.**" CandleJack said happily as he floated up to us.

"FUUKA!" I shouted as the noose fell around the Reaper's body and tied his arms to his chest. "Get everyone out of here, and don't say ANYTHING about what just happened, alright!?"

_~ That thing's real!? ~_ Fuuka gasped as the head of the Pyro clan tied up the Reaper.

"I'll be alright!" I told her as the Reaper stopped floating ominously and started floating helplessly. "Just go!"

_**What the hell is going on!?**_

"That's what happens when you say his name." I told the Reaper with glee as CandleJack started tying me up. "He get's you, and you can't stop it." I didn't even bother trying to resist like the Reaper had.

* * *

"You didn't have to resort to that, Hee-ho." Blackjack sighed once I was in his office.

"I needed to remove a problem." I shrugged. "It was a win-win situation." I sat down. "So, what's happening?"

Blackjack sat down at his desk opposite me. "You are aware that time in your world flows… erratically in comparison to here, am I correct?"

"I am now." I said. "So, what I miss? A few years?" I asked.

"Twenty." Blackjack replied. "A week of your time could be as little as a day for us, or perhaps a century." Blackjack explained. "Look out of the window." He invited.

I did, and I saw a city. A pretty nice one too.

"This is Arisojak." Blackjack explained me. "It's our capital city."

Wait, capital? "You have more?" I asked him.

Blackjack nodded. "Society amongst Demonata are normally either severe dictatorships or chaotic nests." He explained. "Under rule based from human society, the Jack clans have thrived and evolved. We are now a nation, hee-ho.  
"We have cities like this one." He explained. "We have rural towns. We have ports. We have schools, hospitals, libraries, trade, currency, law, freedom. We have farmers, tradesmen, teachers, law enforcement, sailors, craftsmen, artists, builders, even a functioning military that serves to protect our nation against invaders, hee-ho." Blackjack sighed. "It's of this matter that I wish to speak to you about."

Didn't we cover the possibility of invasion in our last meeting? "We have a number of refugees seeking asylum here." Blackjack told me.

Oooh, I hadn't considered that possibility. Then again, I wasn't expecting their society to advance this far so fast… "Anyone in this country must abide by its laws." I told him. "If a foreigner breaks these laws within the country boundaries, then they are to be exiled or shall receive the death penalty, depending on the severity of their crime. The only exceptions are for diplomats and minors."

"Diplomats?" Blackjack asked.

"Demons from other countries having international communications with your government… you know what? They can obey the law too." I decided. No diplomatic immunity for you. "All visitors, including Refugees, must carry their relevant Visa with them."

"Visa?" Blackjack asked. "I assume you are talking about the appropriate papers confirming their legal permission to be in our countries, hee-ho."

I nodded. "After six months of residing in the country, visa-holding aliens may apply for permanent citizenship." I told him. "A permanent citizen would have all the right of those born here, and all the traditions that go along with it." I told the surprised Jakkai. "A permanent citizen is an adopted member of the Jack clan." I explained. "Regardless of their past or their origins, they are now one of us, as are all permanent citizens. Even if an angel and a demon of hell were to attain citizenship, they would both by Jack's together, and all previous differences would no longer exist in the eyes of the law, understand?"

He did, grudgingly. "And what if spies come knocking on our doors, claiming to be seeking refuge?"

I grinned. "Where are these refugees?" I asked him. "I'll show you."

* * *

There were a fair few of them. The most humanoid ones were the Embryons, a demi-demonic tribe who were lead by a gray chap named Serph. There were some other guys too, including an angel named Ramiel, a woman called Miserchorde, a Rakshasa, a couple of Gurr, a bull fighter with a skull for a head, and Dante, among other various demons.

Yes, that Dante. Like I said, I've already given myself up for insanity.

"Alright everyone!" I declared. "I'm your immigration officer for the day, so if you can answer my questions quickly and truthfully we can all be on our way!"

* * *

Serph is a pretty decent chap, if a bit quiet. That said, he was pretty damn level headed and a decent leader for his allies. I gave them all the stamp, as I did with Miserchorde, the Gurr, and several others. I let Dante through on condition that he signed my Evoker, which he did with a grin.

I didn't have any bother until I tried to let in the Rakshasa, who apparently betrayed his own clan and was seeking refuge.

"Why should we let a traitor into our midst?" Asked a SkullJack who I was training, among others. "How do we know he won't do that again!?"

"Because he has no intention to." I replied, not taking my eyes of the interviewee. "I can't see past your mask, but I can tell from your posture and the way that you carry yourself that you aren't like most Rakshasa." I'd summoned one as a Persona plenty of times back in the day, all those months ago. "And that's why I'll let you in if you complete one mission to prove your loyalty."

The Rakshasa stood to attention. "How can I help?" He asked.

I leaned forward. "The Ramiel outside intends to kill me the second he steps in here."

That surprised everyone. "He kept glancing at me and hid extreme hate, but otherwise carries himself like a suicide bomber would." I turned to the Jacks who I was training. "Hunched over, not making eye contact, trying not to be noticed. Keep an eye out for those ones, but look for angry determination aimed at citizens here, so you don't mistake them for nervous ones." I told them.

"What makes you so sure?" Asked a young Jack O'Lantern.

I smiled. "Everyone leave the room and watch through the one-way mirror, except you." I added, pointing at the traitor. "You hide on the roof."

The Rakshasa nodded and jumped into invisibility. "Would Ramiel please step inside?" I said into the microphone once everything was ready.

The angel came in and sat down. "I hope that you can find me worthy if living under your king." He told me.

"About that…" I sighed. "I am the Jack King."

That surprised him. "Really?" He said. "I thought you were merely the immigration officer?"

I laughed. "Yeah, like they'd let a human do a demon's job?" I asked. "No, I'm a human showing demon's how to do a human's job." I said. "So, tell me what you're doing here."

The angel lashed out and shoved its throat against my face, smashing me into the wall as golden fire burned into my face. "This is for undermining the laws of the almighty Metatron!" Ramiel declared.

Rakshasa leapt down and sliced off the angel's arm as the angel ducked back. "I know." I said, not a singe on my face, courtesy of Daisoujou. "And now, you just attempted to assassinate a politician of the Jackish Republic." I grinned as I drew a sword from the stand on the wall. "That's the death penalty for high treason." I told the angel as the Jack's stormed into the room.

"Block the exits!" ordered the commanding Jack Plate, one of the newer Jack families. I'm gonna have to get a list of these families.

"There's no point." I told them. "Ramiel's not going anywhere, are you?" I asked the angel as his hand regenerated. "You came here knowing that this was a suicide mission, and you're gonna die whether you complete this mission or not, either by our hand or by your master's." I said, recognising the flashes of fear in his eyes.

It was the same kind Ekoda showed when I nailed him down about Fuuka, or about Shinji. The fear of someone who knows what you've been hiding.

Fear of someone who knows your Shadow.

Fear of the Wild Card.

I deserve more fear than what I usually get. But that's a good thing.

"I won't offer you a shot at redemption." I told him. "You broke the law, and you're going to pay the price." I opened the door out of the office. "Here's the exit." I told the angel. "You have five seconds to leave or we will kill you."

The angel charged and I grabbed its throat. "One." I counted, loosening my grip enough for it to escape. "Two. Three. Four." The angel flew out of there, but it's ankle was still in the room when I said "Five. After him Rakshasa.", then ran after him.

* * *

After a few minutes, we found the angel gliding along the grasslands of what I've been told to be the Jacaima. Once it was in my sight, I switched to Odin and launched a Ziodyne into the Angel, knocking it to the ground.

By the time I'd recovered, I'd already pounced upon it and rammed my knife into it's throat, killing it.

"You know, if you eat his flesh, his strength will be added to yours." Rakshasa told me as he caught up.

I turned to the red ninja. "Who are you?" I asked him.

That confused him. "I am Rakshasa." He told me.

"That is _what_ you _were_." I told him. "What you are _now_ is a Jack. I'm asking _Who_ you are."

All Jacks have a clan name and their own name. These names are usually a variant on Jack, but it's common for a name to have nothing to do with Jack's. "I do not have one." He told me.

I nodded. "Then from now on your name is Espada." I told him. "And from now on you are the first member of the Jack Knife clan."

"That clan already exists my lord." He told me. Damn, really?

"Then you're hereby adopted into that clan." I told him. "And just remember."

I snatched Espada's sword from him and sliced off the dead angel's arm, then stabbed it and pointed it into his face. "We are Jack's, not Rakshasa." I told him. "We do not eat our fallen enemies. We are not cannibals. Do you understand?" I demanded.

Espada bowed. "Yes my lord."

I nodded. "Good. And just remember that if you continue with your original plan to destroy us from the inside, you will die a much slower and more painful death than that one, understood?"

"Yes my lord."

"Good lad." I told the ex-Rakshasa. "Now get back there and report about what happened." I picked up Ramiel's corpse. "I'll bury the body."

* * *

I was able to return home shortly after that. Thankfully, only a few minutes had passed, so I wasn't that missed.

However, once school was out the next day, I ran flat out to the Velvet Room to attend to some urgent business.

"Glad to see you're back up and running." I commented as I sat down opposite Igor.

"And so am I." Igor smiled. "And how may we be of service to you today?" He asked.

I slammed my money down on the table and grinned. "I'm here to fuse a Thanatos."

* * *

_**Thou art I… And I art thou…**_

_**From the abyss of all souls I cometh…**_

_**I am Thanatos… The Lover of the Unloved… The Comforter of the Comfortless… The Final Mercy…**_

Thanatos offered my its hand. _**There is no Justice…**_ It told me. _**There is only us…**_

Once it vanished, I felt its immense power inside of me.

"Right, that's one down." I smiled. "Let's make Kohryu next."

* * *

I left that room with Thanatos, Kohryu, Scathach, Norn, Odin, Surtr, Yurlungur, Hell Biker, Garuda, Trumpeter, Seth and Uriel. Twelve Personae of incredible power.

And like I guessed, I don't need an Evoker to summon Kohryu. Excellent.

"Hey, Minato-kun!"

I turned to see a face that I hadn't seen in a while. "Hey, Mamoru!" I shouted, setting off at a paced run alongside him. "Long time no see."

"I know!" He grinned. "I'm off for some Takoyaki, want some?" He offered.

"Hells yeah!" I laughed.

I finally had Thanatos. This was awesome!

* * *

And the best part? I get to have an epic Takoyaki shovelling race with Mamoru! Fourteen cartons each and we decided on a tie. I could've easily eaten another five. And if he could've eaten another five, then I'd eat another fifty.

He told me about his plan to get a sporting scholarship to uni so his mom wouldn't have to put him through college. His father died a while ago in a car accident, and his single mom was supporting all his younger brothers and sisters. Apparently, he got to eat for free at Iwatodai station because of his sporting prowess, but he liked to pay when he could. Nice chap. Star Arcana rank up.

* * *

I got Yukari and eventually Ryoji searching the school for Mitsuru the next afternoon. We needed her signature on some last minute details and Kittan was starting to flip out. Once that was done, I had a date with Yukari, so that should be fun.

Except she went on and on and on and on and on about how Ryoji was chatting up Mitsuru the second he saw her.

"And then, once he left, he invited me to Shirakawa Boulevard!" Yukari shouted. "Can you believe that!?"

Wait, "That's the place where we fought the Hierophant and such, right?"

"Yeah, that place!" I'll have to have a word with him. "Hang on, I've got a phone call." She told me. Her face fell again as soon as she saw who was calling. Here comes the mom… "Hello?"

Surprise. "Uh huh." Yukari nodded. "WHAT!?" She shouted. "You're not… You want me to forgive you!? Wait! Don't do that! Do what you wanna do!" Yukari protested to the phone. "…But, that's not what I meant… If that's what you want, then go ahead… I don't care, so… …Well, you don't have to worry about me… Huh?" Whoa, that must've been a shocker, whatever that was. "You want to get together and talk about it?" Yukari said. Ah, that's what it was.

"S-Stop, don't cry!" Yukari said into the phone. "I'll call you later, okay? …Alright. Bye."

Yukari hung up. "That was my mom." She said. No way, really? "She apologized for everything that's happened. She said she won't get remarried until I forgive her…" Ah, that's what the bombshell was. "Can we sit for a while?" She asked.

I nodded and walked over to the benches. "She wants to see me…" Yukari said. "But I'm really nervous…"

"Can you forgive her?" I asked her.

"Well… I don't know." Yukari replied. "To tell you the truth, there's more to it than that…"

"Do you want to see her?" I asked.

"Well, I'm not the one who asked to meet." Yukari replied, smiling a little. "I'm afraid it might get ugly. We haven't seen each other in almost 10 years… so it's not going to be easy." That's true. "When I see her, I might get angry and say something cruel. But…" Yukari sighed. "It's probably about time I talked to her… Nothing will change if I just run away… Deep down inside, I think she still misses Dad. It's hard to explain, but I realized this when you and I started going out, Minato. She couldn't handle it…" Yukari told the floor. "Losing someone so important to her…"

**SMASH**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Lovers Arcana…_

"It get's worse when you realise that neither me or mom knew exactly what dad was working on when he died... Well, let's just head back." Yukari sighed. "I'll most likely bump into her on the school trip as it is… that or her daughter…"

"Having a sister won't be that bad you know." I told her. "I had a sister once."

That got her attention. "Really?" She said. "How old!?"

"She was three when I last saw her." I sighed. "My grandad's house burnt down a week or so after mom and dad died, which was why I had to move to England."

"Oh…" Yukari replied. "I… didn't know that."

"Granddad was always pretty secretive." I shrugged. "He liked to keep all of the family documents, including the government's copies, off the radar and in his safe." I laughed. "Man, did that plan backfire."

* * *

Junpei needed some more encouragement that night. Dammit man, grow a pair of balls and solve your own relationship! I'm juggling like, seven at once and I'm doing fine!

Next day was a Sunday. I'd already packed to go, so I just had work to attend to and I was ready to go.

Of course, that meant time to hang out with Akinari. "I'm still writing more of my story…" He told me. "How much did I tell you about?"

"The pink crocodile and the bird just became friends." I reminded him. "Wait, it was an Alligator, right?"

He nodded. "Oh right… Well, this was the alligator's first friend, and he was very happy. They started going to the river every day, and the little bird would sing while the alligator listened. But again, the alligator couldn't catch food easily because of his colour… Pink is such an odd colour, his prey in the jungle saw him from far away and had plenty of time to escape. He became so hungry that he was dizzy most of the time… And he accidentally ate the bird one afternoon as it slept in his mouth."

What.

"Of course, he realized his mistake immediately." Akinari continued. "He drank swamp water to induce vomiting… but the bird was already dead when he retrieved it… After that, he couldn't bring himself to eat anything…" Akinari turned to look at me. "That's as far as I've written." He said. "I haven't decided on an ending."

"That's a good story so far." I told him. So was Bokurano. I loved that Anime.

"You really think so?" Akinari replied. "Maybe you'll enjoy the final product. I always thought the only thing I could give other people was hopelessness, but maybe…"

Akinari sighed. "So, before, I mentioned I was writing a diary… That was a lie." Really? I didn't see it… "I was writing my will. I couldn't face reality… and I was essentially screaming curses into my notebook. But for now, I'm writing a story in the same notebook." He said with a smile. "It probably isn't very good, but it contains some things that I've learned during my short life… When it's done, I want you to read it." Akinari laughed. "I mean, meeting you is the main reason I started writing it."

**SMASH**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Sun Arcana…_

"I'm really trying to come up with a good ending, but I can't decide…" Akinari told me. "I don't have much time to spare."

Then he started coughing like crazy. "Just give me a minute…" He wheezed. "So I can… calm down…"

I stayed by his side and patted him on the back. "F-False alarm…" He weezed. "I had some pain, but… it's better now." He sat up straight. "It's calming down. Thanks. I… stopped taking my medicine." He told me. "It's not going to fix me anyway, right?" He defended himself. "It just helps for the pain and… spasming…"

I swear I could've pimp slapped him if he wasn't at death's door as it was. "My medicine makes me drowsy, and if my hands go numb, then I can't write anything…" Akinari told me with determination. "I have to finish my story. The reason my story's unfinished… is because I haven't found the meaning of life yet. I get lost in my writing… erase it… and then don't know where to go next." He told me. "When we're talking, I have a clearer picture. I can almost see it… It seems like that might be the meaning of life for me… I'm probably writing this book to find the meaning of life…" Akinari chuckled. "Well, if I do find it and finish the story… I hope we get a little more time together after that."

**SMASH**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Sun Arcana…_

That was quick.

"I'll be fine…" Akinari told me, pushing me off the bench and onto my feet. "I hope I get to talk to you again soon."

* * *

Once I was at work, I paid a visit to Hijiri to collect the package I'd ordered for the Widegame, then had it sent on to the Amagi Inn where we'd be staying.

This party's gonna be a fun one.

"S'up, dude?" Junpei asked once I got back into the dorm. "Tomorrow's the school trip, dude! I'm so psyched! It kinda sucks that we're only going to Inaba, though." He sighed.

"Hm, Junpei-san seems to have his energy back." Kenjamin commented. "I guess there was no reason to worry about him."

"Huh? What're ya talkin' about?" Junpei shouted. "I'm always energetic! By the way, you better behave while we're gone. Don't go throwin' any parties, got it?" Junpei asked, ruffling Kenjamin's hair.

Kenjamin slapped Junpei's hand off. "I won't." Kenjamin replied. "Oh, and please don't worry about bringing me back a souvenir."

"Hey, are ya tryin' to use reverse psychosis on me or somethin'?" Junpei asked suspiciously.

"No, of course not." Kenjamin lied. "It's just that Inaba has a lot of great tasting Tofu and Steaks."

DID SOMEBODY SAY STEAK!?

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

Somebody indeed said steak.

Happy new year everyone, glad we could kick it off with a long chapter. And I am smashed with all the non-sleep I've been having.

And dun! More of Minato's backstory! More on that later.

And Dun! More on Yukari's backstory! More on that later.

And DUN! More on the Jackish Republic! More on that later.

And sorry for summarising the Star link today. Long chapter was long, and Sleepy author was sleepy.

And just to clarify, Shinji's Persona Atlas is an Earth type with a resisitance to the three physicals, no weaknesses.

_**Where is this place?**_

Oh crap this is not happening...


	76. Chapter 76

Time to go to Inaba! I'm sure absolutely nothing unusual will happen!

And I just want to point out that in the original game; the school trip wasn't a full week. However, this time, it will be, simply because of the crazy awesome I have planned.

TanithMagus, there aren't any TV's in Tartarus, so the Reaper hasn't seen Freakazoid. However, I think he's learnt the follow of his ways now.

BlazingReaper, that is indeed the case.

Slackerman, indeed there will not be such a clan.

Dark Hell Prince, I'm allowed to do it because Atlus put him in a game. Yes, Dante is an official Atlus demon. They did a swap with Capcom, Dante for Kazuma Kaneko, who designs the demons for Atlus and the Devil Trigger form for Dante and Virgil. Speaking of which, who thinks that Theodore (Edward in my story, should I change his name and make up some excuse?) Looks like Virgil?

By Lantern Light, they are short. The beauty of this republic is that you have one demon with the absolute power to tell people to hut the hell up.

Derek Barona, That's why I robbed him off his mad skills. From now on, I intend to make the fights focus more on fighting ability, rather than sheer power. Remember at the start of the story when Minato said that he wasn't that strong, just agile and brutal? As for the name Espada, it's the name of Matador's sword. It's Spanish for swords in general. You might be reminded of those evil chaps from Bleach, but I just picked it because it sounded cool, but not stereotype like Edge, or Blade.

Nightmare Syndrom, so far there are Jack Frost, Pyro Jack, Skull Jack, Black Jack, Jack Knife, Box Jack, Jack Plate, Jack Type, Jackal, Jackass, Jackplane, Jackfruit, CrackerJack, Happy Jack, Jack Plug, Jack Tar, Jackbot, Jackwabbit, Jackhammer, Jackbean, Jack Bauer, Jack Faust, Jack Layton, Big Jack, Little Jack, Jack Pudding, Jack Chain, Jackalope, and Jack Et.  
Kid's are called Jack's Brats. Big prize to whoever can spot every punny name.

DiLost, I think Ramiel's mission says how Metatron feels about Minato.

AthanMortis, thanks for the spoiler you bastard. I'd recorded that episode and was going to watch it the afternoon I saw your review.  
Ah well. We all knew he was going to die anyways. As for the social links, well Hierophant is 11, Magician, Priestess, Emperor, Justice, Chariot, Hermit, Fortune, Strength, Hanged Man, Death, and Temperance have been maxed out so far.  
Sun, Fool and Lovers are 8, Star is 4, Moon is 2, and Aeon, Judgement and Empress haven't been started yet. Devil is either 7 or 8, but I'll have to check.  
As for Doctor Who, Minato hasn't seen that episode yet. But he will.

CelticKiller, that's pretty accurate.

Dragon's Shadow, in hindsight, I suppose he should've. Well, since he think's he's dead and she's gonna die soon, I doubt he'll bother now.  
And that combosong is both epic and on my MP3. And yes, RyojiVentures was hilarious. My favourite part was "Sooooo I'm just gonna sit on your bed and stare at you until you kill me."  
As for CandleJack, we have a contract. Because CandleJack is a character in my story, I can say my name as I please, in return for creating opportunities for unwitting fools to say his name and get got. Let us mourn the loss of our beloved Pokehturtle.

Pokehturtle, Busy in a good way or Busy in a bad way?  
As for the songs, they're a bugger to write as well. It's just the first one back in chapter 18 worked really well, and I've been trying to do a better one since. I think that I won't do another one for a while.

Have a Little Feith, sorry about the misspelling. I stuck Ramiel in there because I needed someone for the victim, and, as I've already explained, Dante was in SMT:III, so I can do that. Matador was just in there for good measure. I like Matador, though if I manage to get my hands on Nocturne, I'm sure I'll hate him with a passion.

And now, INABA! YAY! FUN TIME!

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

Once we were on the train, I took my seat next to Aigis and waited for departure. It was a table seat with two more seats opposite us, and on the set next to us was Ryoji, Yukari, Junpei and Kenji. Opposite me was Kazushi, who got two seats because of his leg.

I hadn't talked to him properly in ages, so we took this as a chance to catch up. His leg was healing far faster than the surgeon's had expected, and his nephew was doing well in Rehab. The Kendo club was apparently doing well with some Freshman named Naoki taking some serious glory, which made me mentally facepalm. I hadn't talked to him either since Pharos left, despite him being one of the few people I actually needed to talk to.

* * *

A few hours later, when Kaz went to the bathroom and the others were playing a card game of some sort, I woke Aigis up. "Hey, can I ask you about something?" I asked her.

"Hm? Affirmative." Aigis nodded.

"How does your Orgia mode work exactly?" I asked her. "I mean, is it a physiological setting or is it Persona based?"

Aigis computed the question. "Orgia mode allows me to disable my limiters physically to enhance my motor capabilities, but it also allows me to overcharge my Persona, which is what causes me to overheat and drain me physically."

I nodded. "What would the ratio be between your body and your persona's involvement in Orgia mode?"

"Approximately forty-six to fifty-four." She replied.

I nodded. "So it would be theoretically possible to supercharge one of my own Personae to achieve a similar effect in battle?" I asked.

"Negative." Aigis replied sternly. "Palladion was designed with this feature in mind, but I disbelieve that any of your numerous Personae could perform this function." She turned to me. "Does this concern the loss of the demonic seal on your arm?" Aigis asked.

I nodded. "I lost a lot in that fight." I admitted. "I want to get it back as soon as I can."

Aigis nodded. "Your desire for power is concerning." She told me. "It is dangerous."

"Like Ryoji?" I asked, swiftly changing the subject.

"He is dangerous." Aigis told me. "I do not understand why this is, but I know this to be the case."

"Hopefully he won't realise this fact himself." I told her, turning to the destroyer of worlds himself. "Try to prevent him fro…"

Why the hell is Yukari wearing Junpei's hat?

"Alright, deal again." Yukari said, handing her cards to Kenji. "Same stakes?"

Ryoji nodded. "One article of clothing. All in?" He asked as Kenji shuffled.

They're playing strip poker?

"I'm in." Yukari laughed.

"Yeah, same here." Junpei groaned.

Once Ryoji and Kenji had confirmed their intent to play, I knew I needed to intervene. "Deal me in." I said, turning in my chair to face them.

Yukari's face fell. "I'm out." She said hurriedly.

"Hey, it's cool." Kenji told her. "We could use more players, right man?" He winked at me.

Yukari put her cards down on the table. "I'm not gonna play if I know I'm gonna lose." She said. She knows me well.

"If you're folding, you need to forfeit anything you won, so Junpei get's his hat back." Kenji sighed.

"Under official rules, you need to forfeit whatever you just bet on that game too." Ryoji grinned.

Alright, that's it… Yukari just threw her cardigan onto the table with Junpei's hat.

"I'm out." She said, getting up and walking to the bathroom.

I slid over into her seat. "Deal in?" I asked.

"Dude, I ain't playing against a load of dudes." Junpei groaned, adjusting his reclaimed hat.

"Why'd you have to do that?" Ryoji asked, collapsing into his seat. "We were just getting started…"

"Why stop?" I asked. "I bet my first meal in Inaba."

* * *

I'll eat well tonight.

More to the point, once we got off the train, we had to get on a bus and ride to the Amagi inn.

By which I mean that our luggage caught the bus to the inn, while we mere students had to walk and listen to Mr. Ono's lecture on the wonderful history of Inaba, which I assume involve Samurai or something, I didn't really pay much attention.

"Hey, dude." Junpei hissed into my ear. "Check out that limo."

I looked in the direction he was pointing and saw a black limousine pull up outside the Moel petrol station. A pale young man with long gray hair ran up to fill up the car, and an old man stepped out of the back seat.

Then I saw his face.

The bastard.

I stepped out of the crowd and ran as fast as I could for him, jumping on the petrol station's fence and rebounding into a superman punch aimed at the old buggers face.

"BASTARD!!" I shouted, smashing my fist into the old man's skull.

Click.

"Step away from Mr. Shirogane now!" Ordered one of the old man's three visible bodyguards, all of which were pointing handguns at me.

"That what you're going by nowadays?" I asked the old man as he groaned on the floor.

The petrol attendant started to panic. "Hey! You can't shoot those things in here!"

"Arisoto-kun!" Ono shouted in the distance. "Get back here!"

"GET DOWN ON THE GROUND NOW!" Bodyguard two shouted, pointing his gun in my face.

My hand lashed out to grab the gun in a reverse grip as I twisted down and shot his foot as I kicked back against the other suit as I pulled the gun from first victim, smacking the guy behind me in the face as I twirled the handgun expertly into the second bodyguard, now in a deadlock with our guns pointed at each other.

I twisted my arm down as he shot the ground, falling as I span into a kick into the back of his head. I kept my gun trained on the three guards, then offered my hand to the innocent bystander who just so happened to be working there at the time. "Minato Arisoto." I told him, offering him my free hand. "Nice to meet you."

The shocked petrol attended shook my hand as the old man stabbed a syringe into my thigh. Damn. Probably loaded with enough tranquilizers to take out a horse.

Granddad Kuzunoha always was sharp before he _died_.

* * *

When I woke up I was kneeling on the reddish block road, leading to what I very much doubt to be Oz. I couldn't see very far in this bloody fog, but I've spent plenty of time on the moors back home so my eyes soon adjusted. To my left, right and behind me was oblivion. I had no choice but to press forward.

Pretty odd terming, that. Press forward. I never talk like that.

Either way, I did the only logical thing and set off at a jog in the only direction I could.

_-=- Do you seek power? -=-_

Wait, what?

_-=- If it's power you desire, come and find me… -=-_

This can't be good.

Still, it's not I have any other choice than to keep jogging along this path. It curved a few times, but other than that and this bloody fog, this doesn't seem too dangerous.

Then I reached the dread portal. It was black and red, square with slanted squarish rings in those two alternating colours going towards the centre. I reached out to touch it, and it opened like a reverse Russian doll, only completely different. I stepped through to a wide open space as a Katana appeared in my hand and there was a figure a few feet away which I could barely see.

_-=- So, you are the one pursuing me… -=-_

The figure laughed. _-=- Try all you like… -=-_

I rushed forward and sliced the guy with my sword. It connected, but the guy just drifted further away.

_-=- It seems you can see a little, despite the fog… -=-_

Then I noticed a Persona card in my hand. I couldn't tell which one it was, but it's probably Kohryu. I smashed it for a Weary Thrust.

Whatever I got, however, wasn't what I asked for, since Kohryu doesn't learn anything that causes death of a thousand cuts.

_-=- I see… Indeed, you possess an interesting quality… But… you will not catch me so easily… -=-_

The fog got much thicker, and I couldn't see anything anymore.

_-=- If what you seek is 'power', then your search will be even harder… -=-_

I smashed the Persona card again hopefully, but whatever I did missed.

_-=- Everyone sees what they want to… And the fog only deepens… -=-_

And deepen the fog did, but I still didn't see what I wanted to.

_-=- Will we meet again..? At a place other than here… -=-_

Then I heard a gunshot, and the scream of Thanatos. The Persona, not giving a crap about any fog, flew straight for my enemy, dealing what I hope was some severe damage as I started to black out.

_-=- I see… so that is what you are… -=-_

* * *

I woke up to an unfamiliar ceiling with a smoking gun pointed at my head, held by a hand belonging to a very shaken suit. "Wh-what are you!?" He demanded as I sat up, clutching my aching head.

"Did you just shoot me?" I asked him, trying to remember the freaky arse dream I just had. "Thanks, you might've just saved my life." In the unlikely circumstance that the dream was anything other than the tranquilisers. My hand lashed out for the gun, which the suit immediately dropped. I did the same, kicking it under the couch as I got to my feet. "Were you ordered to kill me?" I asked him.

The guy didn't answer, only stepping away from me, pulling out another gun as his back hit the bookshelf. "I-I'll shoot!"

Sigh. I channelled a Die For Me! down my arm and grabbed his wrist, confiscating his gun as he collapsed.

Once I disposed of that weapon, I checked myself to find my Leatherman, Phone, Watch and Darkplayer missing. Judging from the sun, it's mid-afternoon, and judging by my stomach, I've only missed one meal, so it's still Monday.

I looked around and decided I was in a study of some mansion, most likely Granddad's. Words need to be had with him.

The door was locked, so I kicked it down and went exploring.

* * *

I quickly found Granddad in what was probably his office and sat down opposite him. "Hey Granddad." I told him.

"I'd like to say that it is good to see you again," Granddad sighed, "But we both know that that is not the case."

I nodded. "So why'd you fake your death?" I asked. "Did you hate me that much?"

"I never hated you." He snapped back. "But I'm sure that you have come to realise what is inside of you. What you became the night your father died."

Ah. "So you know about Personae then." I guessed.

"Personae?" Granddad asked contemptuously. "Those toys young Takeba was playing with?" He shook his head. "No, I am talking about Death taking possession over your body."

Possession? "He never got any control over me." I told him. "As a matter of fact, he's gone."

That concerned him. "And is he loose in this world?" The ancient detective asked.

"I wouldn't say loose." I told him. "But that's not the point. Why didn't you look after me when mom and dad died?"

"Did Amos not do a satisfactory job at raising you?" Kuzunoha asked.

"He was a great parent." I answered. "But why didn't you? Why didn't…" I stopped myself. This was going nowhere. "What happened to Natalie?" I asked, moving onto what was important.

"She's safe." Granddad nodded. "We changed both her forename and her surname when we relocated to prevent you from making contact with her, of course, but she's grown to be an intelligent young woman."

Hold on. "Why didn't you want me talking with my own sister?"

"You were doomed to walk where angels fear to tread." He replied. "I did not want her to suffer the same fate that my own father suffered."

"So you dealt with demons too." I nodded. "I want to see her."

"I cannot allow that." The old man replied forcefully. "She is an intelligent girl, and I do not want her knowing about that world."

"I don't want her knowing about the Warp." I replied. "But I want my sister to know that I am alive."

"She has grown for the past ten years believing that her brother is dead." Granddad stated angrily. "You would tear open that wound in her heart just so you can enter it?"

"Yep." I replied. "If I didn't, I wouldn't exactly punch you like that, would I?"

He stopped himself from raising his hand to his face. "You punch well." He commented.

"That was a light punch." I told him. "You think I can grow up with Death inside me and not be able to crush a skull with my fist?" Fair enough, I learnt to do that in the past six months or so, but he didn't need to know that. "I knocked a trained bodyguard out with a backhand." I pointed out. "I shouldn't be able to do that."

I saw him open a tube and throw it at me. "KERBEROS!" He shouted as the white lion appeared on his desk, growling at me.

I merely leaned forward at the bestial demon. "You do remember our agreement, right?" I asked him. "Do you wish to cross that line?"

Kerberos growled, then stepped back, disappearing back into the warp. "I have some influence over there." I admitted.

My grandfather glared at me with rage. "How much of an influence?" He asked.

"Do you still keep tabs on the events over there?" I asked him.

"Of course." Granddad replied.

I made a little half-smile to intimidate him. "So you know about the Jackish Republic then."

* * *

I got a lift back to the Amagi Inn after our little conversation. He told me that I could meet up with my sister tomorrow afternoon during our free time, which I've probably lost due to my actions earlier today at the petrol station.

Speaking of which… "Hey, didn't I shoot you in the foot?" I asked my driver.

"I got it healed." He told me. "We are demon users after all."

I sighed. "Of course. You might want to check up on the guy in the study." I advised.

"We already have." He replied. "It's the first time we have seen Death Magic that doesn't kill."

Yeah, Hama and Mudo skills only knock out humans, but kill Shadows. "I left the guns under the couch. So, what's my alibi?" I asked him as we pulled up outside the inn.

"We told your teacher that we were relatives of yours and that we would rush you to the house for the antidote." He told me. "As for you flipping out and attacking everyone, you're on your own."

I sighed. "Figured as much. Guess I'll be sneaking out of the Inn tomorrow."

* * *

My punishment was that I had to eat my supper in the corridor while everyone else had a party without me. And of course I lost all my free time over the rest of the week. I confirmed that it was indeed my grandfather I attacked, also adding that he abandoned me and faked his death and my sister to avoid caring for both of us. Even Ekoda admitted that the circumstances were extremely mitigating, which was probably why I wasn't sent home on the next train. Sometimes the truth just works. Sometimes.

Either way, the sushi was good.

"Um… what are you doing out here?" A young girl with short black hair asked me. Priestess.

I switched to Scathach and smiled ironically. "I got into a fight." I told her. "Provoked Assault."

That surprised her. "Oh, was that rumour true?" She asked. "I mean, about the student who got into a gun fight at the gas station?"

"It was only one gun." That fired. "But you know how rumours like to stretch the truth." I bit into my rice roll. "By tomorrow, the rumour will say that there were ten men I was fighting and that they're all dead. They're not!" I told her horrified face hurriedly, "And the guy who got shot is fine. And he pulled the trigger on his own foot!"

She snickered, then laughed, then had a full blown giggling fit. "I-I'm sorry…" She gasped between laughs, "It's just…" She wiped a tear from her eye. "You make it sound like that kind of thing is normal."

"You mean it's not?" I asked her with surprise on my face, earning another barrel of laughs. Torture through humour is fun.

"Yukiko!" Called a middle aged woman in a kimono, presumably her mother. "Don't pester the guests."

I leaned over to look at the approaching lady. "Sorry!" I called back to her. "And my name's Minato!"

Man, once you get this girl laughing it's hard to get her to stop.

* * *

Afterwards, it was time for bed. I filled in Ryoji, Shinji and Junpei about what happened, and I'll probably have to explain myself to other people tomorrow.

Man, a lot of stuff happened today. Actually, not much happened now that I think about it. But it was important.

Let's see what happens tomorrow.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

So, there's day one of the school trip. I intended to get two or three days per chapter, but there's been enough of a delay on this one as it is. Sorry about that.

And yes. Dun. Dun. DUUUNN!!

I told you that I'd amp up the crazy for the Inaba trip. And I did.

Before you ask, No, Minato will not figure out the mystery behind Gas Station Attendant. Thanks to the tranquilizers, Minato hasn't even figures out that there's a mystery afoot.

I'm snowed in and helping look after kids, plus studying for exams, so there'll be a slow release speed for this month. Hopefully not too slow, but more like how it was before the Christmas Holidays.

Yes, in the Persona Manga, they played strip poker on the train. Or strip something, I think it was Old Maid, but they stopped after Junpei lost his hat.

In Persona 3, Die For Me! was a transferrable skill, so Thanatos can learn it.

Prize for whoever can guess who Minato's sister Natalie is.


	77. Chapter 77

Seventy-seven chapters… I feel old… AND FIVE HUNDRED REVIEWS MAKES ME FEEL AWESOME!!

Either way, I'm snowed in right now, so I'll get started on the next chapter, even.

First off, I think it's pretty obvious who Minato's sister is, judging from your reviews. Yeah, not even gonna bother answering that one. You can all just read about it here. However, you are all way, waaay off base with who Yukari's mom is marrying. Waaay off base. Remember I said that this story is keeping everything in P4 as canon. So how the hell can Dojima remarry 18 months before P4 if he hasn't even looked at another woman since Nanako's mother died? Waaay off.

Dragon's Shadow, D'oh. Add LumberJack, CarJack, HiJack and LoJack to that list. Any more Jack's that need adding, just tell me.  
I never said I wouldn't make Raido his grandfather. I just said that there'd be a lot of plotholes if I did.  
And I'll try to work some Hiimdaisy references in.

Slicerness, I plan to leave around June/July of this year, so I should have this story finished by then.

Athan Mortis, thanks for the heads up about the Arcana I missed. Fixed it now. And yeah, we did know he was gonna die, which made my previous outburst funny.

Slackerman, Izanami's trying to get P4 rolling, but no-one she's given the power to enter TV's into has figured out they can yet.

TanithMagnus, Greifen, that question shall be answered with brilliance in this chapter.

Istartedthefire, no matter how crazy that will be, it will be nothing compared to when Minato meets Teddie. I read one story where Teddie was a vampire from Twilight, and I'll outdo that in crazy awesome.

Heraklinios, Junes is still under construction. Minato has to interview the potential managers there, remember?

Now, bit of bad news. School's unclosed now, but thanks to some cabin fever and raw nerves lying around the house, brother fought against brother and I got my laptop confiscated for a week as well as a sprained ankle. Not the kind of thing you want when you're walking to school in Doc Martins that you're still breaking in, but that's what you get.

Anyway, this chapter will take a while to do, so I apologise now for the delay.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

That morning, after breakfast, some girl from the other class came up to me with a huge blush and handed me an envelope with a heart on it.

"You lucky sod." Ryoji laughed. "Getting some action on the school trip, huh?"

I eventually tracked the girl who sent me the confession letter to apologise, telling her that I already had someone. She seemed more distraught than girls normally are when they're rejected, but I guess that's just because I'm so handsome.

I need to spend less time at work. Tanaka's starting to rub off on me.

When I got back to the breakfast table, however, Shinji, Junpei and Ryoji were all reading love letters from a small pile. "There you are." Ryoji replied, handing me the note. "They're all for you."

What? I read them all, and about a half a dozen girls had claimed that I was their 'soulmate'.

Seriously, what the hell?

"Bonjour, Minato-sama!"

Wait, what? "Bebe?" I asked while getting to my feet, genuinely surprised to see him back here.

He gave me a warm hug. "I did it!" He told me in French. "I managed to convince my uncle to let me stay here for the rest of the year!" He pulled away. "But it's not over yet! I will stay here in Nihon forever!"

Nearly missed the jump to Japanese there. "That's great." I told him in Japanese, sitting back down as Junpei budged up a seat. "So when did you find out where we were?"

Bebe laughed. "I almost missed you all!" He sighed. "But I caught up to you all after a night's travelling…" He passed out on my shoulder.

I sighed. "I'll take him up to his room…" I told everyone, hoisting him over my shoulder fireman style.

* * *

When I got back, there was another love letter.

From a guy.

Do hugs in Japan symbolise homosexuality? Because Bebe and I had a manly hug. The kind you give bears. When drowning them. In a waterfall.

Except he was French, so there was a limit to how manly his hugs could be.

Sigh.

* * *

That morning we had a tour of the town. It didn't take long.

I sent an Email to Hidetoshi telling him to arrange tomorrow's Widegame to take place at Samegawa floodplains. The river can divide the two halves of the warzone, and the stone bridge promises to provide some excellent battleground.

"And this monstrosity is the construction site for Junes." Said the student guiding us through Inaba. "It's predicted that this place will drive all the family-run small businesses out of business, but they went and built it anyways." Whoo, he didn't like this.

The building looked no where near completed, but given six to eight months and it should be open to business. I decided to keep my mouth shut. I'd seen the townsfolk whispering and pointing at me already. I don't want to attract more attention to myself.

* * *

I snuck out of the inn after lunch for my free time. I'd had that privilege removed, but I wasn't going to miss seeing Natalie again just so I could be punished.

"Hello again Doctor."

Crap! "Ah, Naoto-kun." I replied. "Are you here on a case?" I asked.

"I could be asking the same of you." He replied. Yeah, I know she's a girl, but it's just easier this way.

"You could say that." I semi-admitted. No time to mess with this kid now though. "So, I must be off." I set off towards the Kuzohana mansion. "See ya!"

I could tell that Naoto started tailing me after that. He wasn't very good at it.

* * *

Once I reached the front gate, I had a choice. I could ring the bell, alerting them to my presence and revealing that I had an appointment to our young detective, but that would but me at the power and mercy of both Naoto and Granddad.

Or, I could scale the fence.

I donned Akihiko's gloves and started humming the Spiderman theme.

"Hey!" Naoto shouted, breaking her cover. "What do you think you're doing!?"

I heaved myself over the spikes and fell to the grass. "Breaking and entering." I replied as the hired guns charged out of the building. "You should try it sometime." I then turned to the approaching suits and drew the Shortsword I'd hidden up my jacket. "COME ON THEN!"

"STOP!" Naoto shouted in her girly voice. Everyone did.

She then went to the front gate and opened it. "What do you think you are doing bringing a weapon into my house!?"

My smile fell. "Your house?" I asked, losing my charging stance. "Whutchu talkin'bout Willis?"

* * *

So, it turns out that my sister Natalie grew up into a transvestite teen detective called Naoto. I really, really should've seen this coming.

Wait, "Hold on." I told Naoto. "But I've met your grandfather! Months ago!"

"That was a hired Aide…" She sighed as she led the way to Granddad's study. "Grampa's has retired, and wished for me to gain a reputation for my own skills, not relying on his fame."

More like he didn't want the police to take one look at his face and call him Kuzohana.

Speak of the devil, there he is. "I take it that the two of you already know each other?" He asked us.

"We have a… history." Naoto replied, sitting down.

Don't say Geography Don't say Geography Don't say Geography "And a Geography." DAMMIT MINATO!

Granddad laughed. "I see, so you were that 'Doctor' fellow…" Granddad laughed. "You're more of a Shirogane than my own son!"

While that outburst shocked Naoto, it told me a lot.

1) Naoto doesn't know that we're really Kuzohana  
2) We're pretending that the family name is Shirogane for Natalie's sake.  
3) Dad didn't inherit the surname Kuzohana, choosing the name Arisoto instead.

Need more to know. "So, was our dad disowned or did he refuse the name?" I asked Granddad.

Laughing time stopped. "Your father… did not desire to enter the family business…" Granddad told us. "Nor did he desire for the Shirogane name."

"This is the first I've heard of this Grandfather." Naoto told him, leaning forward. "In fact, why is it that before yesterday I was not aware that I had a brother?"

Granddad sighed. "The decision to divide you two was of my suggestion." He confessed. "I would raise you, Naoto, here in Japan, while Minato would go to live with your uncle in the United Kingdom, as he was already familiar with the language."

"You dodged the question." I told him. "Pay attention to people who do that." I told Naoto, assuming that she preferred that name, "It means that they really don't want to answer the question you just asked, so they fob you off with something relevant but not what you asked for."

"I did not ask for your advice." She told me. "But please Grandfather, could you answer my question?"

I threw him a lifeline. "It was because of the orphanage that burnt down, wasn't it?"

Shortly after mom and dad died, Natalie and I spent the night in a nearby orphanage while Grandma and Granddad came to collect us. I remember having a nightmare of some sort, but when I woke up, the room Natalie and I was sharing had caught fire, so I grabbed her and ran. The fire spread, and a couple of kids died. I remember the firemen holding one white haired kid back, who was screaming something as another kid sat next to him and cried.

Wait, didn't Akihiko and Shinji meet each other in the same orphanage? An orphanage that burnt down when Akihiko's sister died?

Could that have been the same orphanage?

Could my new Persona powers gone out of control as I came to terms with mom and dad's death… causing that fire?

…did I kill Akihiko's sister..?

Oh crap.

"No, that wasn't why." Granddad told me once he'd finished explaining the story to Naoto. "The reason I didn't tell you was because I didn't want to cause you that heartache again." He told Naoto. "I intended to tell you once you asked about it, but your brother got to me first."

I nodded. "While we're on the subject, did dad just not want the name of Shirogane?" I asked.

Granddad nodded. "Hayate was a brilliant mind, but he did not desire to become a detective. Once he was in university, he changed his surname to Arisoto to make this desire clear." The old man laughed bitterly. "That said, he was still my son and I treat him as such, despite acknowledging his wishes. And before you ask, Naoto chose that name herself." Granddad added. "She knows her birthname."

"I only use it within the house." Naoto told me. "In the eyes of the law and the public, my name I Naoto Shirogane and I intend that to be the case."

I nodded. "I can understand that." I replied. "After all, as far as my bank's concerned, my name is Orpheus Mochizuki."

Granddad choked. "The same one that works for Mr Tanaka?" He asked.

I nodded. "I even got dad's old office."

He smiled at me. "Then don't you dare come asking me for any money, lad."

I laughed. "Don't need it." I replied, standing up. "In fact, I can tell it was pretty selfish for me to come here."

Natalie stood up. "You're leaving?" She asked.

I nodded. "I kinda snuck out of detention to come here." I confessed. "I'm sure you heard about how I met Granddad yesterday."

"Violently." Granddad told Natalie. "You take care of yourself boy, you hear?" He asked, tossing me a parcel.

I caught it. "I'll see you all later." I told them, climbing out the window. "Adios!" I shouted as I fell.

**CRACK**

Wait, what?

_Thou hast laid the foundation for the future fool…_

I laughed so hard that I almost forgot to breakfall. Keep Naoto out of demon business?

Granddad is gonna hate my successor then.

* * *

When I got back to the Inn, I found Yukiko talking to a girl her age with shoulder length brown hair in a ponytail.

"Come on Yukiko, I really need this favour!" She begged, hands clasped over her bowed head. "Please..? I'll treat you to tofu later, I promise!"

"You know I can't do that!" Yukiko gasped. "Besides, mom doesn't let me get to know the guests… she says I'm too young to know about how the inn's being run, let alone look at the guest books."

Hm, this looks like a job for me. "Hey, are you looking for someone?" I asked her.

The brunette must've been fourteen at the most. "Oh, no, not at all, haha…" She replied hurriedly to hide her embarrassment. Chariot.

I turned to Yukiko. "Just tell him." She told her friend. "I mean, I'm sure that Arisoto-san can help you more than I can…"

Hm, sensing some helplessness there. "I've nothing better to do." I shrugged. "How can I help?"

"Oh, erm…" Yukiko's friend seemed unusually hesitant for a Chariot. "Do-do you know Yukari Takeba-san?"

Oh snap, I think I just found something interesting. "I'm her boyfriend." I told her. "Need me to pass a message along?"

That surprised her, and I think I say a flash of satisfaction fly across Yukiko's face. "Oh, no, it's fine, Nevermind…"

Yukiko grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back. "This is my friend, Chie Satonaka." Yukiko told me. "Her stepmother wants her daughter to forgive her before she marries Chie's father, so she wanted to talk to Takeba-san about it." She explained as Chie got redder and redder.

I'm guessing that Chie's normally the dominant one in this friendship/relationship, I'm not sure, so she's not used to Yukiko being the one to help _her_ for a change. "Well, it's free time at the moment, so she's probably exploring the town." I shrugged. "I mean, the only reason I'm here is because I lost my free time as punishment for misbehaving…"

That confused Chie. "But, you just came in through the front door…"

"I snuck out." I shrugged. "And I'm about to do so again to find Yukari. You coming?" I invited them.

Screw the rules, I got links to max out and families to unite.

* * *

We didn't manage to find Yukari, but we did find a most excellent grilled steak shop. _They served steak on kebabs and in batter._

**Duuuuuude!!!**

I'll just let that sink into your skulls. Steak. On a Stick. Deep Fried. In Batter.

The English translation of the drooling sound you're making is 'Transcendent'.

It was starting to get late, and Yukiko had to head back home. Chie had no such curfew, so I stayed with her and sent Yukari an Email.

–{ Found your step-sister, she seems nice, wants to talk, promises not to get awkward. Interested? Y/N }-

"I can't promise that she'll show up though." I admitted to Chie as I put my iPhone down onto the table. "She really does not get on with her mother."

"Yeah, I guessed." Chie sighed. "But dad's really happy with her, ya-know?" She asked me. "I mean, after mom ran off with that asshole Ozawa…" Chie sighed. "Yeah, I can kinda see where Yukari-san's coming from, I mean, I hate my mom too." Chie admitted. "But if she tried to apologise, I'd at least talk to her face to face."

"I think it's kinda different for Yukari." I told Chie. "I mean, not that I disagree with you or anything, but Yukari was there to see her mom fall apart after her dad died." I told Chie. "From what I can gather, she was always with some guy or another, trying to find brief happiness, but I'm guessing that your dad was there for you, right?" I asked.

I'd read her spot on. "You're strong." I told her. "So's Yukari. But when your mom left, your dad was there for you, even though he was hurt too. But when Yukari hurt after her dad, her mom dealt with her own problems before her daughters." I sighed, leaning back in my chair to put some Yens into the drinks machine, ordering two TaP Soda's, whatever they were. "I'm sure that she's much better now." I admitted, leaning further to reach for the cans. "But Yukari doesn't know THAT!"

I shouted because I fell over onto the floor. It's a hazard of leaning back in your chair. "Whoa! You okay!?" Chie asked, getting to her feet.

"Fine." I replied, since my current position made getting the two cans out of the machine a lot easier. "I'm not picking sides in this argument." I told her, getting up as I tossed one to a concerned Chie and corrected my chair. "But if Yukari doesn't want to come, I want you to understand why so you don't get any misconceptions." I explained, opening my can and getting a face full of fizz.

Chie laughed there. "You're supposed to Tap the top of the can." She explained. "It settles the bubbles."

"So that's why it's called TaP…" I replied, wiping my face on my jacket.

I already knew that tip, but humour breaks ice quicker than seriousness and I've only got a week to sort this out.

* * *

Yukari didn't show, so Chie and I parted ways and I climbed up a wall and through a window.

"Hey guys." I announced as I closed the folding curtain behind me. "What I miss?"

"Ekoda's gonna murder your ass for sneaking out man!" Junpei warned. "I thought you had to stay in the inn today!"

"I was in the inn all day." I replied slowly. "I was out on the Balcony reading a book."

"Which one?" Shinji asked, getting changed into his blue man-kata thing for the formal dinner tonight.

I picked the one from Ryoji's futon, glanced at the title and realised that that one would get me expelled. "Is there a bible in here?" I asked. "Hotels normally have a Gideon's bible lying around."

"Not in Japan." Ryoji laughed. "Better come up with a better excuse, because the manager's daughter says that she was out with you."

Bugger. "Did she mention how I heroically saved a small child from drowning?"

"You're not wet." Shinji pointed out. "Ekoda's seriously out for your blood this time."

Fine. "I was… volunteering at the local shrine, cleaning it up." Yes, that'll do. All I need to do is sneak out again come the Dark Hour and he'll be none the wiser.

* * *

So I fabricated an elaborate tale of heroism and self-sacrifice on how I snuck out to meet by sister, cleaned up the local shrine, helped Yukiko Amagi and her friend track down a relative, and saved a young girl from being run over.

He didn't buy it. So I made another lie about how I hung out chatting up middle schoolers.

Toriumi didn't buy that one, so I told the truth.

Kashiwagi didn't believe that one, so she made me stand in the corner next to the big plasma screen TV, which was showing a nature program about fish.

Why is it that people have the most unnatural desire to tap fishtanks? Because I really, really, want to tap that TV screen with the fishies on it.

So I did.

TV's are not supposed to ripple like that.

So I touched it again and I can testify now that hands are not supposed to disappear into TV screens like that.

No sir they are not. I wonder if I can fit all of me in here?

* * *

I can. Inside the TV is very big. And wet.

Not under-the-sea wet. I mean wind-and-rain wet.

Yes, inside the TV is a wet and windy moor with a large, ominous tower of doom about a mile or so away.

And I can't see the exit. So I ran ahead to the tower.

* * *

Inside was awesome. I mean, it's hard to describe it as otherwise.

The floor was made from granite slabs, but had a black spiral pattern on the floor that turned into the central pillar in the middle of the spiral, and a black spiral staircase at the outside leg. The black pillar had a fire snake and a water serpent coiling around each other in a double helix. The room was about twenty metres radius from the central pillar, so about 30-ish metre square, too late in the evening for fractions.

There was a lift inside the central pillar. EeeyuuEESS!!! No stairs for me!

I got inside and looked at the buttons. There were fifty or so floors, and a button that said '**The Point**'

Guess which button I pushed.

* * *

I got to the point. Ikutsuki would be proud if he wasn't busy burning in hell.

And speaking of hell, guess who's here?

"Welcome to the Abyss, Minato." Louis Cyphre told me. "This place is directly controlled by the human subconscious, a realm created by Nyarlathotep and Philemon in an attempt to decipher the enigma of the human mind."

"And I suppose that this tower is my mind." I replied.

"These moors are your mind, Minato." Replied the son of perdition. "This tower is merely the manifestation of your innermost desires."

"Is that why the lift went straight to the top then?" I asked.

Lucifer laughed. "This isn't the top… we are merely at the base of the spire."

Right. "And how high does this spire go?" I asked.

"Have you ever heard the term, Tengen Toppa?" He asked.

Of course. "Heaven Piercing." I replied. "Why?"

"Because this place is Tengen Toppa Citadel." Louis replied. "The name combines Japanese ancestry and Old English design, but it is made from your desire for power."

"I'm not selling you my soul." I told him.

"Let me rephrase that." He replied with a patient smile. "This tower is the manifestation of your desire to rise above all others, to reign supreme over all."

I nodded. "Makes sense." I replied. "So why is it in the TV?"

"A powerful Demonata is interfering in the human world." He explained. "Unfortunately, she has disguised herself well, and even though you have met her, you've already forgotten her touch."

"Was it Chie?" I asked.

"No."

"Yukiko?"

"No."

"The steak shop lady."

"No."

"Bebe."

"No, and that is my point." Lucifer growled. "She has gone beyond hiding her presence, to the point that even our minds will deny her existence unless she is literally standing before us." He sighed, leaning against the window. "It would take a greater mind than mine to uncover her identity than in even a year."

I pondered this. "So, you reckon a Wild Card could solve it with your assistance?" I asked.

"Don't bother." Lucifer replied. "You have enough problems as it is without hunting out a malignant force that, at this point in time, is causing no problems to your race."

I nodded. "Fine then. What did you come here for?"

Lucifer stood up straight. "I merely wished to chat with you about our mutual enemy." Lucifer replied. "My spies in heaven have received information that there are secret combinations against you and your nation of Jack's."

I nodded. "I know. And we do not need your help." I told him.

"_Of course not. You never need anyone's help._"

I turned to the voice to see me with a more bored face than usual walk out of a cloud of black flame, glowing yellow eyes behind his full fringe. "_If anyone needs help, then you'll be the one to give it."_

"Who is this?" I asked Lucifer, who seemed shaken up by the arrival of me.

"_You know who I am._" Replied who I'm guessing is my Shadow. _"I am whoever you need me to be. I am you._"

I shrugged. "Makes sense. You missed something though."

The Shadow tilted its head. "_And what is that?_"

I grinned. "I know what I'm hiding and that you not it."

The Shadow tilted its head. "_I know just as well as you do. More power, more you can do. More you can protect, the more you can destroy._"

I tilted my head. "Do tell."

"Don't encourage him." Lucifer warned. "It's very dangerous for a human to meet their own Shadow."

"I'm interested." I repeated. "I want to hear what you have to say, Guy who is not me."

"_But I am you._" The Shadow repeated. "_The stronger we are, the less we can get hurt, the less the people we own can get hurt by those who dare oppose us."_ The Shadow smiled. "_That's what you fear. You're scared shitless of being too weak to stop people taking what's yours. Like how you couldn't do jack shit when granddad took Natalie away. Or when your precious Aigis took mommy and daddy away…_"

I lifted my arm and summoned a Persona card. "You're not me." I stated calmly. "Because that is not what I'm afraid of."

"Don't fight it!" Lucifer hissed. "Just accept it and it'll be all over."

"And why should I accept an idiot who knows nothing?" I asked as black and red shadows gathered around the laughing effigy of me. "This bugger knows nothing."

I smashed the card, and a black wind flew around me.

_**Thou art I… and I am thou…**_

_**From destruction begets creation, and the Fool becomes the Judge…**_

I looked up to see the Persona I just summoned. It wore a dark blue jacket with a huge headless zip, with teeth the size of tank treads, and it had black stumps for legs, like Orpheus did. There was a black crown motif on the end of its wide sleeves, and there was a long, white scarf wrapped around it's neck and black face, covering its mouth and nose behind the jacket's high collar One end of the scarf that billowed behind him had fire decorating the end, with the other having ice decorating the end.  
The Persona's visible eye glowed yellow underneath its shaggy, white hair. It held a black Warscythe with a huge, Bleach-style blade in its left hand, and it stood there in magnificence against the gathering Shadows.

_**I am Tsukuru Izanagi; the creator of all, and the destroyer of worlds.**_

I am liking this Persona. It stretched forth its hand and launched a blue wind at the Shadows, dispersing them instantly to reveal a Rakshasa in white armour.

"A shapeshifter sent by your enemies…" Lucifer commented. "It clearly has some skills."

Not enough to protect it from Tsukuru Izanagi's blade, apparently. "Did you send this chap?" I asked him.

Lucifer shook his head. "Rakshasa defected from our faction a few years ago." He explained as Izanagi dispersed, his card falling into my hand and into my soul. "I think they may be attempting to prove their worth to the Law alignment.

Is he intimidated by this Persona? I wonder which Persona I just lost to make room for this one? Because I think it might've been worth it.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

As do I.

Again, sorry for the delay with this chapter, but I hope that I made up for it.

That cliffhanger shall be resolved next chapter, and yes, it shall be good.

And gasp. Chie. HOW DID YOU NOT SEE THIS COMING!?

But I involved Wildcard's theory, completely wrong as it was, so, yeah. Happy fun time.

Nightmare Syndrom gets 70% of the credit in bringing back Bebe. Give him a warm round of applause, or throw stones at him if you don't like Bebe.

Bear in mind the long awaited Widegame shall be next chapter. I promise that I'll do Thursday, possibly Friday in that chapter too!

Until then, enjoy!


	78. Chapter 78

Alright, new chapter time. AND 101 FAVOURITES! THANK YOU ALL!

Slackerman, no. And his dad was a financial genius, not a scientist. That's Yukari's dad.

AthanMortis, I'm working under the assumption that each Izanagi handed out is slightly different, hence Magatsu Izanagi. And I'm also working under the assumption that advanced Izanagi's, like Magatsu, Tsukuru, and Ookami, are of the Arcana that best describes their user, other than Fool. Kinda like a secondary Arcana, if that makes sense. And I doubt that we'll be seeing Orpheus anytime soon before Telos.  
Minato having a gun? Minato's gonna get plenty.

Sytang, D'OH! My bad. Sorry.  
And no, Minato will not take part in P4.

Istartedthefire, Messiah will top it. And I will explain Lucifer's fear in this chapter. And don't worry, Teddie will not disappoint.

Pokehturtle, if it's any consolation, what happens in Inaba will stay in Inaba concerning this trip. At least until the sequel.

Wildcard, apart from Teddie, Chie is the only party member of whom you know nothing of her family. No mention of siblings, parents, grandparents, anything, just two childhood friends.

TanithMagnus, all in good time. And he already is the most stalked man in Inaba. You know how it is, those who appear on the TV are your soulmate, right?

JRS74, no, not the Abyss of time. This is the Abyss of souls, where the Hollow Arcana and Thanatos come from. You can get to it through your TV.

Varanus, you are correct.

Nightmare Syndrom, that's because I made him up.

Dragon's Shadow, you remember the old rumour that whoever appears on the midnight channel is your soulmate, right? When it's actually whoever is the talk of the town? Well, Minato went Jason Bourne in broad daylight in the middle of the street, and is now therefore the talk of the town. Hence, midnight channel, hence people think he's there soulmate. Ta-Da!  
I thought that too about Eri, until she said that she has no children of her own. That, and she's too young to have a teenage daughter at 20-ish.  
And stats are coming up.

Slicerness, you've just entered the ranks of those who have made this story go further beyond the impossible with one comment. Big win for you.

Syruku, I came up with that myself. Also, it's first mentioned in chapter 32.

And now, onto the awesome. Yes, it is time for the long awaited Widegame, and I recommend listening to something by Ryashon during that time. Stone Of Triumph works especially well.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

"So, Lucifer." I said, trying to restart our conversation. "Why are _you_ so scared?" I asked. "I thought you were the lord of all that was unholy?"

"This place is the manifestation of your soul." He reminded me. "And your Shadow is here. Your true one." Lucifer added. "The embodiment of your darkest fears. Considering your limitless potential, forgive me for being wary of facing your Super Powered Dark Side."

I nodded. "Fair enough." I replied, while taking this opportunity to look over my Personae. I hadn't lost any, but Tsukuru Izanagi was still there.

Judgement Arcana. Agidyne, Bufudyne, Ziodyne, Garudyne, Heat Riser, Delibate, Hassou Tobi and Eye of Terror. By the looks of it, Hassou Tobi's a crazy arse Slashing skill, Heat Riser, makes me stronger and faster, while Delibate weakens the other guy in every way, and Eye of Terror opens up a portal to the demonic plane. Wait, what?

Oh yeah, I can do this. "So, you were saying that heaven is plotting against me." I stated, taking a seat. "What else is new?"

Lucifer took a seat opposite me. "You don't seem all that surprised."

"I've had an alarming amount of bad luck in the past decade." I pointed out. "And if you've been amping up my luck, I'm guessing that there's more to this than me just being unlucky."

"No, you're just cynical." Lucifer sighed. "And I came to discuss an alliance bet-"

"No." I cut him off.

"Do you seriously think you can stand against heaven alone?" Lucifer asked.

"I think that those plans of war will become declarations very, very quickly if we do form an alliance." I stated. "What's more, then heaven would be more likely to come in full force instead of waves. Besides," I chuckled. "It's not my nation."

That surprised him. "It's not?"

"It's the Jakkai." I explained. "They are theirs. I'm merely showing them the way."

"You cannot say 'merely' when you're their king." Lucifer pointed out.

"Fair point. I'm leading them until they can lead themselves. It's what I do."

Lucifer smiled and leaned back in his chair. "And what if it comes to war?" He asked. "Would you bow your head to save them?"

I held out my hand and summoned a sword into it. "I think we both know the answer to that."

Lucifer smiled. "So I see you've already learnt how to use your armoury."

Now was my turn to be surprised. "My what now?"

* * *

So, it turns out that everything I've stored in my scrolls is kept here in the Tengen Toppa Citadel. What's more, thanks to Tsukuru Izanagi's skill Eye of Terror, I can warp that stuff to me and back without the scrolls.

That would explain how I found a sword up my shirt earlier today. It all falls into place.

Anyhoo, seems like my scrolls are now no longer needed. Thank you ominous deity that's plotting something malevolent in this town, you've just made me more dangerous than usual. Sucks to be you.

Which reminds me. "You said that our minds could not discern her identity." I pointed out to Lucifer. "Did that mean that you'd already considered working with humans to track this goddess down?"

"The goddess is most likely Izanami, considering the Persona she gave you." Lucifer replied. "But she has fog surrounding her soul." He sighed. "It's not like trying to find a human amongst humans, if that is what you're thinking. It is like finding a shadow without a human at Woodstock while high on whatever you're smoking at the time while watching Hendrix play a burning guitar with his teeth."

"So, very hard, full of distractions, and not something you'd even consider doing in any circumstance, let alone daily life." I sighed. "What if you set someone on her trail?" I asked. "Like a Fool?"

"It would take a full year and a fresh Fool." Lucifer sighed. "You've already advanced to the point where battle is your main focus, but a Fool who hasn't yet awakened to his Persona could hone his skills to focus on investigation from day one after awakening could manage it with demonic aid." Lucifer sighed. "But that would be _Interfering_; something we are no longer capable of doing."

I noticed the use of capitalisation, and decided that that was a specific rule. "Even if you locked your identity away like Thanatos did and lived as a human?" I asked.

"It would be more advantageous to become a Shadow with consciousness." Lucifer considered. "I mean, that way, one would be more likely to encounter this Fool and guide him along."

I offered him my hand. "Deal." I said.

He didn't take it. "You want me to do this?" He asked.

I nodded. "In exchange, I will end this war between demons. After I stop my problems on my own plane, of course."

Lucifer smiled and offered his own hand. "Then I will only complete my end of the bargain when you complete yours."

I took it. "Deal."

**CRACK**

Holy Hell

_Thou hast laid the foundation for the future Fool…_

Thou art screwing me over royally, ye spooky voices in my head. Royally.

* * *

I used the Eye of Terror to get out of there and back in my corner in time for Mr. Ono to come and tell me to come for dinner. Sushi!

Of course, since my lie about doing good deeds was left unbelieved, I no longer need to go out tonight to make them truths. Yay.

* * *

When Wednesday came, my anticipation for tonight's Widegame was crushed thoroughly by my realisation that we were spending the day at school before tonight's group activities.

Ah well. I'll survive. Technically this was my idea.

And is it just me, or is Yukari avoiding me?

* * *

"Awright, shut yer traps!" Our teacher for the day shouted once we were in the class. "I'm Kinshiro Morooka, yer Ethic's teacher fer today!"

"Now listen up!" He barked. "This town is miles away from yer big city perverts and assholes, in more ways than one." He gave an accusing eye to all the guys in the class. "You better not even think of getting involved with the girls here, let alone abusing 'em!"

I ignored Ryoji's disappointment and raised my hand. "What!?" Morooka spat at me.

"I'd just like to compliment you on your marvellous moustache." I said admiringly.

"What moustache!?" He asked angrily.

…

…

Holy hell that's his teeth!?

KILL IT WITH FIRE!!!

Thankfully, I managed to keep that outburst down, but expressionless or not, a tortoise could tell what I was thinking. "Huh, so that's how it is." Morooka sneered. "Yer on mah shit-list, so Shiddown!"

I obeyed, if only out of fear. Who the hell is this guy's dentist? I've seen eldritch abominations with better teeth! And those are the ones with the tentacles and too many mouths and not enough eyes kind, not the 'hi, nice to meet you' kind.

I could've sworn that was a moustache…

* * *

After that horrifying morning lesson, we had a break for lunch, which I spent doing riddles with a funky first year with an afro. It's a shame I'm not black, because then I'd be able to say 'What up, mah nigga?' to him without invoking the wrath of everyone in earshot.

Rush Hour was a good movie. Now for afternoon classes.

* * *

Once that was over, we all went back to the inn to prepare for tonight's 'group activities'. As planned, there was a parcel in our room containing four ultramarine blue cloaks, each with a upside-down white Omega emblazoned on the back, and a sheet of paper explaining the rules of this variant of the Widegame.

We were each provided with a Cloak, a pair of padded gloves to prevent any angry parents, and an emblem, which was basically a blue foam ball with Omega on it. The other team had the symbol of a black teardrop with black wings marked on their blood red equipment, and our goal was to take theirs. Kinda. If your emblem is taken, or you dispose of it, then you are Out until you get a new one.

If you are Out, then you cannot be physically hurt or take physical harm. You cannot take part in any combat or take enemy emblems. However, if you are Out and on the other team's side of the playing field and you're captured in any way, you cannot fight back and you are at their mercy, albeit unallowed to come to harm. If you can take possession of one of your team's emblems, then you're back in the game, regardless of how you got it. If you lose your emblem but escape capture, you can regain one from your team's base.

The purpose of the game is to capture the other team's Flag and get it to your flag on your side of the field. The Flag's are that: literal flags. Ours has a white winged skull against blue flames, while theirs was a black two-headed eagle against an ocean of blood.

Yes, I had taken the team designs from Warhammer 40K. We're the Ultramarines, they're the Blood Angels. So sue me.

Anyways, if a player falls unconscious or sustains serious injury, then they're out permanently. Serious denotes something that isn't a flesh wound: If ligament tears or bone breaks, then that counts. Sprained ankles, open wounds, fractured ribs, all good.

No gouging, biting, groin attacks, strangling, drowning, or use of weapons or tools. Torches are provided for each player as a distress signal in case of injury, but they spoil the game otherwise.

The game shall take place at the Samegawa flood plain, with the river running through it acting as the no-man's land between the two team zones. The Widegame shall take place between 19:00 and 23:00, giving four hours of chaos to destroy the other side. In the likely event of the game not lasting that long, rematches shall be had until Eleven PM, at which time the wins shall be counted and the team with the most wins is the victor.

Gotta hand it to Hidetoshi, he's learnt how to make the rules safe enough without ruining the fun. As a matter of fact, this may be more fun than usual.

* * *

Our team included Shinji, Junpei, Ryoji, Keisuke, Hidetoshi, Kenji, Kazushi, Bebe, Nozomi the Gourmet King, Kittan, and several other people who were lucky enough to not have to face my wrath.

Kazushi couldn't compete because of his healing leg, so I assume that getting him, along with the fat kid and the Frenchman was more of a handicap than lucky coincidence.

Whatever. I told him to give his gloves and emblem to Bebe, who was wearing a spare cloak, and got Kazushi to monitor the base.

"So, what's the plan?" Kenji asked me.

"What makes him captain?" Kittan asked.

I turned around and showed him the insignia on my back: Two gold bird wings, spread to form the inversed Omega, a jawless skull filling the space between them. "This means I'm the captain." I explained. "Their captain's symbol has a sword with white angel wings."

"We specifically chose the best fighter on their side as their captain." Hidetoshi explained. "Naoki Kashima is the head of the Blood Angels."

I almost broke my neck with the whiplash. "The first year!?" I asked, surprised. "I thought this trip was for the second and third years only!?"

"He got advanced after he did so well on his mid-terms." Hidetoshi explained. That bastard.

"This should be fun then." Ryoji laughed. "One of us should hide the flag so the rest of us can't betray its location if we get captured."

"Good tactic." I replied before anyone could intervene. "If you pin a guy down and keep his hand on his ball-"

"Emblem." Hidetoshi interrupted.

"Emblem," I continued, "Then you can torture him all you like."

"Dude, seriously?" Junpei asked with fear on his face as I passed him the flag.

"Don't let them catch you." I warned him as I checked my watch. 6:59.

I turned to the thirty or so lads that formed my team. Time for a rousing speech. "Alright lads!" I shouted. "In a few more seconds, this place will become a bloodbath!"

I raised my fist and my voice. "LET THEM COME! WE ARE THE SOLDIERS OF OUR HONOUR!! WE STAND HERE AT THE RIVER TO THE UNDERWORLD!!" Borrowing a bit from the fact that Izanami is somewhere in this town, but hey. "OUR ENEMIES BEYOND THE RIVER CRY FOR OUR DOWNFALL!!" I shouted, stirred on from the cheers I just heard from the other side of the river. "WE SHALL NOT FALL!!" I roared. "WE SHALL FIGHT! AND WE SHALL DESTROY! TONIGHT!! WE ARE ULTRAMARINES!!" I lowered my fist to smack my chest. "TONIGHT! YOU ARE MY BROTHERS!! IN BATTLE!!"

That really shouldn't have gotten the cheers it got, but this Widegame had been spoken of in hushed voices for weeks now, and had become something of legend. That and the team cloaks, and the warpaint that some of them had found, the only one who wasn't eager for blood was Nozomi, who was eating a bag of tofu, but even he looked pumped to be here.

I guess this is why people join biker gangs. I turned to the river and raised my fist again. "COURAGE!!" I roared as the alarm on Hidetoshi's watch beeped. "AND HONOUR!!"

I charged for the hill. My brothers followed.

* * *

By some small miracle, they remembered the rule about losing your emblem meant having to retrea- I mean reload. Soon enough, Naoki and I were exchanging brutal blows in the river bed alone.

He ducked out of the way and made a 'Time-Out' sign. I gave him it.

"So what happened to this being a game, not bloodless carnage?" He asked.

"Fair point." I admitted. "Fall back and strategize?"

He nodded. "Right." He turned back.

I smacked him around the back of the head and got him in a gearbox. "HEY!" Naoki shouted, struggling to fight against me.

"When faced with an enemy, only one solution is acceptable." I grunted, tugging the squeezed emblem from his clenched fist and kicking him into the water. "EXTERMINATION!"

With that, I ran like hell.

* * *

We'd lost the first game, due to the fact that I'd worked my lads up into a mob, while Naoki had sent scouts around the side to capture our flag. He was playing the game better than I was.

The first game was over in ten minutes, which was pathetic, so I set everyone into seven squads of five, with either Me, Shinji, Ryoji, Junpei, Hidetoshi, Keisuke and Kenji leading each team. Hidetoshi was a good leader, while Shinji, Ryoji, Junpei and I were solid fighters. The squad I put Keisuke in charge of was a scouting team, so they needed someone who wasn't eager for blood to lead, while Kenji had fought tooth and nail to protect the flag in the first game, so his team was in charge of protecting the flag.

Both of them had the same concern, that being that the team colours didn't provide in the means of camouflage, "Camouflage is the colour of fear." I reasoned, keeping up the bold leader act I'd decided on for tonight. "We have no need to hide from our foes because we do not fear them."

"That makes no sense." Keisuke pointed out.

"It's for morale." I whispered into their ears. "You saw how everyone fought earlier."

"But we lost." Kenji replied.

"Our presence remakes the past." I replied. "Remember the bitter taste of defeat and let it temper your thirst for blood." Damn, I am good at this.

Kenji gave me a two-fingered salute. "Gotcha." He winked. The good kind of salute, not the bird. And the sly wink, not the gay wink.

Am I homophobic? I don't think I'm homophobic…

Whatever. I have men to motivate.

* * *

"No fear." I stated to my squad as the new referee Kazushi stood upon the stone bridge in his new white coat, crutch in one hand and whistle in the other. "No pity." I continued.

Kazushi blew, and I bellowed the ending of the proverb. "NO REMORSE!!"

My squad, including Kittan, Hideo, Saito and Mamoru (Not Hayase), charged alone into the river against the fifteen enemies coming our way, lead by their captain, who activated the seal of the Demi-Fiend along his raised arm as he splashed into the river, charging for me.

I sidestepped and redirected his punch to the water, getting my hair drenched in the splash as I turned to take out his teammates, breaking noses with each punch, only stopping as I tripped, Naoki gripping my ankle tight as his teammates rushed for me to grab me by each limb, raising me above their heads in triumph.

I'd been in this situation last time I got lynched back home, so I let my left arm and leg slack as I pulled with my right limbs, then reversed the motion violently to twist out of their grips and onto Naoki's shoulders as I kicked down two of his teammates before Naoki grabbed my in a suplex and fell backwards into the river. I twisted at the last second so my shoulders took the brunt of the damage, then flipped the pin into my favour.

He jumped three feet straight into the air and did a backflip, throwing me off and into the grip of his lads. I kicked in the air to push myself high enough to land in their faces, kicking them down into the water as I did a spinning kick to take more of them down just before Naoki tackled me hard, bringing me under water as I curled into a ball and kicked him off me as I swam downstream towards the bridge.

When I surfaced, I saw Kittan struggling hopelessly against three enemies, so I clonked two of their heads together and took their balls, ordering them to return to their base as Kittan twisted an emblem from the third opponent.

"How'd it go?" He asked me as they trudged away.

"Not well." I admitted. "That Naoki is a monster. He's almost as good as me." Almost. I just have more combat experience against multiple humans.

"WE GOT THE FLAG!!" Roared Junpei in the distance, his rally cry filling our lads with pride and the other guys with panic.

I grabbed the edge of the bridge and flipped myself onto the top, sprinting towards Junpei's mob, holding the enemy's flag high as he ran.

Naoki overtook me, sprinting hard as he approached Junpei, but Shinji clotheslined him, buying me enough time to get to Junpei. "Pass!" I told him, holding my arm out like a relay.

I took it, then sprinted back to our land, where Kenji was running, carrying the flag away from the pursuing Blood Angel scouts. "CATCH!!" I shouted, readying myself and throwing the flag like a javelin.

Miraculously, Kenji caught it with his free hand, then held the two banners high and bellowed "VICTORY!!"

* * *

We gathered back on the top of the hill and did a head count. We'd caught a fair few prisoners in the last battle but we'd lost a couple of men too. Captured players stay captured from one round to the next, and we only had to release them if we caught the captain or exceeded our inter-round limit of five prisoners. We had seven, so we had to let two go, but we got Hideo back on what I initially thought was good will.

"Their captain wanted me to tell you that they've got Bebe." Hideo said. "And they're keeping him because he pulled a Braveheart. Apparently you'd know what he meant?" He asked.

"A final last stand while shouting Freedom?" I asked. I'm impressed. I thought the French were cowards.

"Viva La DernierMariners, actually." Hidetoshi answered. "He must've taken five on by himself."

Long Live the Ultramarines… "THEY'VE GOT ONE OF US!" I shouted. "AND WE SHALL HONOUR OUR CHAPTER!" I raised our flag high above my head, my emblem in my other hand. "AND I SHALL CARRY THIS FLAG INTO BATTLE AS WE RIDE AGAINST THE HORDE!!"

"He's insane…" Commented Kihei in his muddy red cloak.

"But brilliant." Ryoji laughed, raising his hands into the air. "DEATH! OR! GLORY!!"

"For Andre Laurent Jean Geraux!" I shouted as Kazushi blew the whistle for the third match. "FOR BEBE!!"

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, Bebe was free and there was a bloodbath. Some thirteen-year old kid had even joined in the brawl, bringing his own war cry of "SHUT THE HELL UP!!"

Then we heard an important battle song.

"**POLICE! GET DOWN TO THE GROUND NOW!**"

Crap. Well, time to honour the Widegame code.

"MARINES!!" I shouted, amplifying my voice with Norn. "KNEEL!!"

The fighting stopped and all players turned to me. "NOW!" I bellowed.

Everyone in a blue cloak got to one knee instantly, if hesitantly, and Naoki gave a similar order to his own men as I approached the police cars.

"What seems to be the problem, officer?" I asked.

* * *

"That was the best Widegame ever." Ryoji told me as I climbed into the back of the paddy wagon. "So worth it man. So bloody worth it."

**CRACK!**

Huh?

_Thou laid the foundation for the future Fool…_

What did I do this time?

The game crasher climbed into the car next to me. He wore a dark brown jumper and his ruffled brown hair was stained with blood from his forehead, which was contorted in sheer hate.

"I'm very disappointed Kanji-kun." Tutted the police officer in the front. "This isn't like you at all."

"Get bent…" The kid, apparently Kanji, muttered under his breath.

The copper leant across from the drivers seat. "I beg your pardon?" He asked. "What would your grandmother say if she heard you talking like that?"

"Like I care…" He grunted, glaring at me. "Just so long as this asshole goes down!"

I think I may have made a previously polite boy turn violent. My work here is done.

* * *

The coppers had the bright idea of putting me and Naoki in the same room. Mind you, that Dojima guy looked pretty sharp, so he probably did it on purpose to try and deal with the problem at the head.

"So…" Naoki said hesitantly, "No Pharos?" He asked.

"Pharos is gone." I sighed. "I think I may have accidentally started the Conception again."

"No, I'd have noticed." He replied. "But you know that Ryoji fella?"

"He's Thanatos, I know." I replied. "He's probably Pharos too, but if he ever realises that, then we all die somehow."

Naoki nodded. "Right then. So why didn't you activate the seal while we were fighting?"

I faked surprise. "Why would I?" I asked. "Did you?"

"'Course." He replied. "Hell, didn't you see me smash that stone bridge?"

"Sarcasm mate." I sighed. "I've lost it."

That genuinely surprised him. "Are you kidding me?" He asked. "Dude, what the hell happened?"

I briefly filled him in on the events of Midnight, Fourth of November. He didn't like it. "You're screwed then." He told me. "Heaven's seriously debating whether or not to declare war on you."

"I've heard." I answered. "How long will that take?"

"Usually a couple of years Demon time." He shrugged. "Those Law chaps take ages to reach a decision."

"So how long is that human time?" I asked.

"Dunno." He sighed. "Could be an hour, could be a decade. You feeling lucky?" He asked.

The door opened and Officer Dojima walked in. "Alright boys, you ready to talk?" he asked.

"It was a group activity that went out of hand." I answered immediately. "I apologise for any damage we caused."

"I see…" Dojima replied, hiding the nostalgia very well. "And how would you explain the destruction of a stone bridge?" He asked.

"He did it." I replied before Naoki could do anything. "I'm just as surprised as you sir."

Dojima sighed. "You're all lucky that bridge was already scheduled to be knocked down to make way for a fishing spot…" He opened the door again. "Alright, you're free to go."

…Seriously? "We spoke to your teachers." Dojima answered. "You're all to be back at the Amagi inn within the next five minutes, and Mr. Ono apparently will be in charge of your punishment."

Joy.

* * *

"Cheers!" Ono shouted, holding his glass of beer high.

"CHEERS!" The rest of us shouted in unison, holding our various non-alcoholic beverages in celebration. Thankfully, Ono was secretly observing the events and was apparently moved by our valiant war play, and said that he was proud to have educated us so well in the ways of the samurai.

We went along with it and had a steak party. And it was good.

* * *

The girls had done some boring-arse spa activity, which I'm sure they enjoyed, but it had the fatal flaw of not being awesome, so I think we had a better night overall.

Unfortunately, they were therefore better prepared for the flame war between Ono and his Egyptophile sister. For the record, Samurai would've slaughtered the Egyptian army. Hell, Moses did it with ease.

I did notice one thing though. Mitsuru seemed to be in a much better mood at school that day. Also, she'd resolved while we were beating the crap out of each other, her new Persona being Artemisia.

We didn't get much chance to talk though, and Yukari headed out the second school broke, but later that afternoon I discovered that I didn't have to be in the immediate area to social link with somebody.

**CRACK!**

_Thou hast laid the foundation for the future Fool…_

Told ya.

I'm guessing Yukari went ahead and talked with Chie.

* * *

Anyway, that night, Junpei and Ryoji invited me to check out the Inn's hot spring, dragging Shinji along with us. They were plotting something.

"Did you know that this hot spring is open to guys at certain times and girls at others?" Ryoji asked us once we were in the water. No one other than us four were in the room.

"No way, really?" Junpei asked, obviously faking it. "Then, there's a chance it could change to girls only while we're still bathing." Junpei shrugged theatrically. "But if that happens, there's nothing we can do about it. I mean, we're already here, right?" He asked, smiling.

"That's true." Ryoji replied, a much better actor than Junpei. "We couldn't be blamed if something like that were to happen." He turned to me. "Don't you agree?"

"We would." I replied. "Trust me. Besides." I pointed at the big clock on the wall. "We really would have no excuse if that would happen."

"Well, it's really just a hypothetical question." Ryoji laughed.

"Hey, isn't it getting kinda hot in here?" Junpei asked, never one to perform well under pressure.

"So, Junpei, at what time does this hot-spring become girl's only?" Shinji asked.

"Uh, I'm not sure. I didn't bother to check… Right, Ryoji-kun?" Junpei grinned.

"Right." Ryoji nodded. "But it could happen at any moment, couldn't it, Junpei-kun?"

"So that's why we came here this late?" Shinji demanded, smacking their head's together. "You two are such idiots!" He shouted.

"Argh, Calm down, man. We're just joking!" Junpei replied, rubbing his head. "Although you're right about it being a weird time to be here. But, don't worry." He replied hurriedly. "It's pretty late. I doubt any girls would—"

Then we heard the door open from around the corner.

"Shit!" Junpei swore. "Someone's here! What're we gonna do..?"

Shinji sighed. "It's probably another dude…"

"Don't worry." Ryoji laughed quietly. "This is simply a misunderstanding. We'll just act like we didn't know."

"Wow! This hot spring is huge!" Yukari announced. Crap.

"Oh, you're right…" Fuuka gasped. "It's the size of a swimming pool." Double crap.

"So, this is an indoor hotspring." Aigis noted. "Unfortunately, its therapeutic healing benefits will not help me." Triple crap.

"Dammit, it's them…" Junpei realised just how much trouble we were in. "What're they doing here this late..?"

Ryoji, however, was ecstatic. "Yes! Both Yukari-san AND Fuuka-san!" Alright, this fool is going down. "This is my lucky ni--ngh!"

He shut up because I started drowning him for his insolence. Unfortunately, he fought back and I couldn't commit homicide.

"Shut up, you idiot!" Junpei hissed as Ryoji caught his breath. "They'll hear you."

"Who's that!?" Yukari asked. "Is someone there!?"

"What's the matter, Yukari?" Mitsuru asked. "Did you hear something?"

Cra-aaa-aaa-aaa-aaa-aaap...

Shinji shared the sentiment. "M-Mitsuru's here, too!?" He asked. "Dammit… there's no way she'll let us off for this…"

"Yeah, but it's not like we could get expelled for this, right?" Junpei asked. "I mean, it was men only when we got here. So, it's actually kinda funny, if you think about it."

"This is Mitsuru we're talking about." Shinji explained. "I never told you about the time Akihiko walked into her room when she was showering."

"Don't." I warned him. "I have a cunning plan."

"Oh good, what is it Baldrick?" Ryoji sighed. "I'm sure that we'll be able to leave with our manhood intact."

"Shut up and listen Blackadder." I replied, before explaining my plan.

* * *

"Hey!" I shouted, stepping into open view of the girls with my eyes closed. "We appear to have a problem."

I waited for the screams to stop. "Listen, it was guys only when I came here, so I'll just leave, and—"

"SILENCE!" Mitsuru shouted. "I'LL EXECUTE YOU!!"

Well, plan B. I summoned Kohryu into my hand and crushed it and the golden cloud dragon filled the room, obscuring everyone's vision to the point of silhouettes. "GO! NOW!" I shouted, sprinting through the water as fast as I could. Thanks to last night's activities, this was easier than I first thought.

Once I got to the changing room, I slammed the door behind me as Shinji ran in. "Let those two get what they deserve?" He asked.

"Let them get what they deserve." I replied as Shinji created a stone barricade while we got our clothes back on.

* * *

"Don't forget to take that down." I told Shinji, nodding towards the unneeded barricade while Junpei and Ryoji screamed in pain. Execution does not sound pretty.

"On it." He replied, pointing a hand to the stone, making it collapse. "Let's go."

* * *

Junpei and Ryoji staggered into our room later that night. Apparently execution involved towel whipping to the balls as standard, but they got the special edition. I made a point to sneak up to their room that night and give a full explanation to the girls, who thankfully accepted mine and Shinji's claims of innocence.

Next day was Friday, so I had to do my business at Junes. When I got there, I found Mitsuru, and there was an embarrassing explanation between us about how I was Orpheus Mochizuki, and that Junes had funding from both the Tanaka Megacorp and the Kirijo Group, so we were both conducting the interviews.

Once We'd interviewed everyone, we discussed the candidates but Hanamura was a good head and shoulders above the rest. We told him that he and his family would have to move to Inaba next September, but he was more than happy with that, saying that his son Yosuke seemed to not be doing so well in a City environment and could benefit from the small town life.

**CRACK**

_Thou hast laid the foundation for the future Fool…_

But, once the paperwork was done, Mitsuru and I celebrated by going for some Ramen at the Aiya.

* * *

"Psst… Arisoto." Mitsuru hissed in the resturaunt. "Please tell me what the etiquette here is." She asked me. "Are there any customs I need to follow..?"

"I have no idea." I replied honestly. "Though I think it's polite to eat it quickly."

"I understand." She nodded. "So, I should eat quickly before the noodles expand. Doing so must show appreciation to the chef." She raised her chopsticks. "Bon appetit! Let's eat."

It was interesting to watch the emotions on her face as she ate. "Hmm… The taste is quite interesting…" She commented. "I thought it tasted strange at first, but as I continued to eat, I realized it had a subtle charm to it… It's quite delicious." She raised her head towards the kitchen. Pardon me, Chef…"

* * *

After a short business consultation with the shop owner, Mitsuru and I got back to our conversation. "My imagination got the best of me." Mitsuru apologised. "I've been wanting to try ramen for a long time… does that make me strange?" She asked.

"No, not at all." I replied. "I was looking forward to trying out ramen after coming to Japan myself."

"Oh, that's good." Mitsuru smiled. "I was never able to eat this type of food… And I'm not used to this style of restaurant… I felt extremely awkward coming here alone." She smiled at me. "I'm so glad you're here with me. You've taught me so much about ramen etiquette. Let's eat together again sometime."

**SMASH**

Oh yeah.

_Thou art I… and I am thou…_

I haven't done one of these all week.

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Empress Arcana…_

"Look at the time." Mitsuru commented. "We should head back to the Inn, we depart home tomorrow."

Wow, already?

* * *

"So, you're going home tomorrow, right?" Yukiko asked me that evening.

"Yeah." I replied, watching everyone else scurry around, panicking for their souvenirs and packing of possessions. "I'll miss this place."

"I can't wait to leave." Yukiko replied. "I will one day."

I nodded. "Good luck."

**CRACK**

_Thou hast laid the foundation for the future Fool…_

Future Fool is gonna have an interesting life.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

Indeed Seta Will.

First off, the moustache joke was based on his appearance in the manga, where it actually looks like a moustache. Kinda.

Second, Widegame's aren't normally that insane. There are usually less people, so more stealth is needed, but I once did one with a thousand players, and it was a maw, much worse than the bloodbath I described. And the Warhammer 40,000 references are either there for the funnies or epic foreshadowing. You choose.


	79. Chapter 79

This is the chapter where they finally return from Inaba. Other stuff will happen too.

First, Tenshi Reike. Sorry about not replying to your review last chapter, but I'd already written it by then, so I'll reply to it now.  
Great news about your operation, even better news that you can laugh now. I thought laughter was the best medicine After Phoenix Down's?  
As for your other point, I'm seriously considering having Satan chase the Monorail at some point. BTW, Megami Tensei Satan works for the Angels. Shocking, but promises for some awesome sauce.

Slicerness, I agree with you there. And you are correct with that foreshadowing. And I invented Tsukuru Izanagi: He doesn't exist anywhere other than here. Tsukuru means: 'To create, to put into existence', so I thought that it was a decent name for it.

Dragon's Shadow, you did.  
Widegame, not Wideball. And they are the most epic kind of game. A good one will change you forever. An awesome one will change the forest forever. I still remember the first time I threw someone into a bomb crater on the moors… good times.  
That form of Execution is the traditional punishment for getting caught, but I'm sure that ice and bullets were involved this time.  
And no, I did not miss Teddie, as you just realised. Lucifer is Teddie. Dun. Dun DUN.  
And there shall be another tender moment this chapter. But no filler.

AthanMortis, I'll try to work it in somehow. And I've always been partial to a good old Bolter, but other than that I might give him Ebony and Ivory.  
And Louis is a master manipulator. Did you see Teddie at the culture festival? And it could be said that Ryoji wasn't exactly harbinger of death material either. Plus, like Ryoji, Teddie never really knew what he was  
And yeah, P4 gang will be in the Friggen Epic Sequel.

ISTF, Yes, Teddie is Lucifer.  
War against heaven will be epic. Rest easy with that knowledge.

Indeed it does Varanus. I actually intended this to remain much closer to the original game, but then chapter 16 happened. I'm sure that no-one minds.

Naru-Chan, get a football team together, explain the rules, and watch the chaos unfold.

Heraklinos, Widegame's are all about cheating. There was no rule against using supernatural abilities, was there?  
Only slightly insane, I'm much better now.  
The sequel will be told from Minato's point of view again. However, I'm considering depriving him of his Personae, just to spice things up. Oh, he'll be even more epic than before, just no persona skills.

Kaelin Voidshadow, I have no idea what you're talking about. Please clarify.

Slackerman, I assume you meant to type 1,000. Well, it was a church youth event and we'd reserved York University for the week, so we used their sports field.

TanithMagus, I concur.

Dark Hell Prince, No, I will not do a P4 fanfic. This goes to you too Blazing Reaper, Minato hasn't changed the events of P4, merely put them into motion. But the P4 cast will take a much larger role in the sequel, you have my word on that.

Blazing Reaper, Eye of Terror lets him move stuff from one reality to the other, and he's basically causing problems or issues that weren't there before for Seta to solve.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

Saturday morning was time to take the train home. Next Monday will be Labour Day or something, so no school. Ironically, from Tuesday onwards, we have work experience to deal with.

Fortunately, I'd already planned ahead and arranged my work experience to take place at Tanaka Mega Corp. I'm falling behind at work.

* * *

Of course, Koromaru wanted walking once we got home, so I took this as an opportunity to catch up with Yukari.

She got straight to the point.

"So, why did you feel the need to talk to Satonaka?" She asked me.

I can either be aggressive, defensive, patronising or honest. Option number four, please. "I honestly wanted to help." I explained. "Besides, it's not like I asked you to meet up again with your mom, right?"

"No, but still…" Yukari sighed. "It was really awkward, ya know?" She asked me.

"I can imagine." I laughed as Koromaru ran around the shrine. "I ended up meeting my long lost sister on that trip too."

That surprised her. "Wait, that rumour was true?" She asked.

I nodded. "Now _that_ was awkward." I stated.

Yukari sighed. "Minato… Why do you do so much for me?" She asked.

Hm? "Whenever I ask you to do something, you say yes, and you do so much even when I ask you not to…" Yukari explained. "So much has happened between us… Is it because I'm one of those social links?" She asked, almost angrily. "Or are we more than just good friends? What do you really think of me?"

Honestly? "Lately, even when I see you with Fuuka, I wonder what you're talking about…" Yukari continued, not waiting for me to give an answer. "It feels like someday, my heart is going to shrink… and I'm afraid I won't feel anything anymore… So, um…" She blushed. "I want you to look at me the way I look at you…"

You mean the way I've been looking at you since day one?

**SMASH!**

Hey, at least give me time to give a decent answer!

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Lovers Arcana…_

"Yukari…" I started, trying to formulate something coherent, but was interrupted by a mouthful of dog slobber. "GAH! KOROMARU! BLEGH!"

Yukari was laughing like hell by the time I got him off me. "Come on, we better get going." Yukari told me, apparently not wanting an answer.

* * *

Nothing happened that night, so we were still pretty tired the next morning. Junpei had snuck off last night to visit Chidori.

I got the day off from work today because I'm working all next week, so I spent it with Akinari.

"I'd like you to congratulate me." He told me. "As of today, I am a free individual."

"Oh, you finished the story then?" I asked.

"No, not quite yet. ...Almost, though." Akinari laughed. "I just got back from the hospital. They were going to admit me, but not anymore…" Wait, what? "I guess my body is too weak to undergo surgery." Akinari smiled. "So, I refused any medication as well… So much for the hospital, right..?" He asked rhetorically.

The smile faded. "Now I'm just waiting for the end." It came back. "But, I don't feel like I'm the only one being singled out anymore. Everyone is waiting to die if you think about it."

"Some just have a longer wait than others." I noted. "But Death comes for us all someday." I laughed. "Now that I think about it, we all have so little time in this life, but we spend it all making life complicated for ourselves."

Akinari laughed. "I'm still a little lonely, but I'm not sad anymore." He admitted. "Thanks for being here." He told me.

**SMASH**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Sun Arcana…_

"The story is almost done… so I can show it to you soon…" He told me. "I'm a little tired… so…"

I nodded wordlessly and helped him up. A mate in need is a mate indeed, or something.

* * *

I had some spare time, so I paid a visit to Igor concerning my new friend Izanagi. According to Igor, my soul could only hold twelve Personae, but apparently I'm holding thirteen.

So what's my real limit?

* * *

"Well, your soul is in fact limitless." Igor admitted. "But it would be most unwise to attempt to carry more Personae than you currently are."

"I'm feeling up for the challenge." I replied, slamming a suitcase of money onto the table. "Give me everything you got."

Igor grinned. "Are you sure that you want to do this?" He asked.

"I chooseth this fate of mine own free will." I replied, picking up the menu. "I'll have the Fool drinks first."

* * *

So, I began my quest to hold every Persona in my compendium simultaneously. I was starting to get drunk somehow, but I wasn't going to let Igor drink my under the table just yet.

"So, thatsh Thor down." I hiccupped, slamming the glass onto the table. "Angel nextsh…"

I downed the flute of green liquid in one go, then threw up.

"Hm, it appears that the powers of Heaven no longer desire to give you their aid." Igor commented. "Try drinking Melchizedek, I'm sure he still accepts you."

He did, and my stomach accepted him.

* * *

And now, I currently hold one hundred and forty two Personae, and I feel fiiiine.

Yep, the fact that I'm bouncing off the walls in this alleyway has nothing to do with the fact that I'm completely off my head with the sheer amount of spiritual force in my soul. Nope, I'm perfect sober.

"Hey, are you alright?"

"Oh, I'm officer fine, perfectly." I hiccupped to the copper beside me.

Then I upchucked onto his shoe.

* * *

Apparently in Japan, they take underage drinking pretty seriously, so when Mitsuru came to collect me, she was less than pleased.

"I did it for the 'sona's…" I mumbled as Shinji heaved me onto his shoulder.

Now would be a great time for a sleep.

* * *

You know what waking up and sobering up have in common?

They can be done simultaneously by the alarm.

_~ I'm sorry to wake you up… Um, I'm not sure how to say this, but… You need to go to the 4th floor… and please hurry! ~_

I leapt out of bed, finding myself already fully dressed. Sweetness.

Time to run.

"Dude, were you drinking today?" Junpei asked as he burst out of his room alongside me.

"No, I'll explain later!" I replied, charging for the stairs.

* * *

And I think this is what a hangover feels like. Glorious.

"What's going on!?" Yukari asked desperately.

"Yamagishi sensed something!" Mitsuru explained. "Other Persona-users. They're outside Tartarus!"

Hangover gone. I think I'm Knurd now.

"Other Persona-users..?" Kenjamin gasped. "Don't tell me it's…"

"Strega." Shinji replied, clenching his fist. "They're still alive."

"First, the Dark Hour won't go away, and now Strega is back!?" Yukari complained. "What's happening!?"

"How many are there, Fuuka?" Shinji asked.

_~ There's only one, but… I thought she was in the hospital… ~_

Then something bad happened.

_~ No… she's… she's inside… ~_ Fuuka screamed.

"What's wrong?" Mitsuru asked cautiously.

**~ Long time no see. ~** Fuuka's mouth said into our head's, but that wasn't her voice.

"Chidori!?" Junpei asked in fear. Ah, that's where I recognise her from.

"She's speaking through Yamagishi?" Mitsuru gasped.

**~ I can't stand the sight of you all anymore… So, I've decided to do something about it. Come to me… ~**

Fuuka then regained control, collapsing to her knees, and Yukari voiced what I was thinking.

"What the heck!?" She shouted. "I thought she was…" She turned to Junpei. "Junpei, do you know what's going on!? Junpei!"

"No, dammit!" He shouted back. "I have no idea!" He headed for the door. "Just leave me the hell alone!"

"J-Junpei?" Yukari asked as he stormed out the room. "Junpei, wait!"

If it wasn't the Dark Hour, I'd have lent him my car. If he wasn't, you know, Junpei.

"This is most likely a trap." Mitsuru explained. "But, we're dealing with Strega, so we must pursue this. And if we confront them, we may gain some insight into our current situation." She added.

_~ Please be careful. I sensed one person, but the other two may be nearby. ~_ Fuuka seemed really out of breath.

"We have no idea what they're planning, so choose your allies wisely." Mitsuru told me. "We'll go after Iori once you've made your decision."

"We're all going." I decided. "Get your weapon's ready and regroup at the front door."

* * *

I used this as an opportunity to bust out my new weapon summoning skill. I can summon anything I kept in those scrolls before, and I can send stuff there as well. I summoned Akihiko's gloves, a couple of Nodachi across my back, and a handgun in my back pocket. It takes a few seconds to summon a weapon, so while I can do it easier than I could with the scrolls, I still need some distance from the enemy to do so, so it's best to go in prepared.

Once everyone was gathered, we set off towards Tartarus.

* * *

We got there in time to see Chidori throw a hatchet on a chain at Junpei, who thankfully dodged.

"Chidori… Why!?" Junpei shouted at her.

"Back off Junpei." Shinji ordered. "It's useless to reason with her now."

"No! It's too dangerous!" Fuuka shouted as Junpei tried to approach Chidori. "I know how you feel, Junpei-kun! But please, just back up!"

"Hold these." I told Kenjamin as I handed him Akihiko's gloves.

"Huh?" He replied. "Why?"

"Because Akihiko wouldn't have wanted me to do this." I replied as I charged past Junpei and towards Chidori. She threw her axe at me, but I grabbed it by the chain and tugged hard, pulling her towards me and my upcoming fist.

"CHIDORI!" Junpei shouted, pushing past me and picking Chidori up from the floor, wiping the blood from her jaw.

"I told you…" She replied weakly. "Don't touch me…"

"Chidori, please…" Junpei pleaded as I backed away from them. "Tell me why you're doing this…"

"What I fear most isn't death." She explained. "What I fear most is… attachment."

Huh?

"Once I become attached to something, I fear that I will lose it." Chidori continued. "That's why we only live for the moment… But you…" She glared lovingly at Junpei, if that's possible. "You brought me pain… Pain that I didn't want… Pain that I never asked for…" Kinda like Fairytale in New York kinda thing.

"When I'm with you, Junpei, I fear everything…" Chidori explained, seeing Junpei's confusion. "I fear loss… I fear death… I fear that my time with you will end… That's why I…"

"Chidori..?" Junpei asked worriedly.

"I'm sensing…" Fuuka said.

"What?" Mitsuru asked. "What is it?"

Takaya and Jin walked out of Tartarus. "So then…" Kenjamin said.

"There you are, you sons of bitches!" Shinji roared.

Takaya sighed. "Chidori… I see that it is too late. You've been poisoned by them…"

Poisoned? "What the hell does that mean, you friggin' ghost!?" Junpei snarled.

Revolver Jesus laughed. "I am no ghost… Fate permitted me to live, even though I wasn't attached to life… You might say I was… chosen."

I hate that smile of his. "You bastard…" Junpei growled, rising to his feet. "I've made up my mind!" He shouted, putting his evoker to his head. "I WON'T LET YOU DO THIS TO HER ANYMORE!"

**BANG**

Junpei screamed, clutching his bleeding hand. "I'LL PROTECT CHIDORI WITH MY LIFE!!" He shouted, summoning flames around him. "Chidori, don't stay with them!" He shouted as the flames grew stronger and stronger, badass for the first time in his life. "COME WITH ME!!"

**BANG**

The flames stopped, and Junpei fell. "Huh?" He asked, before putting his hand to his chest

"Jun… Pei…" Chidori asked in disbelief.

He has seconds left.

Fuuka screamed.

Junpei's dead.

* * *

Things happened. One of them being that I charged straight for Takaya, but I was blasted back by some force field. Chidori started crying over Junpei's corpse, and her Persona appeared.

Then Junpei started glowing.

"Ah?" He asked.

"It… worked…" Chidori said happily as various people called Junpei's name.

"She brought him back…" Shinji gasped. "No fricking way…"

"Her power is the opposite of mine." Fuuka explained. "Her Persona doesn't sense life; it emits life… But, in order to revive a person, she must…" Fuuka gasped as Chidori suddenly collapsed onto Junpei.

"Chidori!" Junpei gasped, getting up to hold her.

"I can hear the life pulsing through you…" Chidori said weakly, chuckling as she did so.

"Huh?" Junpei asked in disbelief.

"Now I will live inside you, and we'll be together…" Chidori told Junpei softly as she put her hand to his face. "Forever…"

"Wh-What're you saying!?" Junpei asked desperately as the penny started to drop. "Chidori… Chidori!"

"I'll protect you, Junpei… always…" Chidori replied.

Junpei took Chidori's hand. "I-I'll protect you too!" He told her desperately. "Please… don't go!"

"It feels so nice to be with you…" She said.

"Chidori!!"

"Thank you… Jun…pei… I love you…"

"CHIDORI!!"

Her body became limp and her hand fell.

"This can't be happening…" Junpei begged, shaking her corpse. "Chidori… Chidori! Chidori, answer me! CHIDORI!!" He screamed in anguish as he pulled her dead body close to him.

"What a pity…" Takaya sighed from behind his barrier. "Such a meaningless death…"

Junpei stopped dead.

"…_Meaningless..?"_ He asked darkly, before setting Chidori down and getting to his feet. His posture was slack, his head low and his shoulders hanging uselessly. "**I'LL SHOW YOU MEANINGLESS!!!**"

Then he disappeared in a pillar of fire as he screamed in pain and rage and hate.

Then the earth shattered.

_**THE RAGE IN THY SOUL CRIES FOR VENGENCE**_

This can't be good.

_**THE FURY IN THINE HEART HAST GIVEN RISE TO A NEW PERSONA**_

The fire cleared and we saw something resembling Hermes's skeleton, only spiked and burning, with much greater wings of flame.

_**HERMES HAST GIVEN WAY TO ICARUS**_

"The man who flew to close to the sun…" Takaya laughed from behind his barrier as he took aim again. "How fitting."

Jin's eyes widened in panic. "LOOK OUT!" He shouted, stepping infront of Takaya as Junpei charged in a blast of flame, shattering the barrier and forcing Jin to the ground with one hand as Jin screamed in pain and Junpei screamed in hate.

"Begone!" Takaya shouted, summoning his Persona to throw Junpei back.

There was a perfect handprint charred onto Jin's face, and Junpei's right arm was melting, his shirt reduced to ashes by his flaming wings.

What the hell has happened to Junpei.

"_**RRRAAARRGGGHHH!!!**__"_ Junpei roared as fire fell from the heavens, and I summoned Surtr to shield the others while Strega took refuge inside Tartarus. "_**I'LL KILL YOU ALL!!!**_"

"His Persona's gonna kill him!!" Shinji shouted as flesh dripped from Junpei's bones. "We gotta take him out!"

I nodded and switched Persona. "THANATOS!!" I shouted, pulling the trigger on my Evoker as small spears fell from the heavens. One struck Junpei, and he fell to the ground. I switched back to Surt and caught him, getting burnt myself in the process _despite_ being able to absorb fire.

Heavy rain fell and the fire around Junpei stopped, but he was covered in serious burns, to the point where I could see his blackened jawbone. It was sickening…

"My… That was quite a spectacle." Takaya taunted as he walked out of the tower. "Now, allow me to reciprocate."

"_Takaya, don't!_" Jin shouted in a rasp voice as he grabbed Takaya's gun arm and forced it down.

"Wh-What is the meaning of this!?" Takaya grunted. "Release me!"

"_Don't forget about your mission!_" He rasped, showing us his Two-face style burn on his face._ "This is just a waste of energy!_" He reasoned as his eyeball span in its socket.

Takaya turned to us. "I have something much greater to accomplish…" He shouted over the hiss of the falling rain. "And since you have no means of destroying the Dark Hour, I will let you be… for now." He made a gesture with his revolver. "But know that the day I shall finish this is soon approaching."

Jin then threw a smoke bomb at the ground and they escaped, much to Shinji's anger.

"Let them go!" I shouted. "We need to deal with Junpei first!"

He was fine. Mild burns, but nothing major.

Then he had no injuries whatsoever.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

Yeah, I intended to answer that mindscrew this chapter, but I'm not in the mood. Next time.

Before you ask, yes, Junpei will get Trismagestus, but after the epic of next chapter, which involves the maximisation of the Devil Arcana.


	80. Chapter 80

Alright guys, I'm gonna tell you now. This chapter involves the conclusion of Junpei's resolution, so it will not be a pure social link chapter.  
Next chapter will also be epic in ways you will never see coming in addition to social links.  
Chapter after that is December, and that is where the fun begins.

The story from now on can be compared to the Full Metal Alchemist manga from chapter 85 onward. If you need reminding as of what happens in that chapter and what happens, go check it out.

Simply put, from this chapter onwards, Nothing will be the same.

Now that that warning is done, time for reviews. Slicerness, You have seen nothing. NOTHING. You thought Bebe was badass in the Widegame? December is just round the corner…

Have A Little Feith, you shall see it done in this chapter.

Derek Barona, that issue shall be resolved _next_ chapter.

Nightmare Syndrom, Icarus was a Greek scientist that was banished to an island with his son/assistant, I forget. They made wings out of feathers and wax so they could escape, but one of them flew too close to the sun and the wax melted, and fell to his death. And the chapter was short, It's been a tiring month so far with all this snow. As for the chapter being short, would it surprise you to know that the previous chapter is actually _longer_ than my aim of 3500 words per chapter? It's just the previous chapters have been closer to 6000 lately, which explains your issue.

Dilost, Call it a dozen or so. Most likely more, but I haven't decided yet.

Greifen, Junpei's time in the limelight isn't over yet.

Tanith Magnus, that is one of the reasons that I'm making Takaya a much more valid threat in this story.

ISTF, I shall respond to that with my own personal theory. The Persona users (Barring Strega) are the only true 'natural' Persona users in any of the games. They weren't given power by Philemon, nor from another deity, not even from entering the Abyss and facing their true selves. Now including Strega, this also makes them the closest to their minds.  
If you compare your teammates Personae in P3 to P4, you'll notice that the P3 Personae are all black with stuff added on, except for Polydeuces and Artemisia, who could also just have a black base but be covered up by so much other stuff, like Athena. This makes it more obvious that their Personae are Shadows, making them closer to their humans, even though the humans never learnt how to card summon, having relied on Evokers from the start. I'm going somewhere with this.  
Remember, the Shadow's goal in Persona 3 is to kill the humans that desire death to any extent. If a Persona user is not careful, then their Persona may 'remember' its former goal decide to carry it out again.  
Minato, however, does not have this problem, as the only Personae he has that fit this pattern are Orpheus, Thanatos and Messiah. The others, however, are fragments of his soul that have taken on demonic form and power. However, if a demon rejects the fragment of his soul, then Minato cannot use that Persona, as we have seen. More accurately, his soul rejects that demon because it knows that it intends to hurt him, hence the vomiting. The other Persona users don't have that option, so things get nasty.  
So my theory, in a nutshell, is that Personae that actually are Shadows may remember this fact if their wielder does not have the willpower needed to control them. If you compare one thing between the P3 teammates, it's that they're all rather strong willed, even Fuuka in her own way. And when they're even more determined (IE, Great), they're even more powerful. When they feel sucky and have little will to live, however, their Persona takes advantage of this. However, since S.E.E.S. gained their powers naturally while Strega was forced, their Persona is less likely to kill them. Junpei, on the other hand, currently has a very violent and vindictive mash-up of fire Personae.

Callum, he's been in Japan for eight months. That accent won't have been unaffected by now.

Abyss of Essence, I haven't yet decided on Chidori. Note how Minato briefly mentioned the revival flags, but in The Answer, Chidori is dead. However, so is Shinji, and Chidori's revival was canon first, so everybody in the reviews, **TELL ME IF YOU WANT CHIDORI TO BE REVIVED OR NOT!!!** Cause, hey. I'm up for both. I don't have a role for her yet that can't be filled by a mashup of Junpei, Fuuka and Yukiko (Yes, the sequel will be messed), but I might think of one, and I might not, so **VOTE!**

AthanMortis, you are a freakin' genius and you are going to get a bone breaking High-five if I ever meet you. Admittedly, it's more worship than human thought, but judging by the Jack's reaction to him, Chuck Norris qualifies, if not a very often seen one, so Kirk and Yoda are more likely than Kratos and Arthur Dent. Then again, Cthuhlu Mythos are a hundred years old, so maybe time has influence…  
Also, I answered the Bolter problem before reading your review, but good question.

TenshiReike, sorry if you weren't that impressed. Hopefully this will.

Also, Contest to see who can spot the Lonely Island, Rock Paper Cynic AND the Endurance Run references in this chapter.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

Junpei was admitted to hospital, and had to be quickly moved to the intensive care ward under constant sedation. Whenever he woke up, he started burning up again, literally. His tubes had to constantly be replaced, since they were either melting inside of him, or they were pushed out by his rapid regeneration.

Simply put, his new Persona is out of control, and if he can't sort himself out soon, then he's dead.

_Put his hand into the television._

I clutched my head. Dammit, I should've listened to Igor.

_I agree. Let him face his true self._

That's danger enough, voices in my head.

_Will he not die if you do not?_

Alright, all of you sound different, and none of you are the usual cryptic messages, so I'm forced to assume that this is what happens when you overload yourself on the demonic manifestations of your Psyche?

_Perhaps that this is indeed the case, mortal._

Alright, house rule. If you're gonna say something, say your name first so I can differentiate between you all.

_I am Tsukuru Izanagi. If you merely place his hand within the television, then your friend will reflexively pull it out if he comes into danger._

That seems like a good plan.

_Yeah, you should so do that man._

And who the hell are you?

_I'm a Ghoul, don't hate me. We should go and look for some other friends._

You can shut the hell up. I am not putting Junpei's hand in any TV.

_Okay, that's cool too, we can still hang, right?_

Good Bye Ghoul.

_Okay, I- I'll see you later then…_

_No body likes Ghoul._

_I heard that Mot._

_**Just Leave.**_

_Okay Thanatos… bye guys…_

I wonder if Shinji has any of those suppressants left?

* * *

I didn't put Junpei's hand in the TV, since that was a stupid idea. What if it sucked him on, or closed the connection around his wrist?

No, I summoned the Balmung instead and got him to grip it. Should stop him from dying any time soon.

Since I was at the hospital all night, I didn't get any sleep, so I took a nap on a bench outside Iwatodai station, since I really didn't feel like going home yet.

* * *

"Hey, Minato…" Said a gasping voice. "You okay?"

Eyes open. Mamoru. "Yeah, just taking a nap." I replied, getting up. "You okay?" I asked. "Rare to see you out of breath."

"Just need… more training…" He panted. "Like you need… more sleep."

I laughed. Mamoru was quite possibly the sanest person I'd done a social link with, despite his addiction to training. "What time is it?" I asked him.

He checked his watch. "Time for lunch I'd say." He pointed a thumb at the metal spiral staircase. "I'm off for a beef bowl, you coming?"

I jumped to my feet. "Damn right I am coming." I am starving.

_Who's that? He looks nice._

Who's that? And he'll make me pay for my own meal you know.

_I'm Iris. I have a rainbow ribbon._

That's nice. I don't remember making you.

_I'm new. I'll give you a rainbow ribbon too. _

I felt the ribbon in question materialise in my pocket.

_Let's go together!_

Quiet you.

* * *

After eating far too much expensive beef (Worth every yen), Mamoru and I set off at a jog to work it off. Mamoru footed the bill, thankfully, since I lost a large sum of cash on my binge yesterday. And apparently I lost the ability to count, because apparently I'm holding one-hundred and eighty-three Persona right now.

I remember going back to Igor after I first spoke with Naoya. He told me that I'd only be capable of creating one-hundred and seventy Personae, and I'm not strong enough to do that Masakado cross fusion I've been eyeing lately, so I know that I've got more to go, not counting the max Arcana Personae.

"You know, Meals taste better with two people." Mamoru commented, pulling me out of my thoughts. "I used to go out a lot with my teammates, but…"

That's not this guy's problem. I don't know what it is yet, but teammates aren't what I'm looking for. "Fine." I sighed. "I'll pay next time…"

Mamoru laughed. "You're the only one who says that anymore." He replied. "They wouldn't come now, even if I invited them."

Hm? "I don't really get along with people who don't take the club seriously." He admitted. "It jacks up practice, you know? It's a lack of concentration." Apparently Mamoru's put a decent amount of thought into this. "I used to love it there, you know?" He told me. "I spent all my time practicing in Kendo Team… Everyone else in the Team and I always had so much fun."

Mamoru shook his head, picking up the pace. "But that doesn't matter. They can't understand what I'm going through. I'll just have to surpass them… Get even better than I am now."

**SMASH**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Star Arcana…_

"Sorry… that was a weird conversation." Mamoru laughed. "That happens a lot with you, doesn't?" He asked.

"You mean how the conversation sometimes ends up with someone discussing something really personal completely out of the blue?" I asked. "Practically every other day mate."

Mamoru laughed. "I think I'll power-walk the whole way home before I start talking about my dad again." He told me as he set off in the other direction. "Don't let yourself get lazy now!" He waved.

I don't think I'll have that option.

* * *

Despite the beef and the jog, I was so tired that I just decided to squander the day in bed. "Sodomy Diem…" I sighed.

Unfortunately, the day decided to bugger me

"Hey Blackjack." I groaned, scratching my head as I took a seat in his office. "What I miss?" I asked.

"About three years, hee ho." Blackjack told me. "And we've received intelligence from the captured spies that Heaven is indeed discussing war against us."

I'll throw him off by ignoring the big issue that I already know about and focusing on the irrelevant. "What captured spies?" I asked.

Blackjack pulled a book from his shelf and slid it across the desk. "Remember that we've been having you teach courses in deception in your sleep?" He asked me as I picked it up. "We expanded and improved upon your knowledge."

_Silent Truths – A demonic adaptation of human deception recognition  
By Professor Hikari Hiko of the Type Klan  
Forward by Raiho Kuzunoha of the Frost Klan_

"Raiho." I stated blandly. "I guess he knows my Grandfather then."

"He is a rather enthusiastic fan of his work, ho." Blackjack replied as I warped the book. "Now, onto business." It promises to be an interesting read.

"Do not declare war." I stated. "On this subject, my original ruling on the matter stands."

"And I can assure you that this show of peace will not sway their decision to attack." Blackjack stated.

"No, but it will give you the moral high ground in this battle." I replied as I began summoning the appropriate literature discreetly. "There was a girl earlier, one of the immigrants." I then got to work summoning the tools. "Purple hair, wore gray, what was her name… Miser Chord?"

"Miserichorde." Blackjack corrected. "What about her?"

"She can use guns." I stated. "Have her train the army in their usage while you make them."

"Gun's aren't the most powerful of weapons, ho." Blackjack told me.

"They are when you get armies using them." I replied, dumping the guns I'd summoned and the books on firearms onto his desk. "Start up some munitions factories." I ordered. "Make guns, lots of guns, especially these." I added, picking up the Bolter I'd found. "Armour piercing rounds the size of your eyeball that explode inside your body."

"There's no kill like overkill, I suppose ho." Blackjack noted, flicking through the Space Marines codex I bought when deciding how to plan the Widegame. "You do understand that most of this equipment will be impossible to manufacture with our current level of technology."

"Oh." My heart sank. "Really?"

"But I am sure that we can adapt the designs for this… Leman Russ to run on Magatama from the farms, Hee ho." Blackjack noted. "Bolt weapons are possible, as are these chain weapons and much of these vehicles." He told me. "Power armour and lasgun's, on the other hand…"

I nodded. "How about dreadnoughts?" I asked hopefully.

"This nation does not exist to carry out your whims, Sire." Lord Frost told me as he stood up. "As a matter of fact, we only summoned you here for your _permission_ to fight, not for you to turn us into _this_." He hissed, slamming the codex against the table.

He was right. "You're right." I nodded. "I apologise for acting out of line." I stood up. "However. The fact remains that this is my kingdom and you are under my rule."

Black Frost glared at me. "Or what!?" He snarled. "You will release the King Frost?" He asked flippantly. "We are a mighty nation, making preparations to war against _heaven itself_." He reminded me angrily. "King Frost… My _brat's school teacher could defeat him the way we have advanced._"

"And who advanced this country?" I asked, folding my arms. "I never expected our nation to get this far, but may I remind you that I could solve this grudge heaven has with us by levelling this city into the dirt."

"With what?" Blackjack replied, regaining his composure. "The seal of the demi-fiend?" He laughed. "Borrowed power from wild gods?"

I walked over to the window and drew my evoker. "You see that mountain over there?" I asked the ruler of all things Jack. "Is there anything living on it?"

"A few wild animals, but don't you dare us it for a reckless display of power!" Blackjack ordered.

"**Cthuhlu.**" I stated, summoning the Denizen of the Deep to grab the base of the mountain and lift it high above its head. The Personae then roared as it flipped the mountain over and stabbed it into the ground, like a funnel into a cup.

"By the laws of physics, that mountain should be rubble." I stated, putting my Evoker away. "That wasn't a display of power. That was a reminder." I turned back to the calm Black Frost. "I am a human among demons, and a Persona using Wild Card at that." I added. "I could kill you now. I could go into the streets and instigate a riot. I could seduce the Jill of your general, infuriating him to the point of committing high treason against me." I lifted my arms out like a god of the new world. "I could drive your brats to suicide. I could earn a golden fiddle from the devil, and sell it in exchange for his armies. I could walk away and let Heaven deal with you. I could will that rug you're standing on into a drill." I saw his feet shift as I raised my hand. "I could even just blow your brains out with the bolter in my hand." I slammed in the ammo clip and took aim. "I am far too dangerous for you to have as a foe, Black Frost. After all…" I grinned. "My potential is infinite."

"There would be another after me, ho." Lord Frost stated, tightening his fist in anger.

"Wouldn't be the first time I've committed Genocide." Do Shadow's count as alive? Might do.

"It would be your first Regicide, however." Lord Frost reminded me.

I cocked my head. "You're acting like I'm actually considering it." I told him as I lowered the gun. "I tried to apologise for unconsciously treating the Jakkai as my pet project, and you challenge my authority." I tossed him the Bolter. "It's fake." I told him. "If it was real, I'd barely be able to pick it up one handed, let alone aim it." Plastic replica I bought in case I needed to be threatening. All the guns in Tartarus clip onto Aigis's arm, and no gun company in the world is that awesome.

"So that is why you suggested this." Blackjack chuckled. "You actually prepared fictional weapons for us to construct to help in both our war and yours."

"Your war is my war." I told him. "I'm the ruler, remember?"

He nodded. "You are Jakkai."

I shook my head. "I'm only a Jakkai once I choose a name for myself. I don't want to spend eternity remembered as the Jacking."

Blackjack laughed openly now. "No, I suppose you wouldn't, ho…" He hit a button on his desk. "Maiho?" he asked. "Please come here with a trolley."

A few seconds later, a very attractive female Jack in a grey suit and skirt came in. She was clearly a NeoJack, like all the Brat's born in ArisoJack. NeoJack's were more human than jack in appearance. Many of the old Jack's that had embraced the new way of life, like Blackjack, were evolving into NeoJack's, and they were more diverse intellectually and skill wise than the old Jack's, while lacking in raw demonic aura.

Maiho, for example, almost looked like a 20-something secretary barring her fangs, the pointed fox ears that poked through her long black hair, her bushy brown tail and her amble white cleavage contrasted sharply against her ochre face. "Yes sir?" she asked, then jumped when she saw me, and bowed deeply. "S-Sire!" She stammered.

"Please can you take these documents provided by the King to be copied and distributed to those who would benefit from them?" He asked her. "Then please take these weapons to the labs for reverse engineering, alongside copies of the documents. Can you also have the immigrant Miserichorde summoned here once you have done that?"

She leaned back up and nodded. "Yes sir." She said, pushing the trolley to the desk and began shifting the piles of books into it.

I helped move the guns into it, something she was clearly embarrassed about but she didn't interrupt me about.

Once she left, I whistled. "She your Jill?" I asked, having grown used to the language after teaching in their university for a few weeks.

"No, but I am under the knowledge that she is in fact single. Want me to tell you when she gets off, hee ho?" Blackjack grinned. I think he gets that tic when he's feeling less formal.

"Nah, my Jill would kill me." I sighed. Shame. "Fox clan?" I asked.

"Al." He replied. Ah, Jackal.

"Anything else?" I asked.

"No, in fact you had better be off." Blackjack commented.

"Time for me to wake up?" I asked.

Blackjack shook his head. "Humans are not meant to live in the warp." He said. "You won't last more than an hour in here."

So that's why I usually feel tired whenever I teach some nocturnal courses. "Any way around that?" I asked.

"Not without some sort of phlebotinum." Blackjack sighed. "Or you become a demon."

"Would losing my humanity be that bad?" I asked him.

"You wouldn't be able to summon a Persona." He replied. "That power belongs strictly to the humans."

"Out of the question then." I stated. Losing my Persona is not an option.

* * *

Next day, Tuesday, I stopped by the hospital to check on Junpei, whose condition hadn't changed, then headed off to work.

I don't get much chance to hang around in my office, since most of my work I do at home or in Tanaka's office, but sitting here, it's a nice office.

"Hey, Mochizuki!" Naoya said as he popped his head around the door. "Check this out." He walked in. "I was just at the club, right? Heard these two dudes talking." Is this going anywhere? "And one of them said to the other one that they knew someone who said that you were wack!"

…

"WHO SAID I'M WACK!?" I demanded. "You say I'm wack!? You take it back!" I demanded, not waiting for an answer.

He got the joke. "Then again, you know anyone else called Mochizuki?"

"Oh, there's that boy from Gekkoukan." Answered a passing cleaning lady. "He's doing work experience for his school." What. "He's a nice boy."

"Can't be him then." I sighed. "Can't be Ryoji."

"Oh yes, that was his name." Giggled the 40-year old woman. Priestess. "Ryoji Mochizuki. He looks a lot like you sir." She smiled. "Very handsome young man."

She was blushing.

I'll Kill 'im.

* * *

"Who said I'm wack!?" Ryoji demanded in his blue apron, holding his hoover pipe in defiance. "You talkin' smack? You're gonna get smacked!"

I slapped. "I just heard the rumour. Now why the hell does the cleaning lady think that you're a nice boy?"

"I just complimented Misato-san on her mature beauty," Ryoji replied with that devilishly charming smile of his, "And commented her on her radiant loveliness to that of her beautiful daughter." If he does turn out to be Pharos, then he learnt that off me.

I face palmed. "Your going after her daughter aren't you?" I'd heard things at school.

"Of course!" He replied with a huge smile. "Miu-chan is an alarmingly attractive young woman."

"'Course, if she works here, then she must be twenty or so." I stated.

"I'd say nineteen, but I'm sure that it's not important." Ryoji smiled. "So, why're you in the suit?"

"I work here." I told him. "As Orpheus Mochizuki."

He whistled. "No wonder everyone was so friendly to me. They probably think I'm the handsome brother."

We do look startlingly alike, now that he mentions it. 'Course, If I bring that up, then that could spark a chain of events leading to the end of humanity.

Now how to have some petty revenge without turning into Tanaka? I've had Pazuzu at the front of my head all day and it's really screwing me over.

That's it. "Alright, let's both get back to work. And Ryoji," I set off to leave. "Don't remember the game."

I could just see his face change from bewilderment, then surprise, then anger. "Bastard!" He called after me. Ryoji just lost the game.

* * *

Few hours later, Maria, Tanaka's secretary, called me to have an urgent meeting with Tanaka. That was pretty much code speak for me to cool him down from whatever tantrum he was currently having.

Oh, Tanaka's a good businessman. Extremely professional, knows how to keep his cool and work people, but he has his moments.

You remember that scene in Death Note when Light met L at the university, kept his cool for an hour or so before going psycho in his bedroom? Tanaka's like that, only he's robbing people, not killing them. I like to think myself like L, only with better social skills.

Speaking of Death Note, I haven't seen Adachi since I shattered his arm. The guy is clearly a scumbag, but if he's a Wildcard…

I got broken out of my thoughts by a very attractive pair of legs coming down the stairs. They belonged to a very attractive woman in her thirties, Strength, with an interesting expression on her face. Disgust, contempt and… arousal?

Is she Tanaka's Jill?

…

I need to spend less time in ArisoJack.

* * *

"Just now, a woman came to my office asking for a donation." Tanaka explained while leaning against the corner of his window, arms folded and fingers drumming. "She was a kind of girl that men dream of--drop dead gorgeous." Tanaka sighed. "But, no matter how attractive she was, I was repulsed by her dedication to charity work."

"What kind of charity?" I asked. My mom's called Charity. That's been pushed to the back of my mind lately.

"Some orphanage in Africa or something…" Tanaka sighed. "Uganda probably."

"Are you going to donate?" I asked.

"Of course not!" Tanaka lied. "I hate the very word!" He grunted. "But if I say no, the tabloids will tear me to shreds." He started pacing around his office. "Why should I have to give my hard-earned money to a bunch of freeloaders?" He ranted. "I pulled myself up out of squalor to get where I am today! In fact, I've earned the right to laugh at those who used to laugh at me!" He stamped. "That's what I had always dreamt of."

He was lying, and he knew I knew. He just sighed and slumped into his chair. "To tell you the truth, now I have too much money." He confessed. "Profits are booming, but I'm so busy I don't have time to spend a dime…" He swivelled to face the window and pointed a finger at me. "You've got it good." He said. "You just look at things and you know what to do. I on the other hand, I have to make it work."

"Thinking of retiring?" I asked.

"What, and leave the business to you?" Tanaka scoffed. "Not a chance. You'd give them the money."

"Not the company's money." I told him. "That would be bad business."

There was an awkward silence for a second, and then…

**SMASH**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Devil Arcana…_

"Speaking of which, apparently you made a rather large cash withdrawal the other day." Tanaka spun around in his chair to face me. "Care to enlighten me as to what for?"

I smiled. "I earn my pay fair and square, same as everyone else." I told him. "What I do with it is my own business."

Tanaka smiled greedily. "_Donate for the less fortunate_, huh?" He asked himself.

* * *

When I got back to my office, I found an envelope addressed to '_Mochizuki-san'_. I opened it to find a folded up piece of paper, which at first showed some fire in space. As I unfolded it, it became a comet with the words '_You just remembered The Game'_ written on it.

That son of a bitch.

* * *

I went to Escapade with Naoya after work, and I took the opportunity to ask for help with Junpei.

He didn't like the situation. "It sounds like he resolved into a Shadow." He told me.

A what?

Apparently Persona's are Shadows that the user has taken control of. It is extremely rare, until S.E.E.S., to awaken to your Persona's power without demonic intervention, almost unheard of in fact. That said, all of the cases involved an extreme desire to live and do something, and Resolution takes that even further. Mostly, Resolution involves a new, stronger desire to live life, but in Junpei's case, he grew a desire to kill and die. He doesn't care anymore about living, as long as he can take revenge first.

"There ya are, kid." Mutatsu told me as he sat down on the bar next to me. "Been lookin' fer you." He leaned forward to look at Naoya. "Mind if I borrow him for a second?" He asked.

"Go right ahead." Naoya replied, focusing on his drink while I turned to Mutatsu.

"Thanks." Mutatsu told him before focusing his attention on me. "Maybe this is divine guidance… The detective called me and said he found my wife and son…"

"That's great!" I replied.

Mutatsu smiled. "He said they're runnin' a small restaurant. I guess it's pretty popular. My son's married, and his wife's pregnant… That makes me feel so old." Me too, for some reason. "I decided I'd leave after I saw you. So… I'll be goin' tonight."

So soon? "I won't be back until they've forgiven me." Mutatsu decided. "I'll get down on my knees if I hafta. And if my son wants to sock me in the face, well, that's fine too." He looked down. "I-I've been thinkin' about what I'm gonna say to my wife… even though I'm not so good with words…" He looked up with determination. "I'm gonna say, 'I wanna recite the sutras with you by my side, for the rest of my life.'"  
Mutatsu looked at me expectantly "Well?" He asked. "How's that sound?"

"Too corny." I replied with a smile. "Do over."

"You don't know nothin'!" Mutatsu replied, trying to be angry despite his grin. "She's gonna burst into tears when she hears that!" Mutatsu put down his cigar. "Even though I'm a monk. I'm still attached to my family… I guess I'm a 'worldly' monk, eh?" He asked. "But, I finally faced the fact that I was drinkin' to hide my true feelings. I feel so free now. Tch." He grunted. "It's all your fault, kid."

I felt Naoya's attention spark up behind me. "You reminded me of my son." Mutatsu explained. "Maybe Buddha sent you to help me… I gotta admit, I believe in fate." Mutatsu smiled. "If I hadn't met you, I'd never have seen my family ever again. I owe ya, kid…"

**SMASH**

_Thou art I… And I art thou…_

_The bond thou hast nurtured hath finally matured…_

_The innermost power of the Tower Arcana hath been set free…_

_We bestow upon thee the ability to create Chi You, the ultimate form of the Tower Arcana…_

_This bond shall never be broken… even as you discard the opportunity he now grasps…_

Wait, what?

That's ominously foreboding.

"Here, take this…" Mutatsu told me as he offered me something from his pocket. "It's a goodbye gift."

I took the piece of paper from his hand. It was a reserve tag. "When you mix Cointreau with white rum, lemon juice, and ice… You get a cocktail called 'XYZ'." Mutatsu explained. "Movies and manga often use the initials 'XYZ' to symbolize the end of something. But, I think of XYZ as the best. Plus, it tastes sooo good goin' down." Mutatsu laughed as he stood up. "I'll be prayin' that your future is XYZ… So long, kid."

With that, he left. Another day, another person gone from my life.

"So, is that a social link?" Naoya asked.

"Huh, Oh, yeah." I replied, swivelling to face him. "I just maxed that one out right there and then."

Naoya nodded. "I know how to save your friend."

* * *

I didn't want to act on Naoya's plan just yet, partly because of the fortune telling I just got.

_The answer and the secret to life are passed on, one life to the next… Two lights now pierce through the shadow… The hour draws near… How do you fare..?_

I'm pretty sure that that has something to do with Icarus and Junpei, what with Chidori doing her crazy voodoo magic, so until I figure that out, Junpei's breathing out of a tube.

* * *

That night, I had an erotic dream involving Succubus and Lilim. Since I didn't want to lose my soul, it was pretty much Shirakawa boulevard all over again.

When I woke up, I had a cold shower and headed back off to work. Having all these Personae at once was more trouble than it was worth.

But what was fun was the bigass flag I hung outside the staff entrance to the office.

_Ryoji Mochizuki, you have just lost The Game._

Own.

* * *

Of course, I should have known better than to think that I'd won. I found out just who won when I went to the supplies closet to grab the hoover after my meeting with Hiroto Shibuya, the current CEO of Shibuya Corp. after his dad got kicked out (He's a rather messy eater).

… "Ryoji, what are you doing?"

Gotta hand it to him, saluting in the circumstances took some balls. "Keeping the British end up, sir."

"Up inside Miu-san, I assume?"

"Yes sir!"

I sighed. "Hand me the hoover and get back to work after you've finished."

Ender of all life my backside.

* * *

Ryoji went to another place of work the next day, Thursday, so while I was doing work here, he was doing women elsewhere.

To think, he was only ten last month.

* * *

"Perfect timing." Tanaka told me as I came into his office that Friday. "I'm actually waiting for the volunteer I told you about… I've decided to make a donation."

"Gasp, really?" I asked. I'd actually seen that woman a few times around the office lately, so I'm not that surprised.

"She's raising money to help orphans in Uganda." Tanaka explained. "I don't look at it as a donation so much as an investment. Let me explain…" He went on, ignoring my lack of surprise. "Children who learn to cope with adversity are more likely to become rich and famous, like me. I'm thinking of donating ten million yen. Not a corporate donation, but a private one." He stole my idea. "When I told them over the phone, they sent me this."

He handed me a letter, which summed up to 'Thank You'.

"I received it the very next day." Tanaka told me. "Now, I can't back out… ten million yen is nothing to me, though. Once those children grow up and become successful, I'll introduce myself to them." He lied. "I'll say, 'I'm the one who made all this possible!' Then, I'll be well taken care of in my old age!" He knows that that is never going to happen; he just doesn't want to spoil his image. "This idea probably would not have occurred to me if it wasn't for our conversations… By talking to you, I seem to have developed an interest in watching others mature… I thank you for that." He swivelled in his chair. "Actually, I should be thanking myself for wisely noticing this."

I nodded. "You're welcome."

**SMASH**

_Thou art I… And I am thou…_

_The bond thou hast nurtured hat finally matured…_

_The innermost power of the Devil Arcana hath been set free…_

_We bestow upon thee the ability to create Beelzebub, the ultimate form of the Devil Arcana…_

_This bond shall never be broken… even as the chains of greed remain steadfast…_

So he's still the Scrooge McDuck we all know and love. Wouldn't want it any other way.

"You can keep that letter." Tanaka told me. "I worked myself to the bone to earn that money, and all I get in return is a piece of paper?" He scoffed. "Tootaloo, my dear boy, I've got a hot date waiting for me outside."

I took that as my cue to visit Junpei.

* * *

I left the office pretty late that evening, and the train was crammed with people so I decided to walk to the hospital.

That took a while too, and by the time I was outside, it was the Dark Hour.

And it's surprisingly warm for late November…

"…Bastard…"

_**SWITCH TO HELL BIKER AND DUCK!!**_

I did and turned around to see Junpei staggering to regain his balance after his missed sword swing.

He was steaming.

"…Why didn't you save her..?" He asked.

"Junpei, you need to rest!" I told him, Bringing Surtr up to the front of my mind while keeping Hell Biker on me to keep any more hyper fire away from me. "You're gonna die like this."

"…Like Chidori did..?" He asked, steam rising from his cheeks as his tears boiled. "So what? You're gonna save me?"

"I'm gonna try." I told him, knowing straight away that that was the wrong thing to say.

"SO WHY DIDN'T YOU SAVE HER!!" He cried, charging in a burst of flame that I barely managed to dodge.

Hell, I think I was repelled by him…

"You got shot in the head and lived…" Junpei growled. "You always have a solution… you can do anything…" A tear actually hit the ground before turning into steam. "So why…"

"Why did you?" I asked, knowing that this was gonna piss him off.

"BECAUSE I LOVED HER!!"

"THAT'S WHY SHE SAVED YOU!!"

_DODGE FOOL!!_

I didn't, but took the flame attack head on, blocking the Balmung with the Laevateinn. It still burned to even be near Junpei when he was like this, but I will do this.

Hell, his tears are starting to melt his face… this is disgusting…

"Chidori's Persona was Medea." I told him. "Do you know what that means!?"

"IT MEANS SHE'S DEAD!!" Junpei screamed, losing grip on the Balmung as he fell to his knees.

I turned Laevateinn's flames down and took a deep breath as the air cooled down. "Medea was the daughter of a Greek king." I explained to him. "When Jason and the Argonauts arrived on their island to retrieve the Golden Fleece, Medea fell in love with him."

Junpei then looked up at me, now interested. "Medea then betrayed her father to help Jason, and then ran away with him and bore his children." I knelt down opposite him. "Chidori isn't Medea, but you can damn well see the symbolism."

Junpei sobbed, then grabbed the Balmung. "What does that have to do with anything?" He asked quietly.

"Hermes took Orpheus's wife to the underworld, after he went to the very depths of hell to save her." I told Junpei, getting back to my own feet. "Polydeuces and Castor were brothers, one mortal, and the other immortal. Both were born from Nemesis." Junpei was getting to his feet, so I got into a battle stance, just in case. "Our Personae follow parallel with our lives in many cases, but we are not our Personae. We are better than them."

"ICARUS FITS ME!!" Junpei screamed, disappearing in a burst of flame. "WE'RE BOTH FAILURES!! I COULDN'T PROTECT HER!!"

"YOU DID!!" I shouted. "THEN SHE CHOSE TO PROTECT YOU!!"

"YOU DON'T KNOW SHIT!!"

"I KNOW THAT JASON BETRAYED MEDEA!!" I shouted. "ARE YOU GONNA BETRAY CHIDORI!?"

A pillar of fire lashed out and struck me in the chest, forcing me back against the nearest brick wall. "I'D NEVER DO THAT TO HER!!" Junpei roared as his hands materialised around my throat in hate.

"Then… why… are you..?" I choked.

The fire immediately stopped and Junpei dropped me. "What did you just say?" He asked, starting to choke on his own tears.

"She gave her life to" COUGH "Save yours…" I told him, forcing myself up. "So you letting yourself die like this… you're just throwing it into her face…"

"You're just saying that." Junpei growled as he kicked me in the ribs. Hard. "You just want me to forget her and fight for you in your little army."

"Dude, Koromaru's more useful than you." I laughed, rolling out of the way of his next stamp. "Now that you say it, you actually _are_ useless."

I had to move quickly to save myself from being melted there. "Think about it." I reasoned, getting to my feet several feet away from him. "You can't pass an exam, you can't protect the woman you love, you can't even die for her." I laughed, trying my damned hardest into goading him. "Hell, the only thing you're good for is hitting things, and you can't even do that right."

He hit me. Hard. So hard I went forty feet into the air.

He did that right.

"Weak!" I shouted. "Barely felt it!"

He flew up to face me with wings of fire, so I summoned the Laevateinn to block his sword and use him to stop myself from falling to my death. "Fail." I stated as I blocked another sword blow. "Fail." I mocked as I parried. "Fail." I taunted as I deflected his sword swing.

"Epic Fail." I laughed as I stepped onto his sword blade before kicking him in the jaw, then falling the last ten feet to the ground before break falling. Junpei didn't get that chance.

I cast a quick Bufudyne onto my feet to save my shoes, then readied myself as Junpei got back up. "Back for more, Stupei?" I asked mockingly. This approach was working for some reason.

"WHO'S A FAILURE!!" He roared, tossing the sword aide and began swinging wildly for me. His moves were far too easy to read and I was dodging them like water balloons.

"Come on, stop trying to hit me and hit me." I demanded, switching to Norn and launching a Panta Rhei into his face, sending him flying.

Wow, that really shouldn't have done that much to him.

* * *

Once I reached his crater, Junpei was sobbing to himself. "Why do you hate yourself so much?" I asked him.

"Because I can't do Jack Shit!" He shouted in despair.

"No one can do Jack Shit, he doesn't exist." That got an odd look from Junpei, and I mentally smacked myself around the head. "Look, The point is, Chidori clearly loved you." I told him. "She loved you enough to die for you. The least you can do is live for her."

"You don't know how I feel."

"No I don't." I replied firmly. "But you know how I felt when the woman I loved tried to kill me."

"You've had a fun life." Junpei groaned, curling up in the foetal position.

"No I haven't." I barked. "I've had a horrible life! Just before my seventh birthday, mom and dad die, granddad fakes his and my sisters death because he doesn't want me, and I go to a foreign country where it's cold and windy and rains all the bloody time and someone tries to stab me on the way to school because I freak him out. At this point, I'm eight." I knelt down opposite him. "I've got brain damage, so I have to fake every singly facial expression, even pain. I was fighting armed opponents before I could ride a bike. Every day, at the end of school, everyone turned to coffins and the world starts bleeding. I had nightmares about tearing people to pieces with my bear hands for six years after mom and dad died. I've killed people in self defence. I've had to kill people in cold blood before they could hurt anyone else. _Then! _I come here! And all this happens!" I shouted. "You think I'm so great!?" I shouted. "I barely cope! You have no right to say you can't do this. YOU! HAVE! NO! RIGHT!!" I shouted, picking him up by the scruff of his neck and held him above me as my hands started to burn.

I dropped him as a burning teardrop landed in my eye. "She gave her life for you" I told him, casting Diarahan on myself silently. "And more than that, she gave her Persona for you. You see your hand healing?" I asked him as the melting flesh restored. "That's Chidori doing that. She's telling you not to die, not to give up." I squatted down to face him in the eye. "So why the bloody hell do you keep going against her if you love her so much?"

**FWOOSH**

I was thrown back by the pillar of fire that was once Junpei.

_The resolution in thine heart hast granted rise of thine Persona…_

Oh thank goodness. I didn't know just how much more of that I could take.

_Icarus hast given rise to Trismegistus. _

His new Persona looked like a far greater version of Hermes, only red instead of blue. "You understand that name, Junpei?" I asked him as the fire faded with his new Persona. "It means 'Thrice-great'."

"Shut yer yappin…" Junpei moaned. "I wanna go home."

I smiled. "Sure man. I'll carry you."

He laughed. "Man, this is pathetic…"

"Too bloody right." I grunted as I heaved him onto my back. "Don't let it happen again."

Then I fell over. Looks like Junpei's not the only pathetic one around here.

* * *

Thankfully, Fuuka felt the fight take place and everyone came to carry us home. I was absolutely knackered, as was Junpei, but his temperature was fine now.

And bloody hell can his new Persona pack a punch. He might be able to go toe to toe with Shinji now…

* * *

Next day, Mitsuru collared me after school and dragged me down to Wild Duck Burger to explain the events of last night.

She soon became distracted once we sat down with our meals. "Interesting… So this is what it looks like inside…" She commented. "It's surprisingly small…"

"Here is your Peta-wac set, sir." Grunted the waitress as she dumped the ten-foot tall burger tower onto my table. "And here are your fries and your shake."

"Thanks." I told her, hugging the oversized cup to pull it close enough for me to drink it.

"Y-you're actually going to eat all of that..?" Mitsuru asked in horror, comparing my burger to her single wac burger.

"I assumed it'd be bigger." I sighed. "I mean, Peta does insinuate a quadrillion."

"You must be mad…" Mitsuru gasped as I began demolishing the monolith of meat.

"Is this your first time here?" I asked her as I stood up onto my chair to bite it better.

"Well, technically, yes." Mitsuru admitted I bit into the burger side-on. "But, I did pass by here once with Akihiko... So, I understand that you don't eat with utensils here. I must admit that I'm not very familiar with fast food etiquette. I was taken back by the way the customers ate their food. It seems so…" She picked up her burger gingerly. "Primitive."

"You sound like such a snob." I told her as I reached down for a napkin. "Look at me! I am eating like a squirrel here!"

She laughed. "You are rather showing yourself up." She bit into her burger happily. "So how do you intend to eat that?"

"Eventually." I replied, turning the tray so I could get a better angle.

Mitsuru laughed. "I'm glad you're here with me." She said, then realised how little I had paid for my Peta-wac. "How is it profitable to sell these items at such a low price..? I'd be interested to know the average cost per unit…"

"Don't." I told her as I removed a piece of bone from my teeth. "The less you know about this place, the better." I examined it. "Does this look human to you?" I asked.

"No, but I see what you mean." Mitsuru replied. "I want to express my personal thanks to you." She told me.

I slid down and pushed the toppling tower to one side as I attacked the chips. "How so?" I asked.

"We are all facing a trial, in the true sense of the term." Mitsuru explained. "And we've made it this far because we've been blessed with each other. I admit that I've been hard on you, much more so than the others. But I just wanted you to know… I appreciate your contribution."

**SMASH**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Empress Arcana…_

"Your welcome." I replied. "And thanks for keeping me in line."

She laughed, so all was well.

* * *

I eventually finished the burger, so I got my picture taken and hung on the wall next to Ryoji. The bugger beat me to it.

Mitsuru and I went to the hospital to pick up Chidori's effects before going home while I explained Junpei's condition. She had mixed feelings about it.

Anyway, when we got home, everyone was in the dining room (The table behind the lounge) trying to cheer Junpei up. He wasn't suicidal anymore, but we were missing our lovable little scamp.

"Cheer up, idiot…" Shinji sighed, lounging on the bar.

"Yeah… So, whaddya want?" Junpei asked miserably.

Mitsuru, having had enough of his justified patheticness, slid Chidori's second notebook across the table towards him. "This is yours." She told him. "They were going through her items when they found that."

"I know I have to snap out of this, but it's just so hard…" Junpei replied.

"You should take a look at it." I told him.

"Hey, Junpei, can I take a look?" Yukari asked Junpei, since he answered me with silence.

"You wouldn't be able to understand her drawings anyway…" Junpei sighed as Yukari opened the book to the front page.

"Wait, is this..?" She asked.

"Wow, it's really good…" Fuuka added.

"This is amazing…" Yukari stated as she handed Junpei the book. "Who wouldn't be able to understand it?"

"It's a detailed portrait of Junpei-san." Aigis told a gobsmacked Junpei, who fell to his knees with his head on it, crying for her. Kenjamin and Koromaru came over to comfort him.

Junpei stood back up. "It's like she's telling me to stop moping around…" He stated with determination, then turned to me and offered his hand. "I promise to fight to get rid of the Dark Hour." He said. "And, I'm sorry for all the times I snapped at you… It still bothers me a little… But, I want you to know that I'm counting on your abilities."

"I'm counting on yours." I replied, shaking his hand.

**SMASH**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Fool Arcana…_

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

Alright, that didn't turn out as epic as I intended, but hey. Good enough.

The Peta-wac was much bigger than ten feet in the Persona 3 Manga. I made it more realistic.

The Game is a game we play in England, where the only rule is that you musn't think about The Game. If you do, you lose.

Remember to vote in the reviews for a Chidori revival, or side story involving Fuuka and Yukiko in the sequel.

And much epic shall happen in the next chapter. Oh, so much epic.

Interesting Tidbit. Remember that time Minato took Junpei out training for their first mission to Tartarus? That was Chapter 8. Chapter 80, Minato helped Junpei come to terms with Chidori's death. I meant for that to end up like a brawl, kinda like when you maxed out the Magician social link in P4, only with Personae. Ah well, I'll just do that with Ryoji next chapter.

Another interesting fact, this is my longest chapter to date. That should make up for the shortness of 79.


	81. Chapter 81

NEW CHAPTER TIME!

First off, glad to see that The Game is popular around the world. Now for reviews.

Have a Little Feith, the purpose of The Game is to make the other person remember The Game. It's just one of those random games that people play, like Minipunch, or the circle game. It wasn't a reference.

NightmareSyndrom, Minato taught those classes while sleeping. Hey, if he can visit the Velvet Room in his dreams, why not the Warp, right?

Slicerness, That was a James Bond reference. Ryoji was doing what Bond was doing when they said the line, and there's more innuendo.

Heraklinos, that was epic foreshadowing that is a huge spoiler. I defy you to interpret its meaning. And Heaven is going to battle against the Jackish Republic. There's a difference.

Derek Barona, the side story involving Fuuka and Yukiko would revolve around Junpei. Just so you know. He will be getting the love one way or another.

AthanMortis, I may have exaggerated England for the purpose of the story. Also, Minato attracts trouble.  
NeoJack's look a lot like Atlus cosplayers now that you mention it. Only most of them aren't geeks.  
As for Victor, I'll see what I can do.  
P4 pairings, I'm definitely putting Souji and Naoto together. Too much hilarity there to pass up. The only other pairing I've decided on is Yosuke and Chie, since that seems fairly common. As for Kanji's sexuality, I'll be taking up the same stance as Atlus did.  
I want to play Devil Survivor, but haven't bought it yet. My mate has, so hopefully I'll manage to talk him into lending it to me while I steal my brothers DS for a week.  
As for The Doctor as a Persona… I wouldn't call someone who commits genocide on a regular basis a pacifist.

TenshiReike, I'm not sure if you know this, but in FES there was a side-quest you could do that made Chidori come back to life half way through January. However, according to The Answer, that wasn't canon, so that's why I put the question out there.

Not-Going-To-Tell, thanks for that. Do you think you could review my Time Paradox story? The style is very similar to this one, only much funnier and less sueish, so I think you'll enjoy that.

The three references were:  
Lonely Island = Who said we're wack?  
Rock Paper Cynic = Meteor with the words 'You just remembered The Game'  
Endurace Run = Ghoul.

One last thing before I start the chapter. YOU ALL JUST LOST THE GAME.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

Next day was another rare Sunday in which I had the day off, so I decided to spend it with Akinari.

I knew something was wrong the second I got there. He had minutes left.

"I've been waiting…" Akinari said calmly. "I finished my story and wanted to show it to you…"

I walked over to him and sat down. Is this Dying Strength?

"As you know, I was having a lot of trouble with the ending…" Akinari told me. "But I finally figured it out. Since the alligator ate his friend the bird, he cried and cried for a very long time. In fact, he was so sad… that he drowned in his own tears."

Whoa, heavy. "His tears became a beautiful lake, around which grew beautiful flowers and a tree with delicious fruit." Akinari continued. "The other animals in the forest came there often to relax… But, none of them knew the alligator had created it or that he was gone. The end… "That's the ending I decided on." Akinari told me. "Even though the alligator did not find meaning in his life, the residents of the forest did. They just didn't realize it… Because… the meaning of my life is not something I should worry about."

Wait, what? "It's really what others think of my life or what I was able to do for them." Akinari explained. "So… for me, or you, or anyone… the meaning of our lives is something that we make but don't see." You mean like a coffin? "People can't survive without help from others… We all depend on one another. I don't know if that made sense, but… Do you kind of get what I'm saying?" He asked me.

Sadly, "I do."

Akinari smiled and stood up. "I'm glad." He told me as I stood up as well. "This is the notebook…" He told me as he handed me it. "I wrote my story inside. It's all I have to leave behind." I wordlessly put it inside my satchel as he continued. "I want you to have something… since you shared my last moments."

His body began to shake slightly. "My… body feels lighter…" He told me. "Thank you for everything… Coming to see me, talking… even discussing the meaning of life… I…" He started to cry as he offere

d me his hand to shake it. "I can be glad that I was born…"

Screw shaking, I grabbed his wrist and pulled him into a hug.

**SMASH**

This is gonna hurt.

_Thou art I… And I art thou…_

_The bond thou hast nurtured hath finally matured…_

_The innermost power of the Sun Arcana hath been set free…_

_We bestow upon thee the ability to create Amaterasu, the ultimate form of the Sun Arcana…_

_This bond shall never be broken… even by the veil of mortality…_

No… No no no NO!

"Thank you…" Akinari gasped with his last breath before going limp, all of his weight falling onto me.

No, no NO! NO! I WILL NOT LET THIS HAPPEN!!

I grabbed him and began running, charging Recarm's into him the best I could as I headed for the hospital faster than I could.

Come on, don't die on me don't die on me DON'T DIE!!

* * *

'Course, I knew it was already too late back at the shrine. I just didn't want to have to face it.

Face the fact that there was nothing I could do to save him.

His mother thanked me though. She said that Akinari had often spoke about me, and that I brought light back into his life. In offered to give her his notebook, but she declined, saying that she'd rather hear the story from Akinari himself.

I then asked her if I could come to the funeral, and she said that she'd be honoured if I could come. It was going to be held next Friday, the fourth of December. After that, she left, and I envied her that she had the decency to cry.

"Well, well, what do we have here?"

I stopped, then turned to face that voice. Adachi was there with his right arm in a thick cast and sling, wearing a blue suit and a red tie to match his rape-face.

Fool Arcana.

"I heard your buddy kicked the can." He taunted. "That must suck. You do go through them like cabbages though. I mean, come on!" He laughed. "First that Yamagishi girl, then the Sanada kid, Then Ikutsuki, and now this guy? Granted, Fuuka turned out okay, but you gotta laugh at your luck! Come to think of it… Didn't your mommy and daddy die too?" He asked.

"Plus my Granddad, Sister, and some kids at the Orphanage I stayed at." I explained.

"What, seriously!?" He laughed. "That's hysterical! And You killed your friend in England?" He asked.

"That was different." I barked. "Self Defence."

"Oh, I'm sure he deserved it." Adachi sneered. "In fact, I'm sure they all did."

"Akihiko died a hero." I snarled through gritted teeth. "And Akinari was dying from the day he was born."

"So that Ikutsuki was a psycho then." Adachi nodded. "I thought as much. Guy was always two crackers short of a biscuit."

Wait, what? "What's that supposed to mean?" I asked.

"Oh, I mean he was just like us." Adachi said, his voice different now than he was before today. "I mean, he didn't have the Wild Card, but he was special in his own way." Higher, more aloof.

Wait, Wild Card? "You mean the power to change Arcana?" I asked.

"I'm talking about this." Adachi laughed, summoning a Persona with a smash of a card. The Persona stood there, hidden inside a black, bloodstained coat and a black, crooked top hat. One arm was visible from the side, with silver metal claws strapped to its black fingers, shining as blood ran down them, dripping onto the floor.

_That's Ripper, Hee Ho. He's the most evil of all Jack's._

Jack the Ripper. The brutal murderer who targeted women and was never caught. That is too fitting for my liking.

"So come on." Adachi taunted. "Let's see yours."

I glared at him and crushed the car to summon Tsukuru Izanagi. Don't want to whip out my Evoker in front of a cop.

"Wow, that looks very nice." Adachi complimented as he clapped his cast. "Only that's not your real one, is it?" He asked.

What? "That's fine." Adachi shrugged. "I didn't exactly show you my real one either. Kinda useless to keep it around after a while, isn't it?" He asked. "But hey, it's not like it wasn't helpful or anything." He shrugged. "In fact, it kinda saved my ass back in St. Hermelin when I first got it."

Alright, what? "Is that something I should know about?" Wait, I do know about that… Naoya and Kei went to that school and it got overrun with demons… oh crap.

"Not particularly." Adachi replied politely. "Anyway, this has been nice, but I just wanted to say goodbye."

"Goodbye?" I asked, before hearing the click of the silenced magnum held in his left hand and pointed at my head.

"Thanks to your little hero moment back there, I got transferred out to no man's land." Adachi scowled, seriously considering blowing my head off. "All the work I did… all my brilliance as a detective… _Wasted_ because of _you_." He laughed pleasantly. "But that's fine." He said. "I couldn't possibly shoot you with my arm like this. It's not as if I'm ambidextrous… oh wait…" He laughed. "I AM!"

"They'll match the bullet to your gun." I told him.

"Not my gun." Adachi sneered. "Whaddya gonna do now hero?" He laughed.

Time to whip out the Evoker. "Make life a lot easier for you." I told him, pointing the gun at my own head.

He fired, and the bullet hit my chest. "Not a chance! You think I'm some kinda idiot!?" He snarled as I fell, walking up to me and kicking the gun out of my hand. "Why'd you think I put the silencer on?" He asked, then glanced at the Evoker and laughed. "Oh I see… you can't summon all of your Persona's with your card… you gotta get shot in the head…" He laughed maniacally as he stood on my bleeding torso and bent over me, leaning on his broken arm. "You're harmless without it!"

I forced my two arms up to shove the two Desert Eagles I got from Granddad into his face. "I've got my tricks." I told him before firing.

Adachi collapsed into a cloud of smoke before re-appearing at the end of the hallway. "Nicely done!" He applauded dully. "But I'm not some idiot who'd just gloat over you. You're dangerous."

I switched to Daisoujou and cast Diarahan on myself. "Glad you noticed." I said.

"Oh, I'm not talking about killing things." Adachi replied. "You were the first person to ever catch me copping a feel on the train. In fact, you're the first person to ever dish out any consequence for my actions whatsoever!" He added. "Hell, this arm is gonna take another five months to heal according to the doctors, and after that, I'm getting shipped out to the boonies." He scowled again. "I'm sure you've gotten away with blue murder too!"

"I thought it was simply my own brilliance that got me out of those." And Lucifer's help.

"Yeah, and where do you think that comes from?" Adachi asked. "What, you thought you had a guardian angel or something?" Adachi laughed. "We don't need them! We can worm our way out of anything and into any one we want! We can do anything, us Fools!" He laughed again. "Hell, you are the only thing in this world that has a chance of stopping me from getting what I want."

"Let me guess, world domination?" I asked.

"Why would I want that?" Adachi asked in return. "What could I gain that isn't already mine? No, I just want the fun." He shrugged happily with a psycho grin. "Solving crimes, picking up school girls, it's a challenge. Me against the world, and that's just how I like it."

"Same here." I smiled. "It's like you're a psycho version of me, only not as good."

Adachi chuckled. "Ooooh, that hurt. But not as much as this though."

Huh? Something grabbed my arms from behind and twisted.

**CRACK**

"_**AAAARRRGGHHH!!!!**_"

"You seriously never did that?" Adachi asked. "Man, talk about amateur!"

I looked up from the ground to see the Persona Archangel looming over me before fading. "H-how..?" I asked, forcing myself onto my knees with my unbroken left arm.

"Come on, you never focused your Persona to give it a longer existence?" Adachi asked. "How do you think I survived getting shot in the face?"

"You summoned a shape shifting Persona…" I grunted, gritting my teeth as I snapped my bones back into place before healing myself again.

"Fetch." Adachi smiled. "Irish Doppelganger. I had it copy my appearance and I controlled it." He picked up his Persona's weapon. "It's amazing what these things can do once you learn how to use them."

I picked up my guns and stood to my feet, only my hands were stuck on the floor. I checked them against the mirror in the corner, and the guns- and my fingers, had turned to stone.

Adachi found it hilarious. "Come on! You actually fell for that!" He kicked me in the jaw and I collapsed. "Did you seriously not consider the chance that I had a Medusa hiding in the corner?" He asked. "Idiot!"

I pushed myself up and donkey-kicked him in the face. "Shut it!" I shouted, before switching to Cu Chulainn and tearing my own hands off with his strength.

"Ouch." Adachi sneered, wiping blood from his face as I switched to Norn. "Now what?"

Thankfully, my gambit worked and my fingers began to reform. It'd be a minute or so before I could fight, but it'd have to do.

As for his question, I had the perfect answer. "WHAT THE HELL IS THAT!?" I shouted, knowing full well that he wasn't going to turn to face it.

Unfortunately, he ducked the sledgehammer that was flying at him from behind, but it gave me a chance to leg it.

* * *

Once my fingers grew back, I realised I was in trouble. See, I couldn't open any of the doors or windows, nor break them down. None of the phones were working, and there was no-one to be seen. This hospital be trippin' balls.

The scary part? This guy's owning my arse and had yet to use a Persona stronger than level twenty. Igor has a ranking system of some sort about the strength of Personae against my own strength, and I'm only level sixty-nine in his book. I should be ripping this Adachi prick apart!

I heard Adachi's laugh from down the corridor around the corner. "Come on, Minato-kun!" He laughed. "I'm sure you've figured out that there's no-where to run now that you're in my Sekai Rei."

Soul World. Now why the hell did I hear that in Japanese?

_My name is Forneus, and Sekai Rei is a demonic term for an area that temporarily enters The Warp under the dominion of a single human soul._

That's great, now can someone explain it in English?

_Ose. That guy's basically made this section of the hospital his bitch. _

Thank you for putting it so eloquently so I know just how much crap I'm in. How do I get out.

_Smash his face in._

Thanks Ose. Very helpful.

_Why not? Dude, I'm Nata Taishi and you could destroy him with _my_ power. You've got GOD'S for Pete's sake! Just put Thor in charge and crush the fool!_

Alright then…

* * *

I charged around the corner with Mjolnir in hand, screaming my war cry as Adachi shat himself.

Or at least he was supposed to. Normal people don't explode in a cloud of crows.

_That's a Persona! He's behind you!_

I twisted around to throw the Warhammer as hard as Thor could, but I missed by loads as a Hellhound charged for me, biting my shoulder as it tackled me to the ground.

"Come on! You can do better than that!" He laughed as the demonic rottweiler gnawed my collar bone. "Whoops!" He whistled, deftly dodging the returning hammer. "Almost got me there."

Thankfully, the hammer did destroy the Hellhound, so I twisted up to donkeykick his jaw, but he grabbed my ankle. I then pulled myself up to punch his head in, but my shoulder hurt too much for me to get further than my waist, and I fell back onto the floor. "Pathetic!" Adachi joked, firing a bullet into my skull.

Perfect. Thanatos took this opportunity to screech down the corridor and force him against the wall. I don't remember switching to him, but cracking my head open probably did it.

"What the hell is this!?" Adachi shouted, flailing against the wall in Thanatos's powerful grip.

"That my friend, is Death." I told him as I held out and open palm against him, before focusing my mind into Thanatos. I closed my eyes, then opened them as Thanatos.

I'm Projecting.

Excellent.

I saw my body charge forward and jump for Adachi, but it didn't get very far with my injuries. I instead launched a Die For Me! down his throat, knocking him out instantly.

The world shattered, and I found myself in a lonely hospital corridor with an unconscious Adachi. I saw an orderly wheel a trolley past the end of the hall, so I knew I was back.

Killing this Psycho isn't an option here. Too many witnesses and no way to hide the body.

Instead, I healed my wounds with my Persona's skills, then confiscated Adachi's gun, making a point to hand it in at the front desk, making up a story about how a police officer just got Apathy Syndrome on the third floor and how I didn't want anyone taking his weapon. Got a few brownie points for that from the nurses.

Other than that, I had two choices: Go find something to do, or go sleep.

…

Screw you guys, I'm going home.

* * *

"Oh, hey." Yukari greeted me when I stumbled into the dorm. "The full moon's almost here. No Shadows have appeared yet, but I'm still worried."

"I'm sure it'll be fine." I murmured. "I'm off to bed."

"Oh, that reminds me…" Yukari added, leaning over the couch. "Ryoji-kun's here again. He's visiting Junpei." What do you mean, 'again'? "Junpei's still pretty down… so I'm glad he has a good friend like Ryoji-kun."

Ryoji is not a good friend. He's a freaking awful friend who laughs at your failures and constantly puts you down, but I love him to bits. Absolute douchebag, but I miss having the little bugger around for some inexplicable reason.

_Because he was easier to keep track of than we are?_

Probably, or something like that. Orpheus keeps quiet, doesn't he?

_He's the most like you. He has nothing to say._

Right… who are you again?

_I am Oberon, the ruler of the-_

Yeah, that's great. Can you help me get to sleep?

_Well, that is one of my abilities, but-_

Great. Let me get into my PJ's and knock me out.

* * *

Next day, I hung out with Mitsuru down at Iwatodai station. I'm surprised that I recovered from Akinari's death so quickly, but fighting for my life yesterday really helped out. Though, if Adachi didn't decide to shoot me in the head, I'd have been screwed.

"Interesting… So, 'takoyaki' doesn't consist of an entire octopus, only a small portion." Mitsuru commented as we cued outside the takoyaki stand. "Well, it makes sense… An entire octopus would be too much food for one person." She sighed. "Sometimes I'm amazed at my ignorance of the world…"

Speaking of ignorance of the world… "Can you treat me?" I asked Mitsuru. "I forgot my wallet."

"I will have one takoyaki, please." Mitsuru told he vendor.

"So, no?"

"What?" Mitsuru asked in surprise. "Takoyaki isn't sold in individual pieces? So, I can buy a dozen at this price!?"

I'm having Déjà vu here. I'm sure Elizabeth said something similar at the summer festival…

* * *

I ended up having to charm myself a free box of takoyaki from 'Cheeks'll Fall Off' Debbie, despite the fact that eating her takoyaki would be potentially more life threatening than the Peta-Wac.

It doesn't even have Octopus in it.

Not telling that to Mitsuru though. Don't want to ruin a perfectly good experience with the truth, since she seems to be enjoying her Not Octopus.

"So, it's filled with diced octopus inside. Interesting…" She said to herself before biting into the first ball. "Mmm… It tastes slightly sour… Are there other ingredients in addition to the octopus?"

OH CRAP SHE'S ONTO HER!!

"Well, whatever they may be, they taste absolutely delicious…" Mitsuru decided. "C'est tres bon!"

**SMASH**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Empress Arcana…_

Wow, that was easy.

"That reminds me of what Shinjiro was talking about when we walked past here…" Mitsuru commented. "Don't you think Shinjiro has been acting differently lately?" She asked me. "I don't mean to be rude, it's just that I've known him for such a long time… Perhaps he's just maturing finally…"

Am I about to do a double rank? "Does that make you happy?" I asked her.

"Of course that makes me happy." Mitsuru replied with some hesitation. "With all we've been through, it can be difficult to get over our pasts." She nodded to herself. "However, Shinjiro is trying to learn from his experiences. I'm very impressed by him."

She's jealous. "When I look at Shinjiro, I'm reminded of so many things about myself." Mitsuru added. "I can't explain why, though…"

Time for a little fun."Maybe you're in love?" I asked.

"In love..?" Mitsuru asked in shock. "No, it's not that. Does it appear that way to you..?" She forced a smile. "He's just a friend… or should I say, teammate… I can't seem to find the correct word to describe him. Regardless, that is the extent of our relationship."

Rats. That wasn't even a 'We're just friends!', that's a full on Straight Will And Grace. If they were any more platonic, then they'd be continents.

That's no fun.

Mitsuru sighed. "I don't even know what I'm talking about." She said. "Sorry for subjecting you to my incoherent ramblings… Please forget what I just said."

"Kay." I replied, biting into my mystery meat. It actually did taste more sour than usual.

"Thank you." Mitsuru replied, smiling. "The takoyaki was absolutely delicious. We should eat here again sometime."

She stood up to leave, but hesitated after placing her box into the bin. "Oh, and I found that contract in the command room." She turned back to face me. "May I inquire as to why I was not asked to sign?"

"You were an absolute mess." I shrugged, swallowing the mouthful I'd had in my mouth. "I never got round to bringing it to you after you got your head straight." Something had possessed me to try and identify the taste. Thank for saving my life Mitsuru.

Mitsuru nodded with a faint smile. "Regardless, I took it upon myself to sign to the agreement. I look forward to foraying into Tartarus tonight."

Fair enough. I started using the fabled Bottomless Pit Instant Swallow technique to demolish the rest of my box and walked home with Mitsuru.

* * *

"See ya later, Ryoji" Junpei called as Mitsuru and I walked into the dorm. "And hey, stop freaking out about your exams. I didn't study either."

Yukari sighed. "But then again, you never do…"

"Evening." I yawned, walking over to the party.

"Oh, hi. What's up?" Ryoji asked. "Bad timing, I gotta go." He headed for the door. "I'll see you later!"

"Bye then." I replied, turning back to everyone as Ryoji left.

"Was that Ryoji-san?" Aigis asked as she walked over to us.

"Yeah, he said he was going home." Yukari replied, getting back to her nails.

"What was he doing here?" She asked.

"He's been coming here a lot, ever since he started hanging around with Junpei." Fuuka explained.

"But, visitors aren't allowed here…" Aigis protested.

"Wait, we're not?" I asked. "I wasn't aware of that!?"

"Yeah, but Mitsuru-senpai said that it's okay during the day." Junpei replied, pointing out that Mitsuru had already gone upstairs. "And besides, who would you bring home?" He asked.

"Yo momma." I replied. It was standard.

"I don't think we need to worry about Ryoji-kun." Fuuka stated, preventing the immediate Yo Momma fight.

"He's… dangerous…" Aigis said… sadly?

"Come to think of it, he WAS hitting on Mitsuru-senpai the first time he met her." Yukari pointed out.

"He was?" Shinji asked. "But… he still has kneecaps…"

"But, having him around has really cheered up Junpei-kun." Fuuka intervened. She's pretty good at that.

"Well, it's not like moping around's gonna bring her back…" Junpei sighed. I generally stir things up. In fact, just now, I considered suggesting that it might, since his Persona has life giving skills of sorts.

_Not exactly nice, don't you think?_

That's why I kept my mouth shut, now who the hell are you?

"That's true…" Aigis nodded as Berith identified himself. "I envy you, Junpei… I'm a machine, so I cannot understand how it feels to 'live'."

"But, you don't seem that different." Junpei pointed out.

"However, it is more accurate to say that I am 'functioning' as opposed to living." Aigis argued sombrely. "There are times when I malfunction, but I can always be repaired…"

"So if we were all like you… we wouldn't have to worry about dying…" Junpei pondered before realising his lack of tact. "Uh, sorry… Hey, I don't have time to talk. I seriously gotta go study…"

WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH JUNPEI!?

"Hey, shouldn't you guys be studying too?" The imposter asked. "I heard math's gonna be a killer."

Oh, he's just matured. Phew.

"You wait until NOW to tell us that!?" Yukari shouted. "Well, I guess we should call it a night then…"

* * *

Pretty soon, Aigis and I were alone in the lounge. "I should not possess the gift of 'life'…" She stated. "A 'living' weapon is difficult to operate… However, I believe I understand the concept of loss…" She looked down. "Should you ever be harmed, I…"

"Such is the fate of weapons of war…" I sighed, quoting one of my favourite games ever. "I'll try not to let that happen."

"I'm sorry. I'm just… concerned." Aigis apologised. "You are very special to me… I do not know why, but I always want to be by your side…" Yukari might have something to say about that. "I want to protect you… I apologize for interrupting you…" She stood up. "I will leave you to your studies… Good night."

With that, she walked away, so I pulled out my maths book and started doing some practice questions.

_You forgot to carry the one._

Who is it this time?

_You may call me Scathach, and your technique is sloppy._

I suppose you could teach me to do these better.

_Indeed._

Alright then. Let's go.

* * *

Eventually Thoth, Omoikane, Forneus, Sarasvati, and even Horus helped me study for my exams. Having all these crazy-arse Personae are finally paying off.

Anyways, next day was the first of December, so uncle Amos sent me an Email asking if I was coming over for Christmas.

See, here's the thing. While in the rest of the world, Christmas is a time for the family to get together and have a good time, in Japan it's a holiday for couples. It'd be sweet as ice-cream if Yukari could come over for Christmas, but we've got school during that time.

Wait, I'm considering going to school on Christmas day just so I can spend time with Yukari in Japan?

Screw that. I'll see if I can talk her into coming over.

Anyhoo, Ryoji wasn't in school that day, so there was much rumouring afoot that day. I wasn't interested, but Mamoru called me during lunch and invited me out later, so that sounded epic.

* * *

He didn't show up. Figures.

Then I got a phone call from him. Figures. I answered it.

_\_ "Hey Minato, you there?" _\_

"Hey Mamoru." Apparently we're close enough for that… why does he sound so worried? "Where are you?"

_\_ "Sorry man, I don't think I can meet up with you today." _\_

Did I just hear a siren? "Hey, no problem." I replied, wanting to keep him calm.

_\_ "I just feel bad, since I'm the one who asked you to hang out…" _\_ Mamoru replied with relief. _\_ "But actually, my mother passed out… We're at the hospital now." _\_

What? _\_ "I guess she fainted from exhaustion, since she works from morning through the night… This is my fault!" _\_

"No it is not." I told him.

_\_ "But it's true! Look at all the trouble I cause her… What?" _\_ He sounded a bit better, but now he sounded sad. _\_ "Hey, it's my mother… she's going to leave because we can't afford the doctor's fee." _\_

What? _\_ "Dammit! Why can't I do anything!?" _\_ He shouted.

"Which hospital?" I asked.

_\_ "Hiiraga… Look, I'm sorry about today. I didn't mean to cause even more trouble." _\_

"Anything I can do to help?" I asked.

_\_ "No, it's fine." _\_ Mamoru replied. _\_ "But, at least you answered your phone. Talking kinda helped. A little." _\_

**SMASH**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Star Arcana…_

_\_ "I gotta get back to her room, so I'll talk to you later." _\_ Mamoru added, before hanging up.

I am not gonna let it hang like this. I made a phone call to the hospital and made an anonymous donation to the Hayase's bill. Ten Million yen ought to do it.

* * *

The best part of having an iPhone is that you can sell your vintage Bentley while looking for someone else to social link with. I never got to drive it much, so I really don't need it. I am, however, much closer to skint after my Persona binge and that hospital bill.

I really need to take better care of my money. Good job I've made all the payments on the Gym, or I'd be beggared.

Speaking of which, I hung out with Nozomi in Hagakure after all that. He had a very different approach to eating ramen to Kenji. It was like watching an episode of Monk.

"Is that enough appetizers?" Nozomi asked himself after about ten minutes. "Yes, waiter!" He decided, calling over the chef. "Two bowls of the usual today! .And as always, make sure one of 'em is extra large!" He then flashed something from his pocket to the guy and nodded his head to me, and the chef took my half-eaten bowl away.

"Oi!" I shouted, but then the waiter replaced it with a bowl of a different kind of ramen.

"These are Dan Dan Dan Noodles." Nozomi bragged as he got his super-sized bowl. "That's three dan's, always. Once you go dan, you don't go back again." Alright then, let me eat it. "This is the crown jewel of Hagakure's secret hidden menu." Wow, this _is_ good. "I've always considered this lightly flavoured spicy miso soup a microcosm of the miracle of creation…"

Holy hell this is freaking amazing! Best damn noodles EVAR!

"You gotta know the secret menu, right?" Nozomi laughed. "I don't know how they expect people to find out about it, though… Oh well, no point in thinking about it. What's important is that all the best stuff is hidden from normal people." He then turned to the chef. "Don't forget to keep that other bowl you took, waiter. I want to take that soup home with me." He then turned back to me. "You and I are the only two people who know his sublime taste sensation. Don't forget to blow on the noodles to cool them off." He laughed.

I think I might have misjudged this guy. I'm hanging around with him more often.

**SMASH**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Moon Arcana…_

Damn right.

"This has been a privilege, cause you got to learn a lot about me." Nozomi told me as I ordered a second bowl. "This wouldn't be possible if we were brothers, because the Gourmet King's brother cannot be the Gourmet King. So, do you 'get me'?" He asked. "Who would you say I was..?"

Easy. "You are the Gourmet King." I replied, getting some more of those Dan's.

"Ohh, you didn't have to say that." He replied, pretending to blush. "I'm generally shy.. Want some of my egg?" He offered. "I ate part of it, but it's still okay."

Before I could decline, he had a panic attack. "Oh no! I'd better start eating it before the noodle texture goes to hell!" Nozomi shouted. "Okay, no more talking! By the way, waiter! I want to save the soup in that bowl you took! Get me a take-out container!"

* * *

My car sold surprisingly fast, getting two-hundred grand for next day delivery. That's like, what, thirty million yen?

_I'd say that you have sufficient funds._

Damn right. Now when did I start thinking about money in Yen? Come on man, I'm an Englishman!

* * *

The next day was worrying, since it was the first full moon since Hanged Man, so who knows what's going down?

Thankfully, Fuuka didn't sense any foreboding like she normally did, so we might be in the clear.

Aigis, however, seemed to be cautious. "I intend to do my best to protect everyone." She told me on the way to school.

"Is something wrong?" I asked her.

"No, please do not worry." She replied, shaking her head. "I just wanted to share my feelings."

* * *

I snuck off during lunch to go meet the guy who was buying my Bentley. You're not gonna believe this, but he was a Demon user. How the hell do I find these people?

Oh, right. Fool, gotcha.

His name was Itachi Uchida, and he dared me to make the relevant joke about his name. I didn't, since he was a big guy and is buying my car.

Anyways, apparently some demonic crap went down at his school ten years ago or so, which he and his twin sister Tamaki dealt with. She ended up transferring to St. Hermelin, and we all know what happened there. (Hint: It involved demons, and Naoya duking it out against Pandora with Personae.)

I ended up getting his contact details, since I appear to be making a connection net with old Persona users and Demon Summoners. He was nice enough to give me a lift back to school so I didn't get into trouble.

* * *

Aigis left straight after school that day, and everyone except Mitsuru had stuff to do, so I invited her out to eat something, since I didn't want to spend an afternoon not doing anything.

Unfortunately, exams were coming up so she instead took me to the Library to revise. Joy.

Thankfully, I managed to worm my way into studying the next level stuff, since that was more of a challenge…

Adachi said the same thing, didn't he?

"We only have a short time to be together like this…" Mitsuru commented, breaking me out of my thoughts. "Soon, we'll be looking back nostalgically on these times…"

"Did something happen?" I asked, reading her like a book.

"I'm just tired." She replied. "There's no need for you to worry." Apparently the Book of Mitsuru is written in four different languages that I'm not quite fluent in.

"Since my father passed away… I've been faced with many difficult problems…" Almost fluent though. "My inheritance… the future of Kirijo… and the expectations of everyone involved with both… Most likely I won't be able to attend college or begin a profession." Mitsuru sighed. "I will have to find another path."

She looked up at me, with an unusually timid posture for her. "Say, Arisoto… What are your thoughts on marriage?"

If I was drinking something, I'd have done a spit take. If Pharos was here, he'd laugh his arse off.

Since all the Personae in my head were apparently munching the popcorn, I was able to reply eloquently. "It's the result of love." I told her.

Mitsuru laughed, and demons face palmed. "You're so straightforward." She replied. "However, I'm a Kirijo. I cannot simply make a decision according to my emotions. An agreement between two parties such as marriage must be carefully considered."

Regardless, she seemed happy, so my point. "My parents' marriage was arranged for strategic reasons." She told me. "But, as time passed, they slowly grew to love each other. I don't consider them unfortunate… Love comes in all different forms. Do you disagree?"

"Not at all." I replied. "But this is suspicious of you…" I leaned forward in my best Gendo pose. "Do you have a boyfriend?" I asked.

She blushed. "N-No…"

"Girlfriend then?" I asked, mentally bracing myself for a slap. It was worth it.

"Very funny." Mitsuru sighed. "I'm not very good at romantic relationships. Besides, I don't have any spare time to devote to another."

Damn, she really is no fun. "I can't believe the library is closing and we're still here." Mitsuru commented. "Talking in the library… I'm not setting a very good example as Student Council President… We should go."

**SMASH**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Empress Arcana…_

* * *

Fuuka was doing some scanning that night, so I decided that I'd do some patrolling that night, just in case.

For a full moon, there really didn't seem to be anything out of place.

Other than Aigis, who I found in her combat gear (IE, nothing), walking along the Moonlight Bridge in the distance.

Ryoji was standing there too.

Damn.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

Damn indeed.

I told you that this story was going to get hardcore. Believe me now?

Don't. The nightmare is just beginning.


	82. Chapter 82

Alright, time for more Fairly English Story.

First off, Slackerman, I'm pretty much broke since I'm too lazy to get a job other than helping out around the house to pay for my Muai Thai. And Nothing in this story will change the events of Persona 4.

Athanmortis, oh. Well, that's a valid concern.  
DevilSurvivor… hm… I'll see what I can do.  
St. Hermelin is the school in the first Persona game. Basically, some nutjob thought it'd be fun to kidnap the hero's girlfriend and shove her into a machine that turned the entire town into TV land, only with more demons. Then he thought that it'd be fun to open Pandora's box. It was fun.  
I basically try and fail to outdo Bhepin in epic with every chapter, and hopefully, one day, I'll manage it. It'll be hard, but that is my goal.  
As for Adachi, he isn't that powerful, he's just very creative and VERY clever with his power. He never had Tartarus to train his Personae, nor was he constantly in fights to gain solid combat experience. What he has is sheer ingenuity, a trait that most Demonata, especially Ameno-Sagiri, do not have.  
That's right. Having a death god inside Minato made Minato stronger, but having the god of fog inside Adachi weakened him.  
My personal theory is that without the Fool, Adachi wouldn't have been able to keep up the façade on innocence for so long, or so well. From Izanami, he gained Magatsu Izanagi, and the power to enter TV's.

Viktor Mayrin, In a few chapters, Organs will hit the fan too. Then Pandora's box will, resulting in the box getting shredded and every evil not yet unleashed upon the world will be unleashed upon the world. Look forward to it.

Derek Barona, I think I've somehow ended up doing almost all of the Social Links, due to popular demand for all of thems. I'll be doing Aeon differently after a certain point, since it happens during January, but yeah, it shall be done.  
As for getting shot in the head, it was a lazy way to end the fight, and that was my fault. I _should_ have had Minato do a fusion spell instead and continue the fight, but I got sloppy. To make up for it, expect a rematch at some point.

Nightmare Syndrom, the angels Nothing Adachi. They aren't on his side any more than they're on Seta's side. It's just they decided not to grant their powers to Minato, so Minato can't use them.

I Started The Fire, good theory, but no, Adachi isn't connected to heaven. I'll just say here that in the first draft of that fight, Adachi summoned Titan to break Minato's bones, but then I thought that it'd be more impressive if he kept to low level Personae. I honestly did not consider any of Heaven's influence in Archangel, which in hindsight, was rather thick.  
Lugh the Irish God, eh? Thanks, but I've got something down now.

Right now though, chapter time.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

First thing I did was summon Yatagarasu to fly over there so I could hear what was going on while I legged it. Surprisingly, it worked, and I was able to catch almost all of it.

"What are you doing here?" Aigis asked from Ryoji, as if she knew the answer.

"Oh, that's right. You don't really like me, do you?" Ryoji asked. "Well, to answer your question, I ended up here when I came to my senses. It's strange… The sky and the ground look so weird, and there's no one here… Something terrible has happened here, and yet I feel at peace."

Yeah. My parents died for one.

"Have you forgotten?" Aigis asked. No, no DON'T REMIND HIM!

"Forgotten what?" Ryoji asked. There's still hope for humanity yet.

"The Dark Hour-- a time period few people are active during." Aigis explained. "But you, you've somehow adapted to it… Too well for a human, in fact." DAMMIT AIGIS! Don't do this!! "Yes… It's all so clear." Aigis nodded, satisfied. "Now I understand the reason behind this feeling I sense when you're around. You are not good. You are… my enemy."

Dammit, Aigis! This is not good!

"Your enemy..?" Ryoji asked, looking away, as if in shame. "That's right…" He gasped. "On a night like tonight… the moon was full… It was long ago…"

"Yes…" Aigis prompted him. "We met once before… as adversaries."

"Who… Who am I?" Ryoji asked as I ran like all hell was breaking loose, which it was. "Who are you..?"

"I am Aigis." She replied. "The last remaining Anti-Shadow Emergency Control Weapon. A machine created to destroy Shadows."

"Created to… destroy Shadows…" Ryoji mumbled to himself.

"And you…" Aigis continued, moving into her battle stance. "Your true name is 'Death… You are the Shadow I sealed away ten years ago!"

**Oh crap.**

Ryoji put his head into his hands. "Yes… Ten years ago, the night I was born into this world… I set foot on this very bridge."

Aigis began to circle around Ryoji, as if looking for a position to attack from as she conversed with him. "The sole purpose of my existence is to destroy Shadows." She said. "For that reason I was given a personality… and a Persona."

"They said I was Death, the thirteenth Arcana that was never meant to be…" Ryoji gasped. "And I wasn't in this world for long before parts of my body escaped me, leaving me incomplete… as I was when I met you."

I suddenly remembered that night my parents died, and when I first met Aigis and Death, who became Pharos, who became Ryoji. "Even so, your strength was far greater than I anticipated." Aigis stated. "The only possible alternative was to seal you away… And as circumstance would have it, a suitable vessel was available:" Aigis stopped moving. "A human child standing nearby…"

Me.

"So I did what was necessary." Aigis finished.

"I see…" Ryoji said. "So I was confined within him, and I lead him to my twelve missing pieces without realizing it. And then…" He held his head up high, letting his hands drop. "I remember! I remember everything! It all makes sense now…" He faced Aigis. "Who, and what, I am."

Aigis charged. "PALLADION!!" She shouted, summoning her Persona to charge at full force, but it was instantly stopped by a barrier.

"Stop, don't be foolish, Aigis." Death stated in a stronger voice than Ryoji or Pharos ever used. "There's no way you can win. I'm different than before." It was closer to mine.

"A machine is created for a purpose." Aigis chanted, activating her Orgia mode. "Mine is to defeat you. I exist for nothing else."

"It doesn't have to be that way…" Death pleaded.

Then I finally reached the bridge, and I ran as fast as I could up to them as Palladion vanished and Aigis fell.

"AIGIS!!" I shouted, catching her at the last second.

"I am sorry…" She groaned, looking up at me. "I have failed. A machine is worthless if it cannot fulfil its purpose…"

"YOU HAVE WORTH!!" I shouted at her as the light in her eyes faded. "DON'T SAY YOU DON'T!!"

"I'm sorry…" She gasped. "I'm… afraid. I'm sorry…" She repeated. "I… I… remember everything… Who I am… Who 'he' is…"

"It's going to be okay." I told her, trying to heal the damage, but Dia was meant for living things.

"I know why I wanted to be by your side…" She muttered. "I'm sorry… I failed…"

"There's no need for you to apologize…" Death told Aigis as her hand fell.

Then she was gone.

I immediately set her down and undid her ribbon. I'd taken a look at her blue print, and what I was doing was tantamount to rape for her, but I had to check…

The Papillion drive where her jugular vein should be was fine, and still glowing. As long as that remained untouched, then she could be repaired.

Then a teardrop hit it.

Crap! I wiped it off with her ribbon as fast as I could and tied it around her neck quickly to keep it safe. Then I used the Eye of Terror to transport her to the Dorm.

Then I stood up and turned to face Ryoji. "So I guess you remember." I told him. "Pharos."

He nodded. "I'm the same as the beings you call Shadows." He said, before shaking his head. "No, I'm the embodiment of all Shadows... The Appriser, born from the union of the 12 Arcana." Ryoji sobbed. "I remember everything now… The frightening truth about myself… and Shadows… It's all so hard to believe…"

"What's your name now?" I asked. "What should I call you?"

"I'm the Appriser…" Ryoji repeated. "Shadows are here to facilitate the rebirth of the maternal being. She will begin to awaken as she is drawn to me… The Appriser."

"That's a title, not a name." I repeated. "I think I deserve at least that."

He looked up at me. "That's not important." He stated. "I need to warn y-"

I interrupted him with a kick to his face. "I'm your friend, aren't I!?" I demanded. "What's your name!?"

He pushed himself to his feet. "My true name is Death." He stated. "And I am the harbinger of the-"

This time I interrupted him by offering him a shortsword. "Do you honestly think I give a crap?" I asked. "You know me better than that."

Death ignored the blade. "Regardless, there's something you should know."

"Then wait until everyone's here." I told him. "While we wait, I need to get this off my chest."

He gingerly took the handle and I swung for him with a hatchet. He parried the blow upwards, and I followed it with a backflip-kick, which sent me flying from his forcefield.

I landed, skidding back, then charged as I switched to Surtr and channelled Ragnarok into my now empty hands. He reluctantly parried each of my punches with the back of his blade, and after a few failed attempts I kneed him in the chest, an attack that sent me flying.

"Please, stop!" Death begged. "It's the same with Aigis! You can't win!"

"Since when has that ever stopped me doing something bang out of order!?" I asked, summoning my Evoker and switching to Cu Chulainn, bringing Scathach to the front of my mind as well. "SHADOW HOUND!" I shouted, pulling the trigger twice as black dogs stampeded from behind me, only to collapse in front of Death's shield.

That shield is really annoying. I brought Garuda and Gurr to the front line and pulled the trigger twice. "RAKTAPAKSHA!"

Silver falcons then flew from the sky, bombarding themselves against his Death's shield, eventually shattering it.

He knew better to be surprised, and launched some black tentacles of darkness at me.

Beautiful.

I switched to Thor and pulled the trigger twice, calling the two thunder god's to strike him down with lightning in another fusion spell. More than half my SP was gone now, but I'd bought myself enough time to down a Soul, which brought me back to speed.

Speaking of speed, Death charged for me now Sonic style, slashing with his sword as I ducked back, calling a weapon for myself as I dodged as fast as fast as I could.

"Come on!" Death taunted as he cut my lightly on the shoulder. "I thought you wanted to fight!"

"ORPHEUS!!" I shouted, shooting myself twice to cast Cadenza on myself before blocking Death's sword with one of my own. He was slightly slower now, so I could get some decent distance between us before summoning the Gae Bolg and stabbing him.

He parried the spear downwards, so I forced it down and pole-vaulted over him, only for him to fly up and punch me in the gut. Thankfully, I wasn't winded much and I was able to grab his arm and swing him against the metal cable holding the bridge up. I grabbed the top rail and swung onto it as Death did the same.

We faced each other off on the narrow metal railing and I summoned two shortswords and passed him one. "En Guarde?" He asked, getting into a rough stance.

"Bugger French, we are MEN!" I shouted, switching to Nata Taishi for the balance as I charged towards Death. He parried my first swing, moving into a stab which I pushed up with the handle of my sword before elbowing him in the face. He kicked my ankle from under me and I tripped, falling off the edge before grabbing the railing and swinging myself back up and headbutting him in the gut.

He grabbed my shoulders, dragging me down with him as we fell for the ocean of blood. He dropped me and started hovering there, so I switched to Hariti and cast Bufudyne in the air, landed on it, then cast several more above me and jumped onto them as they fell before realising that this was a stupid idea and switching to Seth, summoning him, then landing on his back.

I immediately Projected, the only way I know of keeping the Persona there, and I flew back up as Seth used my body to hurl fireballs at Death. Once we reached a decent height, we switched back and I started falling into an overhead sword slash which was blocked by Death's short sword, who parried me back towards the bridge.

I flipped and grabbed a vertical cable, steadying myself against the bridge Spiderman style. If it wasn't for Akihiko's gloves, my hand would've been shredded and I'll have fallen to serious injury. I looked up in time to see Death clutching his head in pain. "You alright Skully?" I asked him.

"Ngh… no…" He moaned. "Look, everyone's coming, so we should end this…" He asked, descending to the bridge level, seriously in pain.

Maybe the revelation was too much for him. I let go and channelled a Rakukaja down my legs as my feet smashed into the concrete below despite me bending into the fall. "You do realise I don't want you dead, right mate?" I asked.

Death laughed bitterly as Yukari, Junpei, Shinji and Mitsuru ran towards us. "You will." He groaned, falling to his knees. "Once you know…"

"You!?" Junpei shouted.

"Ryoji-kun!?" Yukari gasped. "Wait, what're you doing here!?"

"Arisoto." Mitsuru asked. "How did Aigis get to the dorm in such a state?"

"I sent her there." I replied. "After she incurred damage from battling Ryoji."

"What..?" Shinji growled, stepping forward before getting pulled back by Mitsuru.

"Shinjiro, wait." She ordered. "He's not showing any signs of aggression, and if he was a threat, Arisoto would have eliminated him already." Wow, she has faith in my skills. "Tell us…" Mitsuru asked, turning to Death. "Who are you?" She considered her question, before rephrasing it. "WHAT are you?"

"Remember how Ikutsuki wanted to combine the twelve Shadows into the thirteenth Arcana?" I asked everyone, sparing Death from having to explain himself. "It's been a month since we fought the Hanged Man, so…"

Junpei jumped. "Wait, He's a Shadow!?"

"The embodiment of all Shadows, apparently." I replied. "The Appriser."

Mitsuru scowled for a second, then turned back to Death. "You know the 'truth' about Shadows?"

"Yes." Death replied. "Shadows are here to facilitate the rebirth of the maternal being. She will begin to awaken as she is drawn to me… The Appriser." He said the same thing to me earlier…

"You?" Mitsuru asked in disbelief. "You're The Appriser?"

Death nodded.

"What's this… 'maternal being'?" Yukari asked unsurely.

"She is a great entity…" Death replied. "There is no comparable word in your language for her. Ten years ago, a man collected a great number of Shadows and contained them in a laboratory… That's where I was born." He sighed. "But the unification was interrupted, and I awoke in an incomplete state. Not long after, I fell to Aigis… as she did to me."

"I-Is that true!?" Junpei asked in disbelief. "…Ryoji?"

"She knew she could not defeat me…" Death continued. "So in an act of desperation, she sealed me within a child who happened to be standing nearby. That child grew up, carrying me inside him. And by a twist of fate, he later returned here…" Death glanced at me. "As a transfer student."

Everyone turned to me in sheer shock. "'Sup?" I greeted, smiling despite the mood.

"Y-you mean…" Yukari asked.

"Yes…" Death nodded. "I lived inside him. His special Persona awakened… as did the 12 Shadows, all in order to become one with me."

"Ryoji, you're The Appriser?" Junpei asked, trying to make everything fit inside his little brain. "A-And you were inside HIM!?" He shouted, pointing at me. "None of this makes sense!"

"It's all my fault…" Death groaned, "I'm sorry. There's more I need… to tell you…" He fell onto the ground.

"Ryoji-kun!" Yukari shouted.

"He appears to be exhausted…" Mitsuru decided. "Let's let him rest… We have Aigis to attend to as well. We'll continue our talk later."

I nodded, then walked over to Death and picked him up, swinging him into a piggy-back.

"Is anybody gonna explain to me what the hell is going on!?" Junpei shouted.

I sighed. "Ryoji spent the last decade locked in my skull as a kid called Pharos. When I came here, he started talking, so I talked back. We became friends, We killed the Hanged Man, he became Ryoji, and now he's got his memories back. How's that?" I asked.

"That's insane!" Junpei protested.

I laughed. "Then don't call the asylum just yet, because I reckon it's only going to get worse."

* * *

I skived off school the next day. I asked Mitsuru if I could catch up with Death, since we were close and I wanted to talk to him in private when he woke up. She agreed, but he had to explain everything to everyone once he did.

So, here I am, lounging on the swivel chair in my room, playing guitar absent minded while Pharos sleeps in my bed. It's an interesting position swap.

Once he woke up, I could tell that he wasn't going to like what he had to say.

"Hey." I greeted him.

"Hey…" Death groaned, sitting up. "It's been a while since I was last in your room."

"It has." I replied. "So, first off." I asked him. "You an actual Shadow, or are you Thanatos?" I asked. "Because you look a lot like the demon Thanatos."

"I suppose I would, since I'm a fragment of him." Death replied. "You could say that I am HIS Persona."

"Why the all caps?" I asked, strumming away.

"I don't know…" He groaned. "And what's with the questions right away?" He asked. "Not even a 'hey, how've you been?'"

"I know how've you been." I replied. "We were always pretty hostile to one another, weren't we?"

He nodded. "Hey… we were friends… right?" He asked.

"Best friend I ever had." I replied. "Mitsuru wants you to explain everything you know tonight, but I'd appreciate it if you could tell me what's going on before hand."

Death nodded. "I owe you at least that." He sighed. "Be easier in demonic terms anyway.  
"The maternal being is NYX." Death explained. "The capitals are important, because she is one of the old ones."

"Old ones?" I asked.

"KAOS, NYX, YHVH, those from the time before history." Death replied. "Most Demonata are centuries old, brought into existence by human worship, but the old ones… they were worshipped by even apes." He said. "Their power is even greater than you can possibly imagine. Demonkind are livestock to them. Humans are less than ants…"

"Alright, so what's the deal with her then?" I asked.

"Nyx is the mother of Shadows." He explained. "In ancient times, she bestowed 'Death' to this world. If she is awakened, darkness will once again cover the land, and all life will vanish."

"So I'm assuming that every human being will become one of the Lost and die of exposure?" I asked.

"Human, Animal, everything." Death sighed. "Not even micro-organisms will survive…"

"So, it's a true Apocalypse then…" I nodded. "Even for the demons?" I asked.

"The souls of Humanity will continue to empower demonkind." Death explained. "They will not care."

I nodded. "So how do I stop it?"

He looked away from me. "Death?" I asked. "How do I stop it?"

"…I'm sorry…"

"What're you apologizing for?" I asked. "Just tell me how to kill Nyx and everything'll be fine."

"You heard the bell…" Ryoji sobbed. "It's too late… the fall has already been decided…"

I grabbed him by the throat. "Then I'll stop it!" I shouted. "Just tell me how and when!"

"It's already happening…" He cried.

Why the hell is he crying? Is he seriously that upset?

"Just tell me where and when I have to fight NYX and I'll kill her." I replied.

"You can't…" Ryoji sobbed. "It's impossible…" He pushed himself off me. "It's not a matter of power, it'd be like fighting the year nineteen-forty-two."

"Why that year?" I asked.

"First one that came to mind." He sighed. "You can war against heaven. You could even win. But Nyx is on a whole different plane of existence…"

I backed off. "How long do we have..?"

Ryoji sat back down. "You won't live to see spring…" He said. "Defeating Nyx is… impossible. It has nothing to do with strength, ability, or power. Just as all living things die… and the flow of time is continuous… Nyx cannot be defeated."

"I was born from a collection of Shadows." Ryoji stated. "But now, I have a human form… So I can talk with you, laugh with you, cry with you… All gifts I received because I was inside you. So… I can give you a choice."

"A choice to live and kill Nyx?" I asked hopefully.

"No, Nyx's coming cannot be avoided." Ryoji laughed. "But, it is possible to live in peace until she arrives." He offered. "You'll have to… kill me."

"No."

"If I were to disappear, all memories of the Dark Hour would disappear with me, as would any recollection of the fate that awaits you." Ryoji explained. "You won't remember anything. The coming of the Fall will be instantaneous… and you will not suffer. You'll be able to return to your normal life, as will your friends." Death told me. "And in doing so, the time until the Fall will be slightly delayed. In essence, I am the same as Nyx and cannot be killed. But thanks to you, there's a part of me that's 'human'. So, if my death comes from your hands, I think it may be possible."

"Not a chance." I repeated. "I am not going to kill you."

"If you don't kill me, you will suffer more than you could ever imagine." Ryoji snapped. "With no hope for salvation, you will live every day paralyzed by the fear of your impending death. And I…" He looked down. "I don't want you to have to endure such pain."

"I don't give a damn about being afraid." I told him. "What am I afraid of?"

"Being powerless." Pharos told me. "I know you better than anyone, and you've been running for your life ever since I saved your life against Nyarlathotep." He glared at me. "If you couldn't beat him without my help, what chance do you have against Nyx?"

"I'm not going to just give up and hide." I snarled through gritted teeth.

"Would that really be such a bad thing?" Death asked. "All that awaits you now is despair, and greater madness than you have ever faced before." He told me. "You don't know the terror of absolute death… and even if you did, you may not survive to face the end…"

"What was that?" I asked.

"Nyx will bring about the ultimate and final conception of this world." Death stated. "In the time until then, this world will only degenerate into a state of madness and chaos that will have even the strongest souls begging for the sweet release of the end…" Death hung his head in shame. "Please, don't make your decision without at least thinking about what I've said."

…

"Bugger this…" I sighed, kicking my own door down and stamping down the corridor.

"Oh, hey." Yukari said, coming up the stairs. "How is he… what happened?"

"Ask Ryoji." I grunted, smashing my way out the front door and out into the street.

…

…

Now what..?

…

I'm off for a walk…

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

My updating speed is immense.

Also, things are really, really not looking good for Minato, are they?

Next chapter, He goes for a walk.


	83. Chapter 83

Alright everyone, it's that time again.

First off, sorry about the delay since the last chapter. One Eye of the Demon's started back up again, and I was doing some beta work for it.

So, reviews. Empty Fool, we know that it's stoppable. The characters don't. Not yet, anyways.

Naru-chan, the chapters are plenty long. It's just they've been longer than usual recently. And no. Sorry, but the Christmas holiday will rock harder than the Inaba trip, and it'll be hard enough with just Yukari there.

ISTF, Thanks for the tip about Gaea. I'll do an asspull later. Armageddon shall indeed be done.

Have a Little Feith, no, that's just how often I've been updating recently.

Loki, the reason why Minato never resolved is because he never had much to resolve in the first place. Orpheus Telos is just an amped up Orpheus, and Thanatos and Messiah are separate Personae. Technically, Thanatos isn't even his.

Athan Mortis, you're basically saying that if I can top that, then I'll outdo Bhepin? Well, I have some crazy stuff planned for the rest of this story, and I'm sure Bhepin has too. He has the upper hand, of course, and I'm plotting on my finale to outdo something that happen mid-way through his story, but we'll see.  
You'll have to get a PSP soon, because P3P is coming out in English this summer. I'll be on my mission by then, so you better enjoy it on my behalf.  
As for Orpheus, that was before I considered having Minato drink all of his Personae at once and start using fusion spells much more. So… yeah.

TanithMagnus, that was the original plan, but then I thought of something better. Don't worry about the sequel though, it'll all work out with more epic than you will ever see coming.  
Kanji/Naoto does sound funnier, but in my story, Rule Of Cool outranks Rule Of Funny. Don't worry, it'll all work out.  
Dante's Jack name will still be Dante, but I think he'll be in either the Jack Bauer clan, or the Jack Faust clan. VOTE!

Derek Barona, That is what this chapter is all about.

NightmareSyndrom, I am so powerful that I can even make you remember the game without even referencing it apparently.

Slicerness, that wasn't a double update. That was just two very fast updates.

And now, He Goes For A Walk. For those of you that don't know, that's a shout out at the drama CD 'A Certain Day In Summer'.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

**SMASH!**

_**Thou hast taken the Sun Arcana up to Eleven… Transcending beyond the impossible to achieve thy goals… **_

I should probably explain how I got here, huh?

Well, last night was Thursday, the third of December. Today's the fourth, so I'll start with me storming out of the dorm.

Scooby Doo flashback!

* * *

I don't know when it started raining, but I do know that right about now, Ryoji is explaining everything to the others. I left my coat, wallet and phone at home, so I'm here with a T-shirt, jeans, trainers and my guitar in the cold and wet.

First off, guitar. I summoned its case and put it away, strapping it onto my back. I could just send it back to the dorm, but I fell better with it.

I could get a jacket too, but I like the rain. Washes it away.

Kinda hard to not be emo when your best friend just told you that we're all gonna die, there's nothing we can do about it, but I can kill him if it makes me feel better.

But it won't. All it'd do would be to put me in a world where I don't exist for the remainder of my short life.

Let me explain. For as long as I've been able to actively think for myself, the Dark Hour has been there. I've been controlling people, lying to them, fighting them, loving them. The Dark Hour made me who I am.

Takaya was right about that. I won't even try to deny it. I fought to get rid of it, since I thought that it'd save the world, and I'd have done it even if I knew I'd lose my memories. Greater good and all that.

And now I'm supposed to throw it all away for no reason other than it'd be easier for me? Screw that.

Hell, if it wasn't for the Dark Hour, Fuuka would be suicidal, Junpei would be a lazy douchebag, Yukari some random chick, Mitsuru the school ice queen, Shinji would either be a thug or a less decent chap than he is, depending on how far the mind wipe would go, and Kenjamin would be Ken. As for Aigis…

Hell, he's asking us to throw away our very selves just so we won't know what's coming.

That is not an option, but neither is just waiting around, waiting to die.

And we can't fight apparently…

…

What the hell do I do?

When did Mitsuru get her bike back?

I walked over to it. Her Shadow detecting gizmo's were gone, but it was her old bike alright. It was chained to the dorm in an alleyway, and the keys, helmet and protective gear are most likely in her room.

I tugged on Akihiko's gloves, thinking that it was a good thing I don't intend to fall off.

I pulled my Leatherman out of my pocket and picked the lock on the chain. The chain was hardcore, and there were some wheel clamps so simply breaking the chain wasn't going to cut it if I wanted to commit GTA.

Thankfully, I know how to pick locks, and Hell Biker insists that I can ride motorcycles now.

I straddled atop the bike and hotwired it. Thanks Dave, you've turned me into a criminal even in Japan.

With that, I set off. Where?

Away from here.

* * *

After about ten minutes of riding, my Darkplayer started playing Oasis.

_We the people fight for our existence…_

Yeah, don't we just.

_We don't claim to be perfect, but we're free…_

That's balls.

_We dream our dreams, alone with no resistance…_

Not anymore we don't.

_Fading like the stars we wish to be…_

Too right.

_You know I didn't mean… what I just said…_

"_But my God woke up on the wrong side of his bed!"_ I shouted. "And it just don't matter now!"

"'Cause little by little! We gave you every you ever dreamed of!"  
"Little by little! The wheels of your life have slowly fallen off!"  
"Little by Little! You have to give it allll in all your life and all the time! I just asked myself why, _You're really heeere!"_

Dammit… Skip.

…

Freebird… Skip…

…

Waiting game… These Days… Here I go again…

Damn… not even Whitesnake can make me feel better.

* * *

"HERE I GO AGAAIN ON MY OWN!!" I shouted over the roar of Mitsuru's bike. "GOIN' DOWN THE ONLY ROAD I'VE EVER KNOWN! LIKE A DRIFTER I WAS BORN TO WALK ALONE!"

_And I've made up my mind… I 'aint wasting no more time…_

Nevermind. Whitesnake can make anyone feel better.

_But here I go again!_

Slightly.

* * *

My eyes were starting to water in the wind, so I put on those Kamina shades that I forgot I had. Instantly, it was easier to see where I was going, and I could see a biker convoy ahead of me.

I think their arses need to be kicked.

"…_you've been running for your life ever since…"_

Dammit Pharos… Dammit Ryoji… Dammit Death… Dammit Nyx…

Why the hell is Nyx written on that guy's flag?

I accelerated, hugging the bike close as I manoeuvred into the convoy. "OI!" I shouted to the pole-bearer over the roar of the engines. "WHAT'S NYX!?" I asked him.

"MOTHER NYX IS OUR SAVIOUR!!" He shouted. "SHE SHALL COME AT THE DAWN OF THE NEW YEAR TO BRING SALVATION TO THIS CORRUPT AND DISEASED WORLD!!"

What!? "HOW!?" I shouted, really not liking where this was going.

"WE WILL ALL BECOME ONE UNDER HER BEAUTY!!" He declared. "GLORY TO NYX-SAMA!!!"

Is this what Death meant by the world going down the crapper? "HEY!" I shouted to him. "WOULD YOU DIE FOR NYX-SAMA!?" I asked him.

"ALL LIFE SHALL END!" He replied. "I DO NOT FEAR DYING SOONER!!"

He actually believes this… "THAT GO FOR ALL OF YOU!?" I asked.

"GLORY TO NYX-SAMA!!" The convoy roared.

Good enough for me.

I pushed myself onto the handlebars and donkey-kicked flagman, shoving him off his bike and catching his flag with my feet. I swiftly pulled the flag to one hand, grabbing the now abandoned bike with the same hand before swerving into a low spin, throwing the bike into the three bikers infront of me.

No explosion, no crushed skulls, but life is like that sometimes.

Now that I had everyone's attention, I held the flag like a Warscythe and accelerated into the fray.

Let's see just how loyal they are to this 'Mother Nyx'…

* * *

The bad news? They were very loyal.

As in I just took out thirty extremists in a new 'End of the world' cult, that was actually predicting the end of the world.

Worse, now the police were after me, and I'm on the run from the law.

The good news? My guitar is fine, and I'm coming up with a plan.

Mitsuru's gonna kill me for it though.

I swerved into an alley, scratching the paint and the mirrors against the walls as the alley got narrower. I went under a fire escape and grabbed the railing, swinging up as Mitsuru's bike toppled over and skidded into the dead end. It wasn't totalled, but if Mitsuru ever figures out that I was the one who stole it, then I won't live to see the end of all life.

Might not be a bad thing actually.

Anyways, now to get out of here before the cops swarm the place.

"…_you've been running for your life ever since…"_

Dammit Pharos… why are you so damn right?

* * *

The rain had stopped, but it was still cold, and I was still wet.

Walking through the alleys soon lead me to the red light district, where I stole a change of clothes from the various stalls.

Now I just need somewhere to get changed and… are those guys about to gang rape that girl?

Time for me to kick some arse. Three guys, one holding her down and covering her mouth, the other spreading her legs and the third guy holding the camera as the damsel fought half-heartedly, but I can tell that this wasn't being faked.

Wrapping my stolen goods in my stolen jacket, I walked into that alley and grabbed the cameraman by the back of the head and rammed it into the wall.

That got everyone's attention. I booted the primary rapist in the jaw, then landed into a back kick into the girl grabber's head.

Three moves, three unconscious rapists.

"You alright?" I asked the girl, bending down to her.

"Uuugh…"

Ah, half way into Apathy Syndrome. That explains a lot.

I looted some pockets, threw the girl over my shoulder and headed out.

* * *

I booked a room in the nearest hotel for half an hour, took a shower, got changed, then left with the girl. Makato Kazuma, according to her wallet. She lived about ten minutes away, so I carried her home and gave her to a very thankful father. He offered me a reward, so I asked for some melon bread since I was pretty hungry.

You should've seen his face. Most people either say no, or accept the money. I like the middle; take something so I don't make myself out to be a saint, but ask for something small so you don't turn into a bounty hunter.

Hell. Like I'm any kind of hunter. Even my Persona's aren't saying anything I'm that much of a coward.

Well, coward probably isn't the right word exactly, but I'm no hunter. Right now, I'm running from the main problem at hand, which is that we're all gonna die and it's mostly my fault, and there's nothing I can do about it.

I really don't want to face Igor right now. He'll just say the same thing as Death.

Hold on… I think he already has.

"_There has been a change in you recently. Have you noticed? And I am not referring to your change in circumstances."_

That was the day after I fought Nyarlathotep… dammit… He noticed that I wasn't right in the head before I did.

I looked at my watch. It's still only nine, and I really don't want to go back to the dorm just yet. I've lost Mitsuru's bike, so that's out of the question.

I wonder how much street performers earn per hour?

* * *

Apparently four-thousand, two-hundred and sixty-one yen per hour if they're as good as I am. So now I have money. I _could_ go back and pay for the clothes I stole, but where would the fun be in that?

Then again, where's the fun in standing around doing nothing?

I think I'll continue my walk.

* * *

I used to spend a lot of time just hanging around the city at night. If you watch people carefully, you can see what's on their mind. And I figured that out before I started studying micro-expressions and all that.

Apart from music and kicking arse, my favourite hobby was sitting down opposite random people and just having a chat. At first, you'll feel like a right weirdo, but once the conversation's flowing, you start learning a lot about someone.

Like this guy for example. He used to work for Kirijo months ago, but not anymore. He's keeping up the pretence of going to work to hide his shame from his family, but now that money's getting scarcer, he's scared that his wife's gonna find out and leave him, taking his daughter too.

What I really like is when I can do something for them. I lied to the guy and told him that I was a head hunter, and offered him a job at the new Junes that was being built over in Inaba. It wouldn't pay as well as his old job, but the cost of living over there was much lower compared to here in the city, so he could easily support his family if he came forward and told them the situation.

The guy actually cried and hugged me once I gave him my business card. You might wonder how I had that on me, but I can summon weapons from other dimensions within seconds; I can pull cards into existence faster than David Blaine.

As he walked off, I smiled to myself for the warm fuzzies I was currently enjoying.

Then the dark hour hit.

It's amazing how everyone around you turning into coffins can rob you of your emotional high and bring you crashing right back down into misery.

Sighing, I clambered up to the seven foot tall coffins and stood above the busy street. What was just a few seconds ago bustling with life now looked like an undertaker's warehouse.

When I first got to this town, this is what I was greeted with. A street full of coffins under the ominous moonlight.

You never get used to it. Not really.

You learn to live with it, and you learn to ignore the spine-chilling fear, but the fact remains that you are now the only living thing in a world devoid of life and there's nothing you can do about it for another hour.

Hell, even the rats turn to coffins. What the hell is with that?

Know what's worse? When Nyx comes, the whole world will be like that, only replace the coffins with breathing corpses. Only your one of them.

Only… what if I'm not?

What if the fall happens and I'm the only one left alive? Or me and Adachi? Or just us Persona users?

What'd we do? Bury the dead, repopulate the earth? We couldn't do that. Not a matter of the number of bodies, or the fact that there'd eventually be incest, those aren't problems. We'd bury them as we went along and it's Japan, so it's okay to bone your cousin. But the emotional… weight, of knowing that you caused all this and we were the only ones who won't pay the price… we'd go insane.

Though, according to Ryoji, we're all gonna die, so that's not exactly a problem we're gonna have to face.

Speaking of facing problems, I really don't want to go back to the dorm. Not yet. Not where everyone feels like this.

Where else can I go?

* * *

Once the Dark Hour passed, I knocked on the door. I was too polite to break in.

Thankfully, Naoya answered. "Minato… what're you doing here this late?"

"I fucked up." I admitted. "Can I crash here tonight?"

* * *

And now, here I am, drinking stale beer at one in the morning, watching 'Never Back Down' with subtitles, and feeling generally crap.

Once the credits started rolling, I knew I had some explaining to do.

"We're all gonna die and there's nothing I can do about it."

That should just about do it. "Can I have another beer?" I asked Naoya.

* * *

After a more _detailed_ explanation, he was fit to throw me out the window, but not for dooming mankind, apparently.

"And you left them all like that!?" He shouted as I finished my fourth beer. "Hell, right now they need you more than ever!"

"They need someone who knows what he's doing." I replied. "I don't even know if I'm coming or going." I threw the now empty bottle absentmindedly at the TV, and sighed as it passed through into the Abyss.

"… Aaand what the hell was that?" Naoya asked.

"The Abyss." I sighed. "I've got the power to enter into the world inside human hearts through TV's, and put stuff inside." I yawned, scratching my head. "That cool?"

Naoya growled, then grabbed a shortsword from the corner and then pulled my hair. "Hey, watch it!" I shouted.

"Shut it." Naoya grunted, pushing my inside the TV and getting dragged after me.

* * *

"I'M SICK OF YOUR WHINING!!" Naoya shouted over the wind and rain of the moors inside my soul. "IT'S PATHETIC AND IT ENDS TONIGHT!!"

"I'M OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS!!" I shouted back.

"I'M GOING TO KICK THE LIVING SHIT OUT OF YOU UNTIL YOU GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER!!"

What? WHAM!

A blue crystalline monkey-man came out of nowhere and punched my face in. "COME ON!!" Naoya shouted, summoning his Persona again. "FIGHT ME!!"

I parried the Persona's punch, then lifted my knee to block his kick before dodging under his right hook and getting round-housed to the face. I rolled with it, then jumped out of the next wave of getting my head smashed in.

I summoned Tsukuru Izanagi's card into my hand and summoned it, bringing lightning down onto Naoya, who sliced through it. "WEAK!!" He shouted. "YOUR PERSONA IS ONLY AS STRONG AS YOUR WILL!! WHERE! IS! YOUR! WILL!?"

Before I could reply, he summoned Amon-Ra to attack. Without my Evoker, I can only summon Hierophants, Tsukuru Izanagi, and channel. No time to summon an Evoker, so I switched to Thanatos and AARRGHH!!! WHY THE HELL DOES THAT HURT!?

"It hurts because it can't stand you." Naoya said, moving for me. "Thanatos… the ultimate hunter… and its master is a coward like you!?" He kicked me in the ribs. "Disgusting."

…

I honestly can't argue with him.

That's because he's right.

_= Make him wrong =_

Huh?

_= Get up and instil the fear of Minato into him =_

Which Persona are you?

_**= ALL OF US =**_

I rolled out of the falling fireball's way, then ran down the hill and into the forest.

Why am I running away?

This is my domain.

Not just that, this is a battle.

I rule the battle field… it's where I live life….

**So why am I running?**

* * *

I stopped dead in the forest. I could hear Naoya and his monkey man, but I couldn't tell which direction he was coming from.

Bugger this.

I summoned my Evoker and blew my brains out, summoning Ares and Siegfried for their fusion spell. "SCARLET HAVOC!!" I roared, and giant saw blades flew around the forest, reducing it to sawdust and tree stumps.

There he is. I summoned Forneus and Decarabia, and I was suddenly filled with white fire.

I'm stronger than he is.

I'm faster than he is.

I'm tougher than he is.

So why am I hesitating?

It's not because I'm scared of dying.

I'm not scared of losing. I'm not scared of getting hurt. I'm not scared of being alone. I'm not scared of being hated. I'm not scared of failure.

I'm scared of being in charge.

* * *

I have killed people, and convinced others that it was their fault. I made two women fall in love with me without even trying. I got both of the women to forgive me after they found out about each other.

Socially, I am untouchable. Intellectually, I'm just another guy, albeit a very talented guy.

But people look to me when they're in need. I'm a natural leader, I attract people. I make them better.

I take the weak and forge them into the strong. It's second nature for me. It gets to the point where all they want is for me to make them happy. My friends see me in glory and my enemies see me in fear. I'm practically a god.

Hell, Adachi knows this, and he revels in it. I'm scared of it.

Why? Because one time, I took my judgement too far, and my people rebelled. That's why I left for Japan. I incurred their wrath two years ago. January 31st, 2009 was the day I decided to go to Japan. I dropped out of the courses I was doing in Psychology, brushed up on Japanese curriculum and fled the country.

It's amazing how realising that you're standing atop a pile of unconscious bodies can make you realise that this has to _stop_.

Yet without even realising it, it happened again. Not only here in Japan, I'm a freaking god-emperor practically to the Jakkai. They're about to go to war with heaven, and Humanity is about to face the destroyer of worlds.

And the only thing that can stop myself from taking down anything in my way is my own cowardice.

Pathetic.

I summoned Odin and Valkyrie and pulled my Evoker's trigger twice. "VALHALLA!!"

* * *

The devastation was incredible. After my brief outburst of immortality, the entire world of my mind was laid to waste, save for my tower.

That grew wider, stronger and taller.

The moorland changed too. At the bottom of each crater lay green pastures. I was too tired to shift the rest of the moorland, which now looked like a game of Worms, but next time I come here, this place will look like the mind of a king.

**CRACK**

You know what? Screw this.

I lifted my evoker to the sky and pulled the trigger.

It smashed, and the world stopped raining.

_The hollows of thine heart have been filled… go forth with triumph…_

And tell me, oh spooky voices in my head, how shall I go about doing that?

…

No answer?

Good, because I don't need one.

"So…" Naoya grunted, forcing himself up. "What're you going to do now?"

"First, I'm going to a funeral." I replied. "Then I'm going to beat down Nyx."

"I thought that was impossible?" He asked.

"Don't care." I replied. "I'm gonna do it anyway." I smiled at my reason. "Because I can."

He laughed. "And what changed your mind?"

"Because I am." I added, before turning to him. "You got a suit I could borrow? Wait, never mind." I lifted an arm and a black suit appeared.

Hollow Arcana is back in business.

* * *

We must've been fighting for hours, since it was daylight when I left his apartment for Akinari's funeral.

And it was a good funeral. It wasn't the joke that was Akihiko's funeral, or the guilty affair of disposing Ikutsuki's body.

We were remembering his short, full life, and celebrated his passing.

It was a good funeral for a good life.

**SMASH!**

_**Thou hast taken the Sun Arcana up to Eleven… Transcending beyond the impossible to achieve thy goals… **_

* * *

During the post-funeral party thing, I talked to Akinari's mother. While she did say that she's rather hear her son's story from him in the afterlife, she did give me permission to do the art for and publish Akinari's book.

'Way of Life', I think I'll call it. Sounds good.

* * *

I got back to the dorm during the dark hour, but my key wouldn't fit the lock.

They wouldn't have changed it, surely?

…

I charged into the door as hard as I could, only to be thrown back.

_Orobapas, It's a Sekai Rei! Someone's in there!_

Crap! And phones don't work in the Dark Hour.

Know what does though?

Bazookas!

_You're kidding, right?_

I took a step back and aimed the ballistic missile launcher at the dorm.

_You're insane!_

I will not be locked out of my own home. Nor will I ever back down.

I fired. There was a big kaboom.

The forcefield fell and everyone woke up. It was the Dark Hour, but we all probably needed an early night after last night.

I ran into the dorm.

* * *

Everyone ran onto the hallways in their Pajamas, and we surrounded the hooded figure standing on the boy's hallway.

And when I say hooded, I mean Organisation XIII hooded.

"Are you Strega?" Mitsuru asked angrily, tugging her dressing gown tight. If I didn't know any better, I'd think she wasn't wearing anything underneath.

Since I did know better, I knew she wasn't wearing anything underneath. I see that she had time to grab her sword though.

The hooded figure only looked up at her, and giggled maniacally.

I got to the real point. "Are you here with Nyx?" I asked.

Everyone was shocked at my question, even moreso when the hooded person turned to me and said "It's you…"

She pulled down her hood to reveal a young girl around our age, with long green ponytails and a broken smile. "You're the AntiNyx…"

"The what?" Yukari asked as I stepped aside to dodge the fireball.

"Everyone, get back to your rooms and prepare for battle." I ordered, dressed to kill in funeral garb, wearing Akihiko's gloves and holding a Katana in my hand. "I'll hold her off."

"M-Miki-san?" Fuuka asked. That's right, I've seen this girl before at school.

"She's the enemy." I stated, rushing up the stairs for her. "GO!"

Everyone headed back while Miki caught my blade. "The Great One sent me here to kill you…" She laughed. "You've been abusing Mother Nyx's gifts…"

She means Persona… "Do you have Nyx's gift?" I asked her.

"He gave her to me…" Miki laughed, holding off my sword stroke with one hand as she drew an Evoker with the other and put it to her head with an insane smile. "Pandora." She giggled, then pulled the trigger.

That can't be good.

Black hands rose out of the ground, FMA style, and they grabbed at me. "Surtr!" I shouted, and fire incinerated them. The smoke alarm went off, and water began pouring out of the ceiling.

"BEGONE!" Mitsuru shouted, now wearing a light nightdress and thrusting with her rapier. Miki grabbed the blade with her gloved hand and giggled, pulling the trigger again as a black spike shot from the wall, almost tearing Mitsuru's arm off, taking half her sleeve instead.

Junpei then burst from his room with the Balmung, only to be thrown back by another black arm. "ICARUS!!" Junpei shouted, which turned heads as he burst into flame.

The black arm quickly burnt and collapsed, while Junpei was unharmed and smiling. "Come on!" He shouted, setting his arms ablaze as Shinji and Kenjamin burst from their rooms, armed and ready to go. Yukari then came down the stairs with Fuuka, now armed with a rapier, due to the lack of room to use a bow in the corridors, and her lack of skill in other weapons.

"Where's Koromaru!?" I shouted.

"He's at the lab with Aigis." Mitsuru replied. "The technicians believed that she'd recover faster if one of use was there with her… and where have you been!?"

"Busy." I replied, drawing my Evoker. "Right now, we have this one to deal with."

Miki was, in fact, swaying, clutching her head while still holding the Evoker. "Nnn… It hurts… so MUCH!"

With that last word, she lifted her arms back and screamed to the sky as violet light burst from her mouth and eyes, her ponytails flapping wildly. _**PANDORA**_ We heard, but it wasn't spoken.

Black-and-purple butterflies flew everywhere as a white, nude figure of Maki with butterfly wings appeared above her. Damn these tall ceilings…

_**LET ALL EVIL BE UNLEASHED UPON THIS FILTHY WORLD… LET ALL BE CLEANSED BY THE DARK MOTHER… **_

Maki be trippin' balls, yo.

"So…" I said to Junpei. "What's with that Icarus thing?"

"New move." He grinned. "Burns the crap out of any Shadow touching me."

"Right, right…" I nodded. "So, we killing this lass?" I asked.

He grimaced at the thought. "I dunno man… killing someone?"

"Her or us." I reasoned.

"NO!" Maki screamed, kneeling on the floor while clutching her head. "LET ME SERVE HIM!!"

_**YOU ARE NOT WORTHY…**_

Wait, what?

Pandora disappeared, and Maki collapsed on the floor. Kenjamin rushed for her, feeling her pulse.

"Sh-she died…" Kenjamin reported.

Recarm only works on the unconscious… it can't raise the dead.

"There's a new cult out there." I told everyone. "Nyxists or something." I nodded towards the late Maki. "By the looks of things, they got Persona, but not for long."

"Holy…" Shinji gasped.

"How do you know this?" Mitsuru asked.

"I went for a walk."

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

That he did.

So, believe me now?

First off, The Great One is Takaya. Not Adachi. In my story, Adachi likes the world. It's a fun place to be. But Ameno Sagiri took over him.

GOD MODE MINATO IS NOT COMING BACK

I can just do more crazy arse stuff with him and hand wave continuity. Yay!


	84. Chapter 84

Okay! Read the new Shinji, got 600 reviews, so here we go!

First off, ISTF, Miki, to my knowledge, was one of the girls who were bullying Fuuka. Yukari overheard her talking to Natsuki about it in one scene, but in retrospect, her name may have been Maki. Whoops.  
As for the Nyxist Personae, they'll all be of random Arcana, usually the same Arcana as the user. Usually. Also, most of them won't die after one use.

AthanMortis, I really want to see how a Doctor Who game would work. I mean, Doctor wins by sheer brilliance, but if you get told what to do then that'd ruin the fun, and it'd be horrible if you just went around blasting Daleks. Unless you were a Dalek and you were blasting the humans…

Tanith, I totally agree with you there. Hell, character development is the main selling point of the series.  
As for the Gary Stu, you just need to see Advent Children to realise how powerful you are by level 100. Minato won't be the only one fighting Nyxists on a regular basis, but he'll be walking in on the other teammates standing their ground.  
As for the one-upmanship, it gets worse.  
"I can summon multiple Personae."  
"I boned your sister."  
"I got caught in the hotspring and lived."  
"I boned your sister."  
"I'm about to smash your face in."  
"I boned your- wait, wha-?" SMACK!

Derek, Just wait until Minato gives the order for S.E.E.S. to stop hiding their Personae and go all out in broad daylight against the Nyxists in order to protect civilian lives. Port Island becomes a warzone.  
And now, Minato has, like you said, realised his power, both socially and physically. And he shall run no longer. Flee puny mortals indeed.

HALF, Alice has had her time in the spotlight. You fuse her in a cross fusion of Pixie, Narcissus, Nata Taishi, and Lilim. Nata Taishi needs an item from the Elizabeth fusion requests to make him, and you get bonus points if he learns Megido and passes it onto Alice, because then you get the stuff needed to fuse Lilith.

Naru-chan, you've been reading this story from the start. Have I ever let you down?

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

Got an Email from Uncle Amos. He's expecting me over for Christmas and said that if I don't bring a woman then he'll beat me within an inch of my life. He wasn't joking. As a member of the SBS, the Special Boat Service, he was the one who taught me how to thoroughly kick arse, and was more than capable of doing it himself.

Seriously, the SBS were designed to make the SAS and the Marines look like pussies, and I was twelve before I could keep up to his daughter in a brawl.

Any way, apparently I missed out on a vital piece of information when I stormed out on Death. He's going to return to the dorm on New Years Eve so I can kill him. Everyone else is still undecided on the matter, but I know my vote.

School was as usual the next day, albeit with everyone feeling more depressed and everyone else getting fed some crap about Aigis spending some time with her family. As you can expect, I got in trouble for skiving yesterday.

Hey, whatever. I ended up talking with Naoki about the inevitable. He was, admittedly, crapping bricks about the whole thing, but he agreed to fight to the end over the whole thing.

I then spent my time after school with Tatsuya, sharing the good news. I'll tell Hijiri about it tomorrow at work, but I doubt that he'll take it well. Tatsuya certainly didn't.

Neither did Itachi Uchida. (Seriously, that can't be a coincidence), but he seemed ready to fight against it if necessary.

No-one was up for going to Tartarus that night, so I spent that evening down in the gym until Shinji reminded me about the looming exams. So I did pushups while studying. You shouldn't even attempt it unless you're good at both, or you will fail like I did.

* * *

Next day, I walked to Naganaki shrine out of habit. I knew Akinari wouldn't be there, but it was just something I do now.

Surprisingly, Mamoru was there. "Oh, hey." He said, waving to me.

I sat down next to him. "I just left from the hospital." He said. "I still have to drop my sister off at preschool, go shopping, cook dinner, do the laundry…" I noticed the little girl playing on the climbing frame. "I've got so much I have to do."

"What's with the whining?" I asked. "Not like you."

"Oh don't worry, it's nothing I can't handle!" Mamoru grinned enthusiastically. "My mom had to do just as much every day before…"

"You seem distant." I pointed out. "What's eating you?" I asked.

He chuckled. "I'm gonna have to skip out on Kendo Team." He told me. "Just don't have the time. Even with the scholarship, I don't think we can afford college. I mean, what about living expenses?" He asked. "My family can't even pay their own… Just like Dad, now Mom can't earn any money either…" He sighed. "I'm gonna have to support them… I don't have any choice but to give up on the Kendo Team…" He clenched his fists. "Damn! I wish Dad were still alive!"

"Can't do much about that…" I admitted.

"Yeah, I guess, but still…" Mamoru sighed. "I wanted to challenge you one last time." He seemed regretful. "I enjoyed Kendo because I got to compete with people…"

I looked up. "Then get of your arse and do something about it." I told him.

"I can't help it!" He shouted. "There's nothing I can do…" Actually, he seemed pretty upset. "Is it really gonna end like this?" He asked.

What did I do when I was upset about the end of days? Oh yeah. "Don't back down." I told him.

That seemed to have an effect. "You're right…" Mamoru realised. "I've come too far to give up now!" He turned to me. "Are you pondering what I'm pondering?"

"You're gonna take part in the big tournament on Tuesday, aren't you?" I asked him. It was the one Kazushi was training for before he had the surgery. I'd be competing myself if I hadn't been thrown off the team.

"I devoted a lot of my life to the Kendo Team." Mamoru explained. "I'm going to take all that experience, apply what I learned, and achieve victory!" He stood up with pride. "I'm glad we could talk. I feel a lot better about things now. Thanks to you, I have a goal to aim for. Thanks, man!"

**SMASH**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Star Arcana…_

"Big bro!"

"Oops…" Mamoru laughed. "Don't want to keep my sister waiting! See ya."

I smiled as I watched him and his sister go off. On a whim, I decided to get a fortune from the shrine. I don't believe in all this Shinto stuff, but with all I've been through this year, There might be some truth in it.

_Worst Luck._

Lovely. I turned it over to read the back.

_A close friend needs your guidance to save a soul. Lead them from darkness to light._

So, keep on social linking? That's the plan.

* * *

Hijiri took it better than I thought. In fact, he seemed to be determined to fight for humanity, reminding me that he once took down an Old One himself, YHVH.

Since that was the lord of Heaven, I asked for some advice on how to fight him myself. He gave me some good advice, mostly about his armies and their tactics. I spent lunch writing a report on what he'd taught me, then pushed it through the TV and into BlackJack's office. He sent me back a report on the statistics of our armies and supplies.

The Boltgun series was a success, and they're now in mass-production, with me getting a few added to my armoury. Fan-bleeding-tastic.

* * *

When I asked Tanaka for time off to visit my family over Christmas, he was surprisingly supportive of it. By which I mean he lent me the company jet. What a nice man.

Anywho, after work I went back to the dorm, saw no-one was in the lounge, then got changed out of my suit and went down to the Gym where Junpei and Shinji were training.

"Oh, it's you." Shinji said once he noticed me. "Sorry, I was just daydreaming. I was thinking about what Aki would say if I met him in Heaven."

I laid down on the benchpress next to him. "What would he say?" I asked.

"He probably won't say anything…" Shinji laughed bitterly as I lifted the weights up and down. "He'd just punch me in the face. He's got a strong right cross, so that'll hurt."

"Are you scared of death?" I asked him.

"No, not really…" He admitted. "It takes a long time for me to register fear… But, when it does…"

"Tch." Junpei grunted, taking a break from the sand bag. "Ryoji's an asshole…" He grunted, smacking the bag hard. "What the hell's wrong with him..?" He asked, smacking again. "Dammit! This isn't funny!"

"I can't seem to calm down either…" Shinji admitted. "This is the first time I've ever felt like this…"

Damn… everyone's in a sucky mood…

* * *

That night, I practiced my regained Hollow Arcana, if it's really called that anymore, since it's very different from before.

When I abused the hell out of it against Ikutsuki, and lucked out during several of the Arcana Shadows, it was out of desperation and fear that I used its powers, at the risk of getting taken over by the Shadow mask.

Now, however, I can manipulate matter at will, though it takes some serious skill. Practicing it was like learning to channel all over again. It's not too dissimilar from Shinji's earth manipulation, but Hollow seems more versatile, and I think that the general principle behind it now is the power to either reject or control physics, or enforce my own reality upon the worlds, the latter being the more likely scenario.

That said, it's kinda like being in the matrix at Morpheus's level, in that I'm still limited in what my belief in what I can and can't do at a primal level. Reshaping things is easy, as is creating Nihil matter out of nothingness. I think I'm starting to be able to weld Personae into them at a basic level, but I can't dual-wield Laevateinn just yet.

In fact, you can kinda treat this new Hollow Arcana as something similar to Spiral Power, only with less plot devicery.

Dammit, I'm turning into Mr. Exposition here… Time to sleep.

* * *

Of course, I was summoned to Jackland instead. The army is pretty much ready, so I got everyone to work on advanced training, underground bomb shelters, evacuation drills, fortifying the city, and preparing the troops.

We created an agreement that once the battle begins, then Espada was to come into the human world and let me know. He now wore black armour with silver shoulder plates and a velvet cape, complete with a silver mask with a V-shaped visor for his glowing yellow eyes. Should be easy to spot.

Before I left, I got them to work on tanks and anti-aircraft artillery. Best be crazy-prepared for whatever we're going to face.

* * *

Next morning, I was greeted with a rare sight. The wild Yuca-tan in her natural habitat, eating cereal at six in the morning with bedhead and without her morning coffee.

"…Mornin'…" She grunted.

"Good morning." I replied. This is why I don't drink the stuff outside of Chagall Café. Eventually it consumes you and you can't start your day without it.

I poured myself a bowl of Cinnamon Grahams (Yes, it's so good I actually have it imported from the UK. Worth every penny), and was half way through it before Yukari screamed slightly. "What?" I asked her, munching my cereal.

"N-nothing!" She shouted, patting her hair down furiously. "Just surprised me, that's all!"

"You said Morning to me thirty seconds ago…" Women…

"Things have been pretty crazy lately…" She replied, now fully awake. "No one's in the mood to talk, either."

"Cheer up." I shrugged. "Not that bad."

"We're all gonna die and there's nothing we can do about it." Yukari replied. "How is it not that bad?"

"I know I'm gonna get to spend Christmas with my family one more time." I told her. "Wanna come?"

"Huh?" She asked.

"Twenty-third to the twenty-seventh." I replied. "Since we're not gonna survive long enough for us to go to the mountains apparently, I thought you might like to come."

"Ugh… you sure that's okay?" She asked.

"More the merrier." I shrugged. "And if I go alone, I'll probably end up telling everyone about how we're all gonna die and ruin everyone's Christmas."

Yukari sighed. "How can you joke about this?" She asked.

"Because if I don't, then I'll remember how hopeless the situation is and have to go on another walk to regain my awesome." I replied, putting down my now empty breakfast bowl. "I'm not being narcissistic, it's the actual truth." I headed for the door.

"Hey, where're you going?" She asked.

"For a run." I replied.

* * *

I wonder if it's just my lack of the emo, but I feel really good about stuff now. Like this morning run. At first I didn't really see any point in it other than getting out of a potentially awkward situation, but guess who I bumped into but Mamoru having his breaky at Octopoia?

I bought a box and had a furious race against him. "Th-This is sooo good!" He managed to say between mouthfuls. "Think I should bring some home?" He gulped down the last ball. "Wait. I don't have any more money."

"You should get some more." I replied, finishing my last ball. "You had a head start, so I'm faster than you! Suck it!"

"Yeah, as if!" Mamoru laughed, rummaging for some change. "I'll get some more, I hate being the only one who gets to eat."

I knew better than to wound his pride by offering him some money. Hell, I really shouldn't have even paid for his mom's hospital bills. "Oh, by the way, about my mom…" Mamoru told me as Dibbie fried up some more notcopus. "She gets to come home from the hospital soon!" He told me excitedly.

"Hopefully I can help her a bit more, since I finally got the hang of taking care of everyone." Mamoru continued. Guess he doesn't want to talk about her mystery benefactor. That's good. "Guess what--my clubmates said they'd help me take care of stuff!" He said. "One of 'em offered to pick up my sis from preschool. Everybody's been worried about me." He looked oddly apologetic. "I mean, I thought I was the only one who cared, and I ended up ignoring everyone else there… And after all that, it was probably my fault nobody seemed focused on winning."

"One of the best things you can do in life is realise how much of a jerk you are to other people without even realising it." I replied. "Once you realise that, becoming a better person is easy."

Mamoru laughed. "Man, you don't let up for a second, do you?" He asked.

I shrugged. "Hey, I told you, right?" I asked. "I am both my best rival and worst enemy."

Mamoru seemed amused at that. "I feel better about everything, now that I know how people really feel about the club and everything. This is just great." He said sincerely. "I mean, I already totally loved it…"

"Here ya go Mamoru-kun!" Debbie called.

"Oops, guess I kind of started rambling there…" Mamoru replied sheepishly as he grabbed his sibling's breakfast. "I gotta run. Later, Minato. And don't forget…" He raised a fist at me. "I can focus on training again cuz you've got my back! So thanks, buddy."

I punched his knuckles. Bropower.

**SMASH**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Star Arcana..._

Mamoru then jogged off, and I decided to get to school.

* * *

There was a particularly tedious Chemistry class to sleep through, which Mitsuru seemed to find wrong somehow, considering how she grabbed me by the ear and dragged me off as soon as school was over.

No matter how powerful a man is, if an authoritative woman grabs him by the ear and drags him, he is powerless to resist; the man's psychological connection to that situation and his mother is too strong.

Thankfully, she only wanted me to check out that James Cameron film, Avatar, with me. It looks okay, but I think the special effects will be wasted on me because of the company I keep.

Hopefully the plot will be good.

* * *

Seen the plot before, but the end battle was decent, and the CGI was pretty damn close to realistic. Close, but not perfect.

Hey, 3D is nothing to the real thing, no matter how good it is.

"It's so easy…" Mitsuru commented once we left. "You simply purchase a ticket at the window and you can watch a movie… It may sound strange, but I have been eager to experience a film in an actual theatre." She said. "Even though we sat at the end of the aisle, I didn't feel like my view was compromised in the least… I find it interesting that so much thought is put into the design and construction of a movie theatre."

Most people talk about the actual movie itself, like I was just doing. "I'm glad you enjoyed it." I told her. I did.

"Thanks to you, Arisoto." She replied. "I've always felt too uncomfortable to come here alone."

I didn't comment on the fact that she was more eager to experience these things because of our impending doom. "I don't think I would normally have this type of conversation…" Mitsuru commented instead. "But, it seems to me that Yukari is the type of girl who wouldn't feel inhibited watching a movie by herself." Oh? Is that the old Jealousy acting up again? "She's also more suited to ride a motorcycle…"

Crap. "What motorcycle?" I asked innocently. Unlike most people, I can actually pull it off.

"I believe you've seen it before; I used to use it when I provided support for the team." Mitsuru explained. "However, I didn't purchase it solely for that purpose. With a motorcycle, I can go where I want, when I want, all by myself." She smiled to herself. "It's my modest attempt at rebelling against my restricted life. I had planned to get rid of it after it was damaged, but I decided to have it repaired instead. It may be a bit of an exaggeration to say I cherish it, but I do enjoy riding it when I have time to."

Keep up the innocence, keep up the innocence, keep up the innocence. "Let's go for a ride." I suggested.

"Together..?" Mitsuru asked. "Just the two of us? Can you ride a motorcycle? Or do you plan to sit on the back?" She laughed. "Either way, it would be a lot of fun. It'd have to wait though. It's being repaired after being stolen a few nights ago, when you left the dorm overnight." She glanced at me suspiciously. "Did you have anything to do with that?"

I know that I was brought up not to put a price on my honesty, but when that price is my life, I think that barefaced lying is more than acceptable. "No, of course not!"

Mitsuru smiled. "Hm. I apologise." She replied. "Thank you for today, I feel much better."

**SMASH**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Empress Arcana…_

Lying to your friends is a good thing.

"If you don't have any objections…" Mitsuru suggested, "I'd like to stay here with you for a little while longer."

I pointed dramatically at the sky. "To the arcade!"

* * *

Mitsuru kicked my arse at Tekken. And air-hockey. I deliberately lost the motorbike game, just to throw her off my scent about her bike, but I allowed myself a hardcore victory on Grand Turismo.

"We have to make such a difficult decision…" Mitsuru eventually said during our Co-op of Resident Evil (I was winning). "Could you ever have imagined that we'd be in this situation?"

"Never in a million years." I replied, exploding a zombies skull.

"Neither could I." Mitsuru sighed. "However, now that it is happening, we must decide what we are going to do about it."

"Your brain's getting eaten." I warned her.

She snapped to attention and focused on the task at hand. "GET OUT OF MY WAY!" She shouted, smashing her pistol through the zombies gaping maw before launching her fury upon the rest of the dead legion.

* * *

"Hi, how was your day?" Fuuka asked as I returned to the dorm, Mitsuru going to pick up her bike from the repair shop. "U-Um… Try to cheer up."

"I'm not down." I told her, proving it with a spontaneous backflip.

"O-Oh, okay then." She replied in embarrassment. "U-Um… Sorry, Minato, I know you're strong…"

I smiled at her. "Thanks. You are too."

"Oh, you're welcome…" She replied. "Sorry, I guess I'm the one who's the most confused…" She sighed. "I've been just studying in my room… so I don't have to think about what's going to happen…"

"Have you been thinking about the decision we have to make, Minato?" Yukari asked. I notice that everyone's scrapped the honorific's where I'm concerned.

"Pfft… no." I replied. "Not really."

"I knew you'd say that." Yukari replied with a slight smile. "But, there's plenty of time to think about it."

"Everyone at school is just going about their days as if nothing's wrong…" Kenjamin piped in. "They think everything's normal… I envy them… Ignorance is bliss, huh?" He asked.

"You voting for the 'Kill Ryoji' option?" I asked.

"No!" He replied harshly. "Well… maybe… I don't know…"

"Huh. Figures…" Junpei groaned, lying across the couch. "I finally learn something about myself, and now I'm gonna die… This is probably what Chidori meant when she said she was afraid…" He sighed. "Now, I finally understand…"

Damn. I don't have the heart to ask them to go to Tartarus. We're really getting behind schedule.

"Oh, do you want to go to Tartarus, Minato?" Fuuka asked me.

"Nah, it's fine." I replied. "Wouldn't want to go alone anyways."

"I'll come." Kenjamin replied.

"I could let off some steam." Junpei agreed.

"Sure, I'm up for some action." Yukari volunteered. "Sure, our Senpai aren't here, but we can handle this ourselves, right?"

* * *

Several floors into the funky disco block, we encountered a snag.

_**Run**_

_~ Where did the Reaper come from!? ~_ Fuuka shouted as everyone legged it. _~ I thought we got rid of it! ~_

"Apparently not." I replied, turning around and standing my ground, Chainsword in hand.

"Come on!" Yukari shouted behind me. "The Access point it right here!"

"I'm not backing down." I stated.

"Dude, this is no time for your stupid pride!" Junpei demanded. "Let's just get out of here!"

"And what'll we do when Nyx comes?" I asked. "Because we can't outrun her."

"Yeah, but we can't kill her either!" Yukari shouted.

"THAT'S BESIDE THE POINT!!" I shouted angrily. I let myself calm down, then elaborated. "If we back off from this thing, then we'll never be ready for Nyx."

_**How noble of you**_

The Reaper turned up, then got a white spear of lightning launched into him. "Give me another weapon!" Kenjamin shouted, running up to me.

I created a lance for him and passed it. "Thanks for the railgun." I told him.

"Anytime." He grinned nervously, taking up a stance beside me.

"Ngh… dammit!" Junpei shouted, running up beside us with Yukari. "We're all gonna die, ya know that?" He asked.

"It is the way of Fenris." I boasted as the Reaper recovered, summoning a Bolt Pistol into my free hand. "We stay as long as we can, fight as hard as we can, kill as many as we can." The Reaper aimed his guns at us as I shoved the Bolt Pistol into my jaw. "Only when we can do no more do we move on."

I pulled the trigger and BLOODY HELL the recoil on this thing is HUGE!

Surt came forward with Kala-Nemi and Trismegistus and pinned down the Reaper's arms as Isis launched a Garudyne into the Reaper's face. "NOW!" I shouted, as the Personae dissipated, charging as I fired my gun, creating huge holes at random intervals over his large body.

Never again shall we back down.

The gun in his left had became surrounded with sparks, then flew out of the Reaper's hand, assumedly due to Kenjamin's electric skillage. Junpei burst into flames and grew wings, taking the floating behemoth on in close combat as I joined him in the melee.

Never again shall we cower in the face of death.

Yukari shot a powerfully piercing arrow into the Reaper while Kenjamin launched a second railgun attack before running to retrieve his first spear for a third attack.

Never again shall our resolve shake.

I set the Bolt Pistol onto Auto and shot several bullets into my skull, casting enough fusion spells to shatter the Reaper's defenses, make me untouchable, and amp my power up to crazy before jumping onto Junpei's burning back and above the Reaper.

"NEVER AGAIN!!" I shouted, leaping into kamikaze attack with the Chainsword. "SHALL WE FALL!!"

I sliced straight down the Reaper's centre, and was suddenly hit with a wave of Déjà vu.

_**You defeated Priestess in this manner… did you not?**_

The Reaper collapsed into ash, and the effects of Valhalla took its toll.

* * *

I woke up at the bottom of Tartarus with everyone looking very concerned. "See..?" I replied weakly. "And you all said that we were too weak for that…"

* * *

I woke up on Junpei's back in the middle of the street. "Okay, I'm up." I announced, jumping off Junpei's back. "Where's our stuff?" I asked.

"We left the big stuff and your gun in Tartarus's lobby." Yukari explained. "We'll pick it up tomorrow night."

"Good, good." I nodded. "We have school tomorrow, don't we?"

"Yes." Kenjamin nodded.

"Bugger." I groaned.

* * *

Fuuka helped me to school the next day. Valhalla was a double-edged sword. It temporarily made me invincible and unstoppable for a minute or so, then I crapped out for ages afterwards.

Basically, it was an uber version of Orgia mode, only I overheated for longer.

"So, Minato…" Fuuka asked me on the train. "Have you decided what you're going to do..?"

"Yeah." I replied. "I have."

"You're so brave, Minato." She replied. "But, I'm scared… Even Ken-kun is down… What are we going to do..?"

Well, my plan is pretty simple. While I draw breath, I stand. While I stand, I fight. While I fight, I prevail. Nothing shall stay our wrath.

For we are Ultramarines; Son's of Guilliman.

…

Sigh. Sometimes I think that Warhammer 40,000 is less of a crapsack world than ours. At least they can fight against the eldritch abominations that threaten their species.

* * *

During lunch, Mitsuru dragged me out by the ear again to make me explain myself for leading a team into Tartarus without either her or Shinji to supervise. I really hope that Yukari doesn't start thinking that she's dragging me out for kinky sex or something.

Anyways, once I wormed my way out of that one, I ended up hanging around the Library with her somehow. She seemed distracted about something while browsing the bookshelf, so methinks it's time to rank up mah social linkage.

"Can I get a book for you?" I offered.

"Hm?" She asked, surprised. "Yes, please. Thank you." She stepped back from the bookcase. "Looking through the literature section made me realize something… There are a lot fewer books about marriage and family life than there are romance novels." She touched her chin thoughtfully. "Do you think that means the most exciting time in one's life is before marriage? Is marriage worth the sacrifice?"

Well, Dave's saving up so he can marry the mother of his child, so I'd say "Yeah, generally so." I stretched my arms behind me. "Romance is overrated." I suggested. "It's nice, but it in itself isn't love."

"Well, to be frank, the Group is in turmoil over the inheritance issue." Mitsuru said melancholically, not really in reply. "To be honest, I'm having difficulty understanding the expectations of the other members… But, I'm the daughter of the head of the Group. I'm expected to lead the company… even if that requires me to sacrifice something to do it."

"A 'fiancé' has been chosen for me." Mitsuru told me. If I wasn't in a library, I'd make an outburst. "He's the new president of one of our affiliates, and he's much older than me. But, if I agree to the marriage, the future of the company will be secured." Mitsuru sighed. "He's planning to announce the partnership and our engagement at the same time. Doing so will give the appearance that the company is stabilizing. It's the best solution for everyone involved."

"That's news to me." I told her. "Seriously, I had no idea Kirijo needed a merger."

"Well, of course not." She replied, forcing a smile. "You're the only person I've told. My parents chose the same path. So, I won't run from my destiny."

"Screw destiny." I replied. "I'm telling you as Orpheus Mochizuki: the Kirijo group can only flourish under your control. Don't throw your life away like this."

"If I reconsider and decline the engagement, then what will I do?" Mitsuru asked. "Leave everything behind and go on a journey of self discovery..?" She looked away slightly. "If I did… would you come with me..?"

She laughed before I could answer her. "I'm just joking." She replied.

"If that's what it'd take, then yeah." I replied.

**SMASH**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Empress Arcana..._

Mitsuru looked to the floor. "Arisoto… Lately I've been hesitant to meet with you like this…" Really? Because you're the one who drags me out. "It's always just the two of us… I have to follow through with my decision." She sighed. "But, talking with you has made me lose my resolve. It's your fault I'm feeling this way." She set off out of the library. "Please excuse me."

…

…

Wait, have I just pulled?

* * *

After school, I waved the problem away by eating dinner with Nozomi. Now _he's_ someone I can't be accused of having as my second helping.

"So I had some melonpan, and then a tonkatsu sandwich or two… then a turkey sandwich, a bag of chips, and half a BLT, but… I gotta have my rice! Hmm… Think that's t-too many carbs?" Nozomi burped. "It pays to watch what you eat. Today, a girl in my class asked about 'that handsome guy you were eating with'."

"Another one?" I groaned.

"I guess she wanted me to introduce you two so you could eat lunch with her…" He replied. "And without me… I guess you are like my little brother… The type of guy who gets all the girls, am I right?"

"Unfortunately." I sighed. "Honestly? I prefer hanging around with you. I get to eat stuff."

He smirked. "Well once we're dead, we're all just bones." Nozomi added. You can tell a handsome skeleton from an ugly one. Ugh! Whenever I worry about that stuff, it gets my appetite going. Hey waiter, how about one more tonkatsu special!" He ordered, before turning back to me. "Did you know I'm a poet? Here, I'll write a senryu poem before the food gets here…"

"_Pork is yummy,  
But in the sun,  
I fried too."_

Nozomi burped, then panicked. "S-Stomach emergency!" He shouted, before running off to the loo.

See what I mean? Hardly love interest material.

"Hey, where's the kid who ordered the Tonkatsu Special?" The waiter asked.

"Gone to the loo." I replied. "I'll pay for it."

* * *

"Talk about a close call." Nozomi sighed as he returned. "I almost didn't get there in time…"

"You alright?" I asked him. "You look like death."

"No, I'm fine, no worries…" He replied, digging into his meal. "I guess I'm normal after all. Everything except my weight, that is." He then hesitated. "That was probably more than you needed to know, huh?" He asked. "I'm normally not this rude… Sorry, it won't happen again." He apologised. "I just wasn't thinking."

**SMASH**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Moon Arcana…_

"But now, back to eating!" He announced. "You can't eat once you're dead, so I always say it's best to take every chance you get! Heh, just like my little brother!"

See what I mean?

* * *

Next morning, I was greeted with another rare sight. The wild Shinjiro Aragaki in his natural habitat, the kitchen, preparing a nutritious meal for his chicklings…

Alright, no more David Attenborough, I promise.

"Hey, Minato…" He nodded as I came in. "Don't you think it's funny..? We have so much to worry about, but we're still going to school as if nothing's changed…"

"True." I sighed, pouring myself a bowl of my favourite cinnamon flavoured breakfast.

"But, we'll have to make up our minds sooner or later." Shinji sighed. "Otherwise, it'll be too late."

"True." I added, munching down on my breakfast.

"Man, how can you be so damn calm about this?" He asked. "I mean, I know you're good at controlling yourself, but come on!"

"I've come to terms with it and made my decision." I replied. "And I'm not stressing out over what I can't change."

"So you've just given up, huh?" He laughed bitterly.

"I never said that."

* * *

I skived off the afternoon classes to go hang out with Mamoru at Hagakure. "So, the big meet was yesterday." He grinned.

"And you won?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"What kind of question is that?" Mamoru laughed, enjoying his noodles. "I got first place, of course!"

I did a little victory dance. The situation called for it.

"Aw geez, who the hell do you think I am?" He asked embarrassedly.

"The you that believes in you." I laughed. Had to be said.

Mamoru laughed. "Well anyway, thanks." He replied. "This means my sports career might be over for real… Makes me feel a little empty, you know?"

I pointed my chopsticks at him like a news reporter. "And what is next for the great Mamoru Hayase?" I asked.

He laughed, pushing the chopsticks away. "I'm thinking of finding a job, actually." He replied in high spirits. "I'm going to earn enough money to support my family. I think that's my responsibility now… Got one picked out and everything! My father had connections at a car factory, so I'll apply there." He became silent. "Thing is, it's pretty far away…" He looked up. "Order extra noodles. Go on, it's on me."

"Thanks." I replied. "Dan Dan Dan noodles for me and my friend here."

"What's that?" He asked.

"Secret menu item." I told him. "It's awesome."

He laughed. "Go on then." He said. "You helped me realize a lot of stuff, y'know?" He asked. "I always blamed school or my family for everything. I didn't want to face the fact that I was responsible… I really lucked out, y'know? If we hadn't met, I'd still be a jerk." He smiled sincerely. "I won't forget you."

"Here you are sirs." The chef said. "Enjoy!"

"Thanks." Mamoru told him, before turning back to me. "Well, I have to go get started packing. Can't keep putting it off. We should grab a bite again after school soon. Who knows how many chances we're gonna have after this… Ramen's too good to pass up, right?" He asked.

"Right." I replied.

**SMASH**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Star Arcana…_

Mamoru tucked into his noodles, and was shocked. "Wow, this is good!"

* * *

We ended up talking until the sun went down, so I was pretty late getting back to the dorm.

"Oh, hey." Yukari greeted me. "It's been a week since Ryoji-kun was here… I couldn't sleep for three days after that. Do you think it's weird for me to be this scared?"

"Nah, everyone's scared." I replied.

"Yeah, I guess you're right." She nodded. "You don't really know how much you take your life for granted… until there's a possibility you might lose it. It's difficult to explain…"

Which reminds me. "So, are you coming over to England after the exams?" I asked. "We fly the night after Fuuka's birthday."

She nodded. "Sure. I could really use a change of scenery."

* * *

Next morning, I saw Mitsuru downstairs eating my cereals in her pyjamas. "Hey, I had that specially imported you know." I told her semi-angrily.

"Looks like you'll have to import some more then." She replied wearily, shaking the empty box. "Did you talk to the others?"

I sighed. "Yeah." I told her. "Everyone's a mess."

"I feel the same way." Mitsuru nodded. "We can't continue on like this… We should talk with everyone tonight."

* * *

After school, Nozomi invited me to the new resturaunt that just opened in Paulownia mall. "Hurry Minato!" He called after me. "I'm dying from hunger!"

"Yeah, I'm coming!" I called back.

"Yeah, I'd recognize that shrill voice anywhere." Some old guy said as he came up to Nozomi. He wasn't the guy from the first time I met Nozomi. This guy was of the Magician. "You might consider not talking so loud. I could pick you out of a lineup if I were blind…" He threatened.

"Can I help you sir?" I asked him, catching up with Nozomi.

"I don't have as much time to waste as you high school kids, so let's try to keep this short." He told us. "My son gave you some money that was supposed to pay for his tutor. I'm tired of this whole situation, so let's resolve it and forget anything ever happened, okay?"

"S-Sir, I think there's been a misunderstanding here." Nozomi said hurriedly. "Your son was hiding in the park because he hates that tutor. That's why I showed him the way." Nozomi grew more confident. "You should be thanking me for saving him, if you ask me. Right, Minato?"

"Yeah, that's right." Support friends first, ask for facts later.

"See? Minato thinks so too!" Nozomi smiled.

"You seem pretty calm today; what's wrong?" The guy asked. "You just hiding behind your friend?"

"You see, the reason you didn't know how your son was feeling is because you don't truly understand." Nozomi replied. "But don't take my word for it, Minato will back me up on this one."

**SMASH**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Moon Arcana…_

So, maybe Nozomi does the same McDonalds thing as I do?

"Look, I'm willing to forgive you. But, you'll never enter Paradise." Nozomi told the guy. "People like my brother, who died, or nonbelievers like you are forbidden from that sacred place."

Or maybe he's in a cult of some sort. Great.

"Talking to you gives me a headache." The guy groaned. "My son is only in elementary school, and yet I'm shocked you were able to take his money. Your parents have my sympathy. There's a lot I would have to reconsider if my son were as snowed by this cult as you seem to be."

"Wh-What did you just infer!?" Nozomi barked. "I am not stupid, Sir. You're no different than everyone else. You think I should have died instead of my brother, don't you!? Well I didn't. And, I'm not as smart or as nice as him, either, so just deal with it."

Man, these social links always become awkward at some point or another.

"Damn, kid… You have some problems." The man sighed. "If you won't just own up to what you did, I'm just wasting my time. There are plenty of ways to resolve this." He turned to face me. "You better be careful, kid." He warned. "Hang around tubbo for too long and he'll try scamming you, too. What you do is up to you, but I'm just glad I got to my son before it was too late…" He turned to leave. "Best of luck…"

"I don't need to put up with your allegations!" Nozomi shouted. "Don't come back!" He turned to me. "We won! We fought that guy off… You're a good friend, and I respect that." His stomach growled. "That encounter reminded me of how hungry I am. C'mon, let's find something to eat!"

Which reminds me. "Crap." I told him. "There's something going on at the dorm that I totally forgot about. Later!"

Nozomi sighed, but waved me off. "Later!"

* * *

When I got back to the dorm, everyone was gathered around the table except for Koromaru and Aigis, who were excused.

"Well, it's been a week." Yukari pointed out. "What're we going to do? …You okay, Fuuka?" She asked.

"You just seem so calm…" She pointed out.

"We have to make a decision…" Yukari explained. "I mean, it's been such a drag around here lately, and no one will really go to Tartarus…"

"You're right." Mitsuru pointed out. "We humans are quite resilient. We can adapt to any situation, given enough time. So, how about it, everyone?" She asked. "Why don't we talk about it?"

Awkward silence.

"Have you made your decision, Aragaki-san?" Kenjamin asked.

"No… But, I don't plan on running away." Shinji replied.

"So you're going to fight Nyx?" Mitsuru asked him.

"I don't know." He replied. "I mean, it's supposedly undefeatable. What about you?" He asked her. "What are your thoughts on it?"

"Honestly, this is the first time I've ever really contemplated my own death…" Mitsuru admitted. "It's quite a sobering thought. I don't want to suffer… and I don't want to kill Ryoji. But either way, we still die." She said. "So, there is no simple answer."

"Then, do we all agree that we don't want to hurt Ryoji-kun?" Fuuka asked.

"Is that how you feel?" Shinji asked her.

"Um… well… I… um…"

"It's okay, Fuuka." Yukari told her. "I mean, it's not natural to choose how you're going to die… What about you, Junpei?" She asked. "Have you decided?"

"No…" Junpei grunted.

"What's the matter?" Yukari laughed. "Scared?"

Junpei glared at her. "What the hell do you mean by that?" He asked after a few seconds, getting up from the wall he was leaning against. "You think this is a joke?"

Yukari was completely thrown off. "Junpei, I…"

Junpei didn't let her finish. "We're going to die! Of course I'm scared!" He shouted. "You all need to wake up! This is death we're talking about here!"

"Then, what do you want to do?" Mitsuru asked. "Do you want to kill him?"

"There's nothing I can do…" Junpei replied flippantly, pointing his head at me. "_He's_ the only one who can kill him. Come to think of it, it's all your fault…" He accused, turning to me angrily. "You had that thing inside you and didn't even know it… You raised it, dammit!" He shouted. "This is all your fault! So you should DO something about it!" He shouted. "You're supposed to be SPECIAL, right!?"

"I'm scared too…"

That shut him up.

All this time, I had been a fearless, infallible leader. I never hesitated from rushing into battle, not once. I always knew what to do.

Not this time. I know what I'm going to do, but I don't think everyone will agree with my ideals.

"It's not his fault…" Yukari told him. "And the only reason we've even been given a choice is because he carried it!"

"I know that, dammit!" Junpei replied. "But…"

"I'm sorry I teased you, Junpei." Yukari replied. "I was just trying to lighten up the situation." She turned to everyone. "Personally, I don't want to forget everything." She said. "I've learned so much since coming here."

"I've never really talked about this before, but…" Junpei sighed. "My old man was an alcoholic." He said. "He started drinking after he was tricked into investing his life savings in some telemarketing scam. He drank until he passed out, so he didn't have to face reality… And I hated him for it… Now, I understand how he felt." He replied bitterly. "Everything seems hopeless… I'm so scared!"

"I know how you feel, Junpei-kun." Fuuka told him. "I'm scared too."

"We all are." Shinji grunted.

"Yes… I… I can't stop shaking." Mitsuru replied.

"Me either…" Yukari added.

"Yuka-tan…" Junpei replied.

Time for my words. "Only a madman knows not fear." I quoted. "A warrior knows what fear is, he feels it in his stomach, he understands fear better than any other mortal can." I turned to everyone. "What makes us strong is that we have conquered fear, overcome it not once but many times, over and over again, until the process has become instinctive." I sighed. "But no matter how many battles you fight and how many victories you win, your fear will never completely leave you. Learn to live with that fear. Learn to master your fear."

I didn't finish the quote. It went on to say that there are something that you cannot hope to fight, which was exactly what we are up against.

"Thank you Arisoto." Mitsuru replied. "Alright, I don't think we're prepared to make a decision just yet." She announced. "Ryoji said he'll be back on New Year's Eve, so we still have some time to think about it… So until then, let's just try to live our lives as normally as possible."

Everyone nodded.

"I thought that he was lying." Mitsuru said half to herself. "I thought that if we stopped him, we would stop the Fall. But I was wrong… And if we kill him, we will lose all our memories…"

"Ikutsuki?" I asked. She nodded wordlessly.

"Koromaru is so strong…" Kenjamin pitched in. "He was at that shrine all by himself… I don't want to live in the past anymore." He decided. "Akihiko-san let me live for a purpose…"

"I wonder what Aki would do if he was here…" Shinji threw in. "He'd probably fight against the end of the world with all he had…" He laughed bitterly. "Yeah, that's what he would do."

And that's what I intend to do.

* * *

The next day at school, I was planning how we should go through Tartarus while Toriumi taught her lesson. "Exams will begin on Monday. Have you guys studied?" She asked. "It's my fault if you don't get good scores, you know."

Once everyone had finished groaning, she focused on the lesson. "Let's consult our textbooks for today's lesson. Let's see… Ah, yes. Antonyms." She decided. "Antonyms are rather difficult, since words can be interpreted in many different ways. One antonym of 'hard' is 'soft'. But 'easy' could also be an antonym of 'hard'. You seem confused, Junpei. Tell me, what's the antonym of 'hard', as in 'Why are you being so hard on me?'"

"Huh? Me?" He asked, before lowering his head and voice. "Ughh… I wasn't listening at all… Did you hear what she said, Minato?" He asked. "Do you know the answer?"

"Nice." I told him.

"It's 'Nice', miss!" He called.

"Oh, so you were listening." Ms. Toriumi nodded. "You've got a funny way of showing it, though…"

"F-Funny way…" Junpei stammered. "Yeah, I guess so…" He lowered his voice again. "Thanks, man."

Then the back door burst open. "KENJI-KUN! Come quick!"

Everyone turned around to see Yuko in an absolute panic. "It's Rio-chan!" She shouted. "She passed out in the classroom! I think she's got Apathy Syndrome!"

**What.**

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

What indeed.

I've been using a lot of Warhammer quotes here, but if it's fighting for your life at impossible odds, then Warhammer 40k's the way to go.

And yes, Minato managed to beat down the Reaper in a fair fight.

And yes, he got out of crashing Mitsuru's bike.

And yes, Mitsuru's falling for Minato.

And yes, I foreshadowed Rio getting the Syndrome at the start of the chapter. Go back and look if you don't believe me.


	85. Chapter 85

New chapta time.

Athan Mortis, of course the other demon users will get involved.  
I don't intend for Mitsuru to find out about her bike, and Reaps will return as per usual.  
I never said that Nozomi wasn't a Nyxist. And the reason why there's no ? when Minato says 'What' is because it's a Flat What. It's not a question. It's when you've just been witness to something so bizarre, so eye-crossingly stupid, that your brain no longer has the cognitive faculties to put together a more articulate response. What.  
I intend to keep The Answer as canon, as with P4, with the obvious exception of Shinji being there and Akihiko not. And I quite like reading the long reviews. It shows you've been paying attention.

SYRUKU GETS THE PRIZE!

Slackerman, in the original version, Nozomi invented the cult to earn himself some moneys, but you scare him onto the straight and narrow, and he goes on an epic quest to become a world famous food critic.

Slierness, Rio is one of FemMC's social links, whose social link revolves around her unrequited love for Kenji, who happens to be going over to her club teacher's house every night for 'tutoring'. She showed up earlier in the story.  
Last chapter is the second longest one I've done, because I really wanted to end it on that cliffhanger. Chapter 80 wins by six hundred words or so.  
And Seta is more powerful than you give him credit for. Especially in the sequel. Myriad Ways? Robs 'em of their demonic powers by forcing reality back onto them. Since Minato's Hollow and weapon summoning Skills involve re-writing reality, Seta has the advantage until Minato starts channelling and goes Jason Bourne on him.

ISTF, since this is FES, Minato's gonna get Helel by maxing the Star, which should happen this chapter. He will get Lucifer though.  
Also, yes, it was Maki. Thank you for that. And I forgot about the P1 girl being called Maki, I just wanted to press home the fact that everyone was screwed by having S.E.E.S. take on the final boss of P1. The fight went on longer in my head, but I like how it went down here too.

Tenshi Reike, I haven't yet decided. While the official pairing for this story is Minato X Yukari, I'm still deciding how far he'll go for these social links, and even for a friend in general, seeing what he's done for his teammates and what he'll do in this chapter. I'll have fun with that idea.

Naru-chan, soon.

Warning: This chapter is messed. Seriously, you might not even like this story after this one. Unless you like Persona 4, in which case you will most likely applaud.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

Needless to say, Kenji and I rushed to class 2-E, which was also Fuuka's and Bebe's classroom. The man in question was holding Rio, who seemed unconscious if not for the fact that her eyes were wide open and she was muttering about "Nyx-sama…"

No doubt about it; she's got the syndrome.

Kenji was seriously concerned, taking her off Bebe and shaking her violently.

"Apart from Kenji, who knew her best?" I asked the classroom, switching to Odin to get the max effect. I strode over to the girl whose appearance screamed 'Friend A'. Not surprisingly, her Arcana was Hanged Man, so I switched to Attis to get maximum effect.

"Did Rio-san have any unresolved social, romantic, psychological or familial issues, to your knowledge?" I asked her.

"Huh? Wh-what does that have anything to do with this!?"

"That's the only recurring pattern among the Lost that I have found so far." I lied, it's only a hypothesis at this point. "However, amongst people who have never had Apathy Syndrome, the majority of them are of sound mind and life." Another hypothesis. "So, tell me, was there any unresolved issues in Rio Iwasaki's life?" I repeated. "Anything at all?"

"She never liked Emi-- Kanou-sensei." Kenji told me. "At least, not when I showed up for Tennis Practice."

He was in the Tennis Club?

"That's because you were flirting with her all the time!" Friend A lashed out, before covering her mouth.

Hold on, Rio fancied Kenji, didn't she?

Hell, if this was a full on Unrequited Love…

I picked up Rio. "I'll take her to the Nurses Office." I said. "Kenji, you should come too."

"Hold on!" Ekoda interrupted. "This is my classroom! You can't just barge in here and do what you want to my students!"

I glared at him. "I'm taking a sick student to be taken care of. Did you seriously forget our conversation concerning Fuuka-san?"

I added the honorific to add depth to my warning. It worked.

* * *

"Hey, Minato, the stairs are that way!" Kenji told me in the corridor.

"We're not going to the nurses office." I replied, heading for the announcement room.

"Where the hell are you going with her then!?"

I shifted her limp body onto my shoulder as I opened the door into the empty announcement room. Just like I remember, there was a large TV in here.

Kenji closed the door after me. "Alright, what the hell is this about?" He demanded as I laid Rio down on an empty desk. "I trust you and all, but come on!"

I smacked him around the head hard enough for it to hurt. "OW!"

"Apathy Syndrome affects those with troubled minds." I told him. "Until recently, victims had a specific kind of troubled mind, the kind changing each month, but now it's free game."

"What the hell are you getting at?" Kenji asked angrily.

"She loved you." I told him. "Like you loved Kanou, most likely more." I noted his shock at the severity of my words and pressed on. "Add that to what I assume was you turning up at Tennis club specifically to chat her up, considering how you made me wait outside the sports club when you asked her out, it's amazing that she got this far without getting the Syndrome."

"Wait, so this is my fault?" Kenji asked.

"To be fair, I should have picked up on this much sooner." I replied. Actually, I did, but I'd already completed the Chariot social link so I didn't bother helping her other than that one time.

I was lazy, and this was the price. "Now, I'm going to try and fix this," I told Kenji, "But first you have to make a choice."

"What choice?" Kenji asked.

"Take the blue pill, leave wonderland and walk away. Maybe, just maybe, Rio will come back to school tomorrow right as rain and everything will be alright." I offered. "Or, you can take the red pill, jump in after her and see how deep the rabbit hole goes." I lifted my left hand with two M&M's in for effect. "Your choice."

Kenji sighed, before knocking my hand away. "You tell me that this is my fault and expect me to walk away?" He asked. "Who do you take me for? Junpei-kun?"

"Junpei's a bigger man than you give him credit for." I told Kenji as I picked up Rio and pushed her into the TV.

"What the hell!?"

I offered Kenji my hand as I swung a leg into the rippling screen. "Last chance Alice." I told him.

He took it.

* * *

We landed in some green, soft tarmac, the kind used in tennis fields. The place was foggy as hell though.

"Wh-where is this..?" Kenji asked, standing up and looking in amazement.

"The Abyss of the soul." I told him. "In this place, the darkest desires of the soul are made manifest." I turned to him. "Guess where we are now?" I asked.

"Rio-chan's soul…" He gasped. "But why is it so foggy..?"

"What are you doing here!?" Asked an unfamiliar, high pitched voice.

We both turned to see some clown-type thing waddle over to us. "Y-you shouldn't be here!" It demanded. "Get out! Get out!"

Star Arcana… "Hey, we're here for Rio-chan!" Kenji shouted, looking around. "Wait… where is she..?"

"More importantly, who are you?" I asked the creature, picking it up by the blue horn on its head. "What are you?"

"I-I'm just Teddie!" It said, flailing helplessly. "I-I'm just a bear!"

"Bollocks." I retorted, grabbing its zip. "Talk."

"Aaaaaaahhh… okay fine!" He shouted.

_You wanted me to aid the future fool… this is my answer…_

I dropped 'Teddie'. "You?" I asked.

I could've burst out laughing. This walking stuffed animal was the prince of darkness. Lovecraft must be rolling in his grave.

"Anyways, you guys need to get out of here." Lucifer demanded, keeping up the pretence of Teddie. "It's Beary dangerous in here!"

Holy crap I have created a monster. "Dangerous!?" Kenji asked, temporarily giving up his search for Rio. "What's he talking about!?"

"This is a place where the darkest desires of the heart are made manifest." I reminded him. "You seriously didn't expect butterflies and rainbows, did you?"

Kenji growled. "Great. We've lost Rio-chan and we're all gonna die!" He shouted. "Thanks!"

"We're not gonna die." I told him. "And we're gonna find Rio." I turned to Luci- Argh, can't do it.

I turned to Teddie. "Got anything to help us see through this fog?" I asked.

"Well, I've got these glasses!" He said, offering two pairs. Kenji snatched the regular, black-framed glasses, leaving me the wide, 80's orange-tinted shades.

Despite their main function, the world became a lot clearer after I put on the shades. They didn't shade the sunlight though.

We were in a tennis court, with a pathway leading to a building with a creepy black-and-red vortex for a door. The sky was also made of black and red zig-zag stripes.

Welcome to Wonderland.

"Alright, how the hell is this even possible!?" Kenji asked. "What the hell is going on!?"

"You've gone deeper into the insanity of this world than any other person at this school." I told him. "Yukari and Junpei only know about the Dark Hour."

"The what?" Kenji demanded.

"At midnight, time stops for an hour, everyone turns to coffins and this school turns to a creepy tower." I explained. "Everyone at the Dorm doesn't turn into coffins though, so we can walk about and remember what goes on."

"And they don't know about this place..?" He asked.

"I thought it'd be unfair to deprive them of any sanity they had left." I told him. "I mean, come on. I can enter the world inside people's hearts by walking into a TV?"

"Fair point." He sighed. "Now where's Rio-chan?" He asked.

"This place only came into existence a few seconds before you guys did." Teddie answered. "So your money's probably inside that thing."

"Rio, not Ryo." I replied. "She's his girl."

"No, she isn't!" Kenji shot back. "We're just old friends, that's all!"

"_Yeah, totally platonic and everything._"

Craaaap.

We all turned to see Kenji walk out of the building, only with black smoke rising from him and with glowing yellow eyes. "_I mean, come on! She's way too young for me." _Shadow Kenji explained. "_That would mean I'd have to look after _her_."_

"Wh-what?" Kenji asked.

"_Come on, we all know that age isn't that important!"_ Shadow Kenji elaborated. _"It's all about _experience._"_

"We know that." I sighed.

"_But of course it is!"_ Shadow Kenji laughed. _"I mean, with an _older_ woman, she's supposed to know how the relationship works."_ It grinned. _"She can take the lead… and I don't have to do anything."_

"S-stop it…" Kenji growled.

"_That's what she said!"_ Shadow Kenji laughed. _"Yeah, you wish."_

"Wh-wha-?" Kenji gasped, recoiling from the Shadow.

"_Come on, 'More experienced'? 'Life fine wines'?"_ Shadow Kenji laughed. _"I just like it when She's leading the relationship. That way, when things go sour, it's not my fault."_

"You think I'm that kind of coward?" Kenji mustered up.

"_Think?"_ Shadow Kenji asked. _"Dude, I know you're that kind of coward. That's why I went for Emiri. We all know she's easy, she even stuffs her bra before going to teach her students! She's just asking for a hot young man to screw! But that bitch…"_ Shadow Kenji growled. _"She was just playing with me… Never even got one roll in the sack… all that time with her… WASTED!"_

"S-STOP IT!!" Kenji shouted. "W-WHO ARE YOU!?"

"_Who am I?"_ Shadow Kenji asked, laughing. _"Come on, you know better than that! It's not as if you're an idiot. Lazy? Too right I am! To lazy to learn anything! But I know what's going on… He said it himself, right?" _Shadow Kenji asked, looking at me. _"This place… it makes the desires of the heart come to life…"_

Kenji turned to me. "HELP ME!!" He shouted.

"_Oh yes, please, help!"_ Shadow Kenji asked in a whiny voice. _"I can't solve my own problems! I'm too lazy to make any effort in anything!"_ It glared at Kenji. _"School… Tennis… Women… the only thing I'm good at is eating Ramen, and that crazy fat kid is better at even that!"_

"No…" Kenji gasped. "You have no idea what you're talking about…"

"'_Course I do!"_ Shadow Kenji laughed sardonically. _"I am you… I know all about you… And I know that you want her…"_

Kenji snapped to attention, staring at his Shadow. _"Hell, Rio's a babe!"_ It laughed. _"Looks, personality, brains, that amazing _ass_ of hers… who doesn't want her?"_ It shrugged. _"Not me apparently!"_ Shadow Kenji declared. _"Because I want a woman who'll do all the work for me…"_

"No…" Kenji growled. "YOU DON'T KNOW SHIT ABOUT ME!!"

Shadow Kenji laughed. _"Oh really?"_

"Aaah… this is getting baaad!" Teddie warned, now standing next to me as the scene unfolded. "The Shadow's getting beary beary maad!"

"_Then again, Knowing too much is such a pain in the ass…"_ Shadow Kenji continued. _"Hell, If I'd never found out about Emeri's douchebag, life would've been alllright!"_

"Ngh…" Kenji groaned. "Y-YOU'RE NOT ME!!"

Time stood still for a split second, but then Kenji's Shadow started laughing maniacally as black/red shadows started rushing towards him, enveloping him completely.

Then the all flew away, blinding me for a second before revealing the true form of Kenji's Shadow.

It was pretty damned big, about four storeys tall, stood on its hind legs. It was covered in what looked like ragtag wooden armour… no, it looked more like the wreck of a Viking longboat given humanoid form.

It was holding a large, metallic spear and had a wooden horse head for a head, and there were faceless, naked women holding bows flailing around its body, with Kenji's naked torso and head hanging from the bottom without arms, acting like a tail.

"**I am a Shadow…**" It said. "**The True Self…**" It got its spear into position, aiming at Kenji. "**Keeping you alive just isn't worth the effort…**"

"Teddie! Keep him safe!" I shouted, summoning the card for Tsukuru Izanagi to hold the Shadow off while I summoned my Evoker. I'd stopped carrying it around months ago, but from now on I'll always have one down my backside.

The Shadow tore through Izanagi just as I put the Evoker to my head. "THANATOS!!"

**BLAM** Thanatos crashed down from the sky, raining death from above as his sword clashed with the Shadow's spear.

"**You're just trying to make my life difficult, aren't you!?**" The Shadow asked, pulling out a shortsword and stabbing Thanatos through the stomach. The pain reached my abdomen too, and Thanatos vanished.

Fighting it head on alone is suicide, considering its size and weapons, which leaves me with Personae. "NORN!" I shouted, summoning a tornado to bring the Shadow to its knees.

"**You think a little breeze will get in my way?**" It asked, launching the wind right back at me.

"Wind attacks won't work!" Teddie shouted. "Try something else!"

Working on it. "ODIN!!" I summoned, but the Shadow shrugged off even a Thunder Reign.

"Waaa… not good!" Teddie groaned. "But you can win this!"

Yes, that thing is the devil. Crazy, huh? "SURTR!!"

"**GGARRGGH!!!**" The Shadow screamed, shaking off the flames. "**Piece of SHIT!!**"

"Fire's Un-bear-able for it!" That joke was unbearable. "Do it again!"

I did just that, then the Shadow retaliated. I dodged the Shadow's spear and flipped onto it, grabbing hold as the Shadow pulled it back in. Once I was close enough, I jumped onto the Shadow's shoulder and summoned Surtr again for massive damage.

"**DAMMIT!!**" The Shadow screamed, grabbing me and throwing me against the ground. "**Cut the CRAP!**"

"Kid, LOOK OUT!" Teddie screamed as I got up. "DEFEND YOURSELF!!"

I switched to Kohryu and cast a Makarakarn as thousands of Arrows bounced helplessly off me as lightning burst from the heavens and bounced off my shield. Bloody hell that'd hurt if it hit.

"DODGE!!"

I did as I was told as a giant, wood covered fist smashed down on the tarmac, sending splinters everywhere. I covered my eyes reflexively, earning myself the worlds biggest backhand into my chest.

I grabbed the closest woman and hauled myself onto the Shadow's fist before switching to Seth, sending him ahead to torch the Shadow from all over while I scrambled up the Shadow's arm, holding onto something or someone as the Shadow flailed, all the while dodging arrows from the Shadow's crew while I summoned a weapon with some weight to it.

Once I reached the neck, I switched to Thor and lifted the Mjolnir above my head. "KNOCK KNOCK!" I shouted, smashing my way through the armour before jumping in.

As I expected, the Shadow was much hollow, with a black orb using the wooden armour as a dreadnought to fight in its stead.

"Time to die." I told the Shadow as I summoned a Frag grenade and rammed it inside its squishy centre before legging it.

**KABLAM!!**

I rolled out of the collapsing Shadow before summoning Surtr again to finish the Shadow off with one last Ragnarok.

The Shadow screamed as it burnt, shrinking back into the Shadow's from whence it came.

"Looks like someone couldn't…" I whipped off my shades. "Stand the heat."

_**YEEEEEEEAAAAAHHH!!!!**_

* * *

The situation totally called for it. I blame the Shades.

Kenji got back to his feet, then faced his now human-shaped Shadow again. "You're… you're not…"

"It's cool." I told him. "Everyone's got one." I shrugged. "But you're more than just that thing. You know that, right?"

Kenji stared at me for a second, before nodding with a wry smile. "You really are amazing, you know that?" He asked me, before turning back towards his Shadow. "Fine." He admitted. "I'm a lazy piece of crap who can't be arsed putting the effort into making a relationship work."

"That's probably why I thought I was in love with Emiri…" Kenji continued. "And it's probably why I ignored Rio-chan for so long…" He laughed bitterly. "Yeah… you're me alright." He looked himself in the eye. "A lazy piece of crap who can't be bothered sorting his own life out…"

The Shadow nodded, before disappearing in a glowy pillar of light.

_The strength of heart required to face oneself has been made manifest… _

In the light appeared an armoured man with a jet black face and long luxurious hair, standing in a questful pose while holding his spear.

_Thou hast obtained the facade used to overcome life's hardships, the Persona Odysseus…_

A blue card descended from the sky as the Persona vanished. "Wasn't Odysseus that guy from that old movie?" Kenji asked as he caught it.

I nodded. "A lazy but brilliant bugger who went through hell to get back to his wife and son." I commented. "Fitting."

Kenji nodded, then fell flat on his face. "Hey! Are you okay?" Teddie asked him.

"Yeah… just fine…" Kenji groaned, forcing himself up. "Just a little tired is all."

I nodded, then summoned a Soma from the armoury. "Have some of this." I told him, offering him the tea. "We need to get Rio."

He gulped it down, leaving me with just the smell to restore my SP. "Thanks." He said.

**CRACK**

_**Thou hast taken the Magician Arcana up to Eleven… Transcending beyond the impossible to achieve thy goals… **_

_**YEEEEEEEAAAAAHHH!!!!**_

* * *

While he recovered, I investigated the glowy blue door in the corner. Just like I thought, it was the Velvet Room. Igor didn't comment on me getting my act together or on what I was doing, but he did help me fuse some more Personae, which was good.

Especially now that I got Masakodo. Ka-CHING!

Once I got back, Kenji was raring to go. "Alright, got some practice in on using Odysseus." He told me. "So how do I do that magic hammerspace thing?" He asked.

"I'm the only one that can do that." I told him. "And before you ask, only Fool Arcana guys can have more than one Persona. You're a Magician like Junpei, so sucks to be you."

Kenji groaned. "Ah well…" Then he cottoned onto what I just said. "Wait, Junpei's got one?" He asked.

I nodded. "Trismegistus." I told him. "It kicks twelve kinds of arse."

Kenji sighed. "Ah well. Odysseus's pretty good." He said. "Wind and Electric attacks with a load of buffs… hey, think I'll be able to do that Dark Hour thing too?"

"I doubt it." Teddie answered. "I'm not too sure what the Dark Hour is, but I think you need something more than just a Persona to be able to go there."

"Sounds about right." I sighed. "But hey, at least you can kick arse in here."

Kenji nodded. "Right. Let's go."

I grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back from the door. "First off, you need a weapon." I told him, summoning a lightweight double-headed axe for him. "Here you go."

He held it in two hands, like a tennis racket. "Thanks man!" He replied as I summoned a shortsword. "Alright, let's go!"

"Desert Eagle?" I offered him, having already shoved my other one next to my Evoker.

"Cheers… hey, why do you shoot yourself in the head sometimes, but break the card other times?"

"I'm still learning to do it with the cards." I replied, loading my handgun. "Rest of us have to use the Evoker, but it's not a gun." I put the Desert Eagle to my head. "Seriously." I told him. "Do not mix them up."

He cringed. "Yeah, I can see why."

I nodded, then put the gun back. I don't want him to know that I can summon with a real bullet passing through my skull. That'd just freak him out.

* * *

Once we were ready, we headed inside Rio's mind zone. It was a maze decorated like a psychofied changing room, presumably a girls one since random lockers were open with girls school uniforms and underwear hanging around on the doors, inside the lockers themselves, and occasionally just strewn across the floor.

I really shouldn't, but I feel dirty just being in here.

After a few minutes, Teddie jumped for cover. "I smell an ambush by three enemies!" He shouted as Shadows burst from the lockers. "Don't cry!"

Man, I liked him better when he was evil. Slightly.

"He-argh!" Kenji shouted, smashing his axe through some flying mouth thing. I sliced one down myself, then summoned Byakko to bring down the third.

"Victory!" Teddie shouted, waddling back over to us. "You okay Kenji-kun?" He asked.

"Yeah, great…" He gasped. "Just not used to fighting…"

"You'll adapt." I told him. "Let's go."

* * *

Kenji's Persona Odysseus was actually surprisingly decent, possibly because I've already maxed his social link, but he's pretty damned adept at it already, despite not being able to channel.

His stamina was improving too. We had to take breaks less and less as his Persona got stronger alongside him. Even if he isn't channelling, his Persona is increasing his physical abilities without question. Hell, we're _running_ through Shadows now, which is impressive even if he's using smaller axes than Shinji does.

He'd found a fireman's axe along the way which was stronger than the one I'd given him, so he was using that now, and before long we were three flights up, where things got interesting.

* * *

Floor four was one huge shower area. There were six-foot tiled walls all in rows, with knobs that wouldn't turn and showerheads that were constantly streaming ice-cold water.

"Hey, guys, I think I can smell something!" Teddie prompted, leading the way through along the edge of the floor. We followed him for a few rows, until he stopped and pointed. "There!" He shouted, pointing down it.

There was a girl down there showering. She was absolutely covered in mud despite the running water she was scrubbing into her, so hard that she was bleeding.

"R-Rio-chan!?" Kenji asked, before running through the water to her. I chased after him, but Teddie apparently didn't want to get wet.

"_Get away from me!"_ She screamed, pushing Kenji away once he got near.

"R-Rio-chan..?" He asked with surprise, having landed on his backside.

"_I'm disgusting…"_ She said, cringing away from us. "_Don't look at me..!"_

Is this all about poor self-image? I highly doubt that.

"Rio-chan, it's me…" Kenji replied, getting up to face her. "K-Ken-tan…"

She stopped. "_…Ken-tan..?"_ She asked, covering her face. Her hair was matted and tangled, and apart from the mud, she was completely naked, as expected for one in the shower.

Kenji grew more confident. "Y-yeah, we came to help you…"

"_Help me..? Yeah, right…"_

Rio stood up, hunched over like an old witch, not trying to cover herself at all. "_You've never tried to help anyone but yourself in your entire life."_

Her eyes were yellow.

"Y-you're not…" Kenji asked, recoiling from Rio's Shadow.

I pushed him aside. "Where is your other self?" I asked.

"_Why do you want her?" _Shadow Rio asked, standing slightly straighter. _"She's worthless. No-one wants her."_

"We want her." I replied firmly, signalling to Kenji to let me do the talking, at least for now.

"_He doesn't."_ The Shadow replied. "_He never wanted me."_

I glanced a look at Kenji that said 'Told you', then turned back to the Shadow. "He did." I replied. "He always did. He was just Kenji about it."

"_How cruel…"_ The Shadow sneered. _"Just telling me what you think you want me to hear… regardless of what you say when you're talking to someone else…"_

Hm? Bullying? That could have this effect, but that doesn't seem right here…

"_But what do I know?"_ Shadow Rio asked. _"I'm just a filthy little whore who just wants attention!"_ It cackled. "_But now… I got all the attention I need…"_

Huh? "What the hell are you on about?" I asked.

Then the letters appeared. – RIO IWASAKA'S LOCKER ROOM SECRETS –

They were actually in bold, white letters, appearing all across my vision for a few seconds, alongside some disembodied cheering. "What the hell!?" Kenji asked me.

"Your guess is as good as mine." I said.

"_I'll expose it all…_" Shadow Rio stated with determination. _"Every white lie… every rumour… every secret… they'll all feel this way once everything is out in the open!"_

Having announced that, Rio's shadow ran like hell. "Hey, WAIT!" Kenji shouted, running after her before getting tackled by Drive; one of those Shadows with two wheels of three legs, and spikes for arms. "RIO!" Kenji asked, getting back up from the crater in the wall.

"Forget the Shadow for now." I told him. "Focus on this guy."

Kenji growled, then healed himself. "Odysseus!" He shouted, throwing his card in the air like a tennis ball before smashing it with an axe. His Persona appeared above his head before casting Ziodyne onto the Shadow. I don't know when he learnt that, but it's all good, except for the fact that this Shadow is immune to lightning.

I brought two cards into my hands and smashed them, summoning Jack Frost and Pyro Jack to rush the Drive. I ordered a fusion spell, but instead of them performing Jack Brothers, they instead created a maelstrom inside the shower hall. Most likely because I somehow summoned two NeoJack', who gave each other a high-five before fading away as the Drive smashed into the ground.

I like this new version of Jack Brothers. Much more efficient. "Let's tear this guy apart." Kenji asked.

"Slaughter him." I agreed, summoning myself my trusty Chainsword.

* * *

"How long do you think we've been here for?" I asked Kenji once we recovered from that fight.

"Few hours…" He replied. "Why?"

"I left my phone in my schoolbag." I replied. "Schools over, so I wonder who took care of it."

Kenji laughed bitterly. "We're gonna get our asses kicked when we come back, aren't we?" He asked.

"Yeah…" I replied, before standing up and offering him my hand. "It'll be worth it though."

He took my hand and pulled himself up. "Yeah, it will."

"And I'll help!" Teddie piped in

"Thanks." I told him. "Let's go."

* * *

I'm very impressed with Kenji. He's adapted to the situation extremely well, given the circumstances.

He's not even blinking against the spray of Ichor any more, he's that battle hardened.

* * *

As we went up, we heard voices from various people. Whisperings in the corridors, rumours about Kenji and Kanou, how Rio fancied Kenji and was losing to a much older woman. She even tried to get 'sexual experiences' from other guys just to try and appeal to him, and that visibly made Kenji shudder. He had no idea what she was going through.

Hell, I social linked the wrong person. Rio needed my help more than Kazushi did. He did most of the work, but Rio needed _help_.

"This is… disgusting…" Kenji said, looking away from an open locker. Recently, they had pictures of the things that Rio had seen and done pinned up in them, and I'm not even going to go into detail about them. Frankly, I'm not surprised her Shadow has no self-esteem if she's had to suppress that much dignity.

"Don't let her ever feel this way again." I agreed. Kenji nodded. This was a serious Eye-opener.

* * *

Eventually, though, we had to take a break. "How many floors are there in this thing..?" Kenji asked.

"No idea, but I am wrecked…" I yawned.

"I could hibernate I'm so sleepy…" Teddie pitched in. "How about we all go back and call it a night?" He asked.

"What, and spend just as much time tomorrow coming back?" I asked. "No thanks."

"I could bring you back here in a jiffy!" Teddie offered. "It's a super-special skill of mine!"

Really? "What do you think Kenji?" I asked him. "We've no chance of saving Rio if we're half asleep."

He grunted, then nodded. "Yeah, alright." He replied. "But we're not leaving this place without her."

Good thing I packed sleeping bags in the armoury.

* * *

As well as wood, a pan, various camping foods… I like to think I'm crazy prepared.

Teddie got straight to sleep without eating anything, so that left Kenji and I to eat. We weren't especially hungry, but what also surprised me was how we didn't need the toilet in here.

My theory is that bodily functions are optional here. If we hadn't been fighting for the past twelve hours, we probably wouldn't be all that sleepy, or even hungry at all.

"Hey… if you guys at the dorm fight these things in that tower each night…" Kenji asked, "Then why're you risking your life for Rio?"

"Bit of an odd question." I replied. "Why wouldn't I?"

"Well, you're always out saving the world, so what if you died here?" He asked. "I mean, wouldn't more people die instead?"

I sighed. "Alright, I'm gonna have to tell the whole story."

* * *

And I did. I must have told every bit in extreme detail from the day I arrived at the dorms to now. Judging from Kenji, it was pretty interesting, but I'm not sure if I really hit home about the fact that we're all gonna die.

"Well, think about it." He explained. "This Nyx is coming because humanity as a whole wishes for it at some level, so you don't need to kill her, just send her away."

"And how do you suggest we do that?" I asked. "Because right now, all I got is to go down fighting."

"Exactly!" He reasoned. "You don't want to die, so you just need to show up and prove to Nyx how much you want to live, and overpower humanity's subconscious desire to die!" He pointed his steak skewer at me. "If anyone can do that, it's you."

…

…

"Kenji, you are a freakin' genius who just saved humanity." I told him, before shaking Teddie. "Hey, wake up."

"Ngh, wha..?" He asked. "What is it guys..?"

"We're going back in." I told him.

"But I'm still bear-y tired…" He yawned. "Five more…"

I kicked him. "No time for puns, bear." I told him. "We're going in, with or without you."

I checked my watch. "The time is now eleven AM, Saturday morning." I announced. "We've been in here for almost twenty-four hours already." I tossed Kenji his axe. "Let's not make it forty-eight."

* * *

We walked into the first floor, and we saw something that made us slap ourselves.

There were stairs going upwards _and_ downwards.

Of course she'd be downstairs, not sixty floors up.

* * *

"I mean, when you think about it…" Kenji told me as he sliced through another Shadow. "Rio must be feeling that no matter how high she climbs, it's just not good enough." I stabbed a Hierophant mask as the Sarcastic Tower collapsed. "So of course going up would lead nowhere, because she's downstairs!"

"Less talking, more stabbing." I ordered. "We gotta make up for lost time."

* * *

This time, we reached Rio in about fifteen minutes. She was passed out on a bench, and her Shadow was sitting on top of a locker, now noticeably less muddy than before, though still filthy. Now she just looked evil, not pathetic.

"_So, how did you enjoy your trip upstairs?" _The Shadow asked as Kenji protected Rio. _"I'm sure that it was very educational."_

"Hey…" Kenji said. "If we kill this thing, then Rio will go back to normal, right?" He asked.

"_Back to…"_ Her Shadow asked, before laughing her head off. _"What, you actually think that _She_ is _me?"

Wait, what?

"_Rio's not here anymore."_ The Shadow stated. "_Her Shadow's gone to Nyx. I've just been playing with you all this time."_

"You… what..?" Kenji snarled.

"Are you a Shadow?" I asked.

"_Me? No, no, nothing like that!"_ The thing with Rio's face laughed. _"No, I just came to play with you, Minato-kun…"_

What!? "This is just a game to you?" I asked. "A girl's life is in danger and you decide to play a game!?"

"_Oh, but of course."_ She sneered. _"You're a very interesting human…"_

"Who are you?" I asked.

"_I mean, what kind of human could overpower the great Adam?"_ She asked.

"Who are you?" I demanded.

"_And for that matter… what kind of human could even challenge the True Enemy, and reduce the Dark One to a mere fool?"_

"Wha-What's she talking about?" Teddie asked.

"**Who are you.**" I ordered. It wasn't a question.

The room physically shook at my words. It wasn't especially loud, but it worked.

"Tell me something…" Kenji asked, rising to her feet. "Everything we saw and heard upstairs… all those pictures… were any of them true..?"

"_Hm?" _The thing asked. _"Some, but I added a few just to _spice_ things up a little."_ She giggled and sneered simultaneously. _"Most of the racier ones."_

"You…" Kenji growled, picking Rio up close to him. "Bitch…"

"Three times." I stated. "Three times you have refused to answer me, and now my patience has run dry." I lifted my hand to the woman and gave a fourth and final order. "**Get. Thee. Hence.**"

She jumped down from the locker and strode towards me, mud crumpling from her naked body. _"Or what?"_ She asked. _"You'd hit a woman?"_

I did more than that. I elbowed her in the face. "WHOA!" Kenji shouted, but not before I grabbed Not-Rio's Shadow by both shoulders and drove a knee into her groin.

Fun fact: Getting kicked in the crotch hurts more for girls that it hurts dudes. Just because they don't have squishy nads doesn't mean that there aren't a huge cluster of nerves to crush.

The woman screamed, and I grabbed her face and slammed the back of her head against the steel locker, dinting it severely as I blasted hellfire into her face as she screamed in fury and pain, "Now tell me your name." I ordered as the mud covering her body melted off and her hair burnt.

Then I felt her tongue caress the space between my thumb and forefinger. "Lilith." She said in a completely different, more playful tone, before grabbing my throat and throwing me across the room.

"Hey!" Teddie screamed. "You alright!"

I got to my feet. "Kenji, go with Teddie and take Rio out of here." I told him. "I'm sorry I couldn't help her, but it's in your hands now."

"Wha- I'm not going to leave you here alone!" He shouted.

"Don't get me wrong." I told him as I raised my hand above the floor. "This is not a heroic last stand."

A Bolter came up into my hand. "This is an execution." I told him. "See you in school."

He gawped at me, before nodding. "Sure, later!"

"Rather heroic of you." Lilith commented, walking towards me as they left. "Sacrificing yourself for-"

**BLAM**

Once the hole in her face healed, she smiled. "Now now, that's no way to treat a lady-"

**BLAM BLAM BLAM**

She positively scowled now. "Have you no manners?" She snarled.

"I reject." I stated, placing the rifle to my head and pulling the trigger. A huge bullet shot through her chest as the card for her Persona appeared in my hand.

I threw it on the ground and spat on it, summoning a demonic seal to trap her here. "Get out of my garden." I told her, before leaving.

* * *

We couldn't help Rio, And Kenji couldn't enter the Dark Hour. We were both tired as hell, and we have exams on Monday.

But at least we did what we could for her. I'm proud of that.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

I liked this chapter. Kenji got some good character development in, and we get to learn more about the characters themselves, especially Minato. Some decent fighting in and Demon politics too.

Garden is a reference to the garden of eden, BTW. Lilith was supposedly Adam's first wife before Eve cama along.


	86. Chapter 86

First off, I didn't make this very clear last chapter, but Lilith exaggerated stuff. A LOT. Basic feelings behind the dungeon were real for Rio though.

Secondly, GENERAL GENERIC!

Now to answer your reviews. Athan Mortis, Oh yes.  
I planned from near the start of having Nozomi being a Nyxist. That, and the Telos guide tells me to do him late.  
Everyone is gonna be in the sequel. As for Teddie, his amnesia gets deeper as it goes along, only remembering the fullness of his identity after Star Max in P4.  
I never said I've played P3P, I'm just good at taking small bits of information and elaborating on it until I get this. And Rise's dungeon was pretty bad, but it wasn't expected for Persona 3. I don't know what you deal with in P3P, but I do know it involves Rio having a crush on Kenji.  
As for the Embryon, wait and see, because I haven't decided yet.

Slackerman, Not yet, but if you have any in mind, I'll consider it.

DHP, That is a very good point. Thankfs for that.

Heraklinos, Of course Lovers will get maxed out to eleven. Duh. I don't plan on anyone from S.E.E.S. knowing about the TV until the sequel, and the Christmas trip should take place next chapter.

Abyss of Essence, that would be too easy. Edward/Theodore's gonna be there too.

Naru-chan, I have something planned for Chihiro, but that's it so far.

Dragon's Shadow, I do realise that Shinji does copy most of Akihiko's lines. Their resolved Personalities are similar, but I change his lines most of the time. From now on, I'm deleting all of Akihiko's lines and writing Shinji's from scratch, just for you.

ISTF, I'll work something out with Beelzebub. Maybe swap Cthuhlu in instead of Lilith?  
Rio will indeed return after The Fall, like everyone else, and the Christmas event will be like Inaba, only with more corpses.

Tanith, Canonically, Minato was more powerful than any other Persona user, _then_ he got powered up by having Death inside him. _Now_ add to that the fact that he's trained his Fool skills for fighting, not detectoring.

Derek Barona… whoops? I think Takaya got the Bolter…

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

I was supposed to go to work the next day, but I was just too damned shattered, so I sent Tanaka an Email with my report and an excuse.

What I didn't want to worm my way out of was Mamoru inviting me out for Ramen. Hells Yeah!

* * *

"Hey… Glad we could meet up one more time before I take off." He told me over Tri-Dan noodles.

"Oh, are you moving soon?" I asked.

"You figured it out!" He said happily. "Yeah, I'm leaving right after this." He went back to his noodles. "The factory is way out west, so I'm going to move into a dorm there." He explained. "My mother started crying, and she kinda blamed herself… But I want to support them." Mamoru seemed pretty exited. "This is a new beginning in my life. It won't be easy to leave this ramen, though…" He said sadly. "Best in town… Hey, I gotta go."

"I'll come with." I said, paying for both our ramen.

* * *

I went with him to the train station to see him off. "Well, this is goodbye." Mamoru told me sadly. "Hey, Minato." He added, reaching into his pocket. "You can have this."

Dude, you're giving me a car!?

"It's my father's key." Mamoru explained. Oh. "I've been keeping it for good luck. Sometimes I get pretty pissed… that he's not around anymore." Mamoru sighed. "My life wouldn't have had to be so complicated, y'know? I could've enjoyed Kendo Team more… Could have been a normal kid."

He grinned. "But blaming Dad like that, it's just another way to run away from my problems." He explained. "I want you to keep this. I don't want to risk coming to rely on it again. As long as you have the key, I'll be able to stand on my own feet. So, next time we meet, I can still be proud of myself."

"Thanks, Minato." Mamoru said.

**SMASH**

_Thou art I… And I am thou…_

_The bond thou hast nurtured hath finally matured…_

_The innermost power of the Star Arcana hath been set free…_

_We bestow upon thee the ability to create Helel, the ultimate form of the Star Arcana…_

_This bond shall never be broken… even as thou breaketh his ribs…_

That gives me an idea.

"Later." Mamoru said, offering me a handshake.

I declined it. "Can I come with you part of the way?" I asked. "There's one last favour I want from you."

* * *

We stopped by that place where I trained Junpei back in April. The owner was a Hierophant, and a really nice guy, to the point where he gave us two Bokken for free for our manly duel.

Indeed, ribs were broken that day. I healed both mine and his afterwards, though for his I did something _really _subtle. Heat pads soaked in Soma. He'd be fine by the time he got off his train.

**CRACK**

_**Thou hast taken the Star Arcana up to Eleven… Transcending beyond the impossible to achieve thy goals… **_

I am _that_ good.

* * *

"S'up, dude?" Junpei asked me as I strolled into the dorm. "Exams start tomorrow, huh..?" Junpei laughed bitterly. "This is the first time an exam's taken my mind off of something else. Usually it's the other way around!"

"Gather everyone in the command room." I told him. "I need to announce something before the exams."

"Huh?" Junpei asked, sitting up. "Dude, isn't that Fuuka's job?"

"Can't you do it?" I asked him. "I've figured out something really important."

"What, like how to stop Nyx?" He grunted.

"Pretty much."

That got him working.

* * *

Once everyone had gathered together in the command room, I told them everything. Well, almost.

Social Linking, the Velvet Room, Pharos, Demons, The Jakkai, the Hollow Arcana, Ikutsuki, the Nyxists, the old Persona users, the Devil Summoners, the stuff with Inaba, going into the TV with Kenji, the Lost, and Kenji's idea. I kept the extremely sensitive details to myself. Such as Adachi, the war with heaven, Lilith, who I social link with, and Mitsuru's bike.

It was interesting to see their reactions as I talked. They had clearly wanted answers for some time, and now they were getting them.

"The point is, essentially, is that while defeating Nyx may be impossible, we can still save humanity by overpowering its desire for Death." I finished.

"So… you say that you're the king of a country full of demon people?" Junpei asked. "And there's a bar inside Tartarus where you drink Persona juice?"

"Dude, I shoot myself in the head with actual bullets." I retorted. "And I can shove my hand in TV's. In fact…" I walked over to a blank monitor and shoved my hand through it.

…

"Okay… that was unexpected…" I said, pulling my hand out of the broken screen. "Maybe it has to actually be a TV…

"Alright, calm down." Shinji told me. "We're all very scared right now and we really don't want to face Nyx-"

"I know it sounds crazy Shinji." I told him, using Akihiko's name for him. "Point is, we have a chance to beat Nyx and I think we should take it."

"Alright, alright!" He replied, trying to calm me down. "Just… you are aware that Demon's aren't real, right?"

Then there was a knocking at the window. Mitsuru opened the curtain to show Naoki in full demonic seal squatting on the outside windowsill, waving politely. "Naoki-kun!?" Fuuka asked in surprise, rushing to let him in.

"Thanks Fuuka-chan." He told her, climbing into the command room before turning to me. "I thought you didn't want them getting involved in demons?" He asked, pulling the demonic seal back.

"Bit late for that, don't you think?" I asked him. "Besides, if I'd told Aigis, then she probably wouldn't have gone and reminded Death that he was Ryoji."

"Wait, so this is Aigis's fault?" Yukari demanded.

"No, it's everyone's." I sighed. "Everyone has some desire to die deep down, but thanks to old man Kirijo, Nyx and pals are hyper-sensitive to that now." I shrugged. "But it's mostly mine for not doing anything about it sooner. Also, how the hell did you know I was talking about this?" I asked Naoki.

"You don't think I lasted this long without knowing when people were talking about me, did you?" he asked.

"Good point." I sighed. "Anyways, I don't intend to kill Ryoji, since I'm hoping that if we stare down Cthuhlu, IE Nyx, then she'll leave us alone, but before that, I'm going to go back home over Christmas." I caught Mitsuru's glance. "I'll be back way before New Years Eve, but there's some stuff I need to sort out before we all die, just incase this plan of mine fails."

"You are aware that you do not have time off school over Christmas?" Mitsuru asked.

I shrugged. "It's not like I'm aiming for perfect attendance." I replied. "Also, I really, really suggest that those of you with any remaining family to try and reconcile any issues before the new year, especially if our plan relies on peace on earth and goodwill to all men." I turned to Naoki. "And what are you still doing here exactly?"

"Sounded like something I should be involved in." He shrugged. "But if you don't want me…"

"Goodbye Naoki." I stated.

He sighed, then walked over to the window and jumped out. "He'll be fine." I explained in reaction to everyone's shock. "His body's tougher than mine. Anyways, I have an exam tomorrow." I headed for the door. "Night!"

* * *

Having Naoki gatecrash our meeting did have it's advantages. The worst I got after the big reveal was Junpei getting me to poke the TV in the lounge just to prove I could. He was impressed.

What else was impressive was Forneus, Thoth, Orobopas and the others, especially Scathach, were actually extremely helpful in the exams. It didn't feel like cheating, like when Pharos was hanging around, since these guys were actually parts of my soul, so I am pretty damned confident about my chances.

Also unusually, Mitsuru had us all running through Tartarus during the exam period. We fought against the Reaper a couple more times, but every time we did, it was time to go home afterwards, since we were still only _just_ winning.

By the time the last exam was done on Saturday, we were tired in more ways than one.

"Minato-san?" Chihiro asked me once the exams were over.

"That's me." I joked, turning in my seat to face her. "What's up?"

I immediately grabbed her wrist and armpit, pushing her up into the air and spinning her onto the desk, pinning her down by her right arm which was holding a long thin knife. "WHAT THE HELL!?" I shouted at her.

She grinned in a very un-Chihiro-like way. "You really do like to be in control, don't you?"

Huh?

She kicked up, shoving her knee into my chin, knocking me back as she flipped to her feet, charging with her knife which I kicked out of her hand. At this point, the other people in the classroom had worked out that something interesting was happening, and Chihiro's left hand lashed out and grabbed me by the throat.

"I might just have to beat that out of you…" She smiled, lifting me into the air one handed with ease as people tried unsuccessfully to bring her down.

I flipped my legs around her arm and twisted, spinning around in her grip.

That should have thrown her down… or ripped her arm from her shoulder… not nothing.

"These friends of yours are rather troublesome…" Chihiro sneered. "We really should have more space for us…"

"GET THE HELL BACK EVERYONE!!" I shouted, just before Chihiro launched into a spinning 360' kick that launched the entire classroom, tables and students, into the walls.

The arm holding me hadn't moved an inch.

She's not human.

"Where's Chihiro?" I asked the demon.

"Oh, she's right here." She replied. "Or at least… her body is."

"What did you do with her?"

"She'll be fine… once I leave."

"**Then. Leave.**"

The demon in Chihiro's body smiled. "No." She replied. "I don't think I shall."

Sorry about this Chihiro. I summoned a sword and lopped off the arm that was strangling me, pulling it off and tossing it to the ground before looking around. Everyone was unconscious, bar Junpei who was starting to get up.

And the dismembered arm slithered back to Chihiro and re-attached itself with a squelching sound.

Ew.

Chihiro laughed. "You really do know how to show a woman a good time, don't you?" She asked.

"I generally prefer to know the name of my date before dancing." I replied, pacing around with my sword. "But I think I know who you are, Lilith."

"Hm, you are a bright one." She smiled. "Handsome too. I can see why she likes you."

"Leave her now." I ordered.

"Or what?" She asked. "You'll shoot yourself? Seal my power?" She laughed. "It's very clear that that little trick won't work on a demoness as powerful as-"

She stopped because of the Evoker I had pressed to Chihiro's head. To her knowledge, it was a perfectly functioning handgun.

"You wouldn't." She laughed. "Besides, even if my host dies, that won't stop me-"

**BLAM**

I let my hand raise in mock recoil as Chihiro's body fell back, leaving Lilith before me. I used the momentum from my gun hand to carry my sword through the demoness's head, decapitating her diagonally through the eyes.

She smiled as she started to fade into ash from the feet up. "Amazing… It truly is wonderful to meet a man like you… one with the fury of fire and the cruelty of ice…" Her head fell back as her torso faded. "Especially your eyes… I can't wait to fill them with despair…"

So that means she'll be back then.

I warped the sword away and tucked my Evoker back into my trousers before squatting down to check on Chihiro. She was breathing, but barely conscious. "M-Mina…to…" She gasped.

"It's alright." I told her, pulling her into a hug as she passed out. "It's fine…"

**CRACK**

_**Thou hast taken the Justice Arcana up to Eleven… Transcending beyond the impossible to achieve thy goals… **_

Time and place spooky voices. Time and place.

* * *

Once Junpei woke up, I filled him in on the situation and asked him not to make a cover story. If I can't make one, then anything he'll come up with will just make things look suspicious.

Once we decided that we'd just play dumb and pretend not to know anything like everyone else did, I took Chihiro down to the nurses office while Junpei got to work fixing the tables from the outside-in, so if anyone woke up half way, it would make everything more believable.

Chihiro seemed to be relatively fine, but had something called 'Soul Fatigue', which is basically wizard speak for 'knackered as hell because of demonic power', like what happened to Me and Fuuka first time we summoned.

When I got back to the classroom, Yukari and Kenji were helping Junpei sort out the tables, so I got to work too and explained about Lilith. From what the guys in my head had told me, Demon's can't possess Persona Users, so we were safe, and Lilith was targeting me specifically, so they weren't at risk of either attack or possession. However, bystanders were.

Also, apparently the soundproofing in this classroom is amazing, because when Fuuka came in here afterwards, she told us that she merely felt a demonic presence near me and assumed I was having an internal argument. Apparently she's been aware of those for a while.

Minato Arisoto. Poster boy for sanity.

* * *

After school, we all had to fill in the blanks for Mitsuru, Kenjamin, Fuuka and Shinji. They weren't happy, but none of us were.

Yukari and I had gotten permission from the school to go to England next week (Yay). Turns out that while I'm average in English (According to Mrs. Terauchi, My pronunciation is awful), Yukari's near the top of the class. How's that for Irony?

Actually, it makes sense. I speak Yorkshire, not English. To the outside world, we sound kinda like Orkz, or at least rougher Scotsmen.

Anyhoo, We did another Tartarus run that night, since we wanted to make up the distance we wouldn't get to travel while I wasn't leading the team. Not that they were going to just hang around on standby though, just that they'd have to be more careful since I'm incredibly overpowered compared to everyone else, but they were catching up.

I, meanwhile, wasn't getting much stronger. Maybe I was starting to peak, or maybe I'd just done so much levelling in the TV with Kenji that I was too strong for these current Shadows.

What was worrying, however, was that my Bolt Pistol had disappeared. My theory? Takaya has it.

We're boned.

* * *

Next morning, Fuuka was putting up a small Christmas tree in the lounge. "Here's the Christmas Tree…" She said absently before turning to me. "Minato, what do you think the true meaning of Christmas is?"

I have the perfect answer for this. "Lights please." I asked Kenjamin, and he turned the dimmer and shined a spotlight on my head.

"And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night." I said. "And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, 'Fear not: for behold, I bring unto you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.' And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men'."

"That's what Christmas is all about, Fuuka Yamagishi." I replied. Rest In Peace, Charles M. Schulz.

"Um… okay…" Fuuka replied awkwardly as Kenjamin turn the lights back on. "I think so too…"

"So much is going on, I almost forgot about Christmas…" Kenjamin piped in. "It's like I was sleepwalking… And I opened my eyes and was like, 'Oh yeah, Christmas'…" He turned to me. "So why do we have that spotlight in the lounge?" He asked.

"No idea." I replied. "Why do we have a Jacuzzi?"

Fuuka snapped to attention. "We have a Jacuzzi?" She asked.

I sighed. "No, but that would be cool." I checked my watch. "Damn, I need to get to work." I said, rushing upstairs to get changed.

* * *

When I came out of my room, I noticed Junpei and Shinji talking to each other outside the vending machines. "It's been a while since we last saw what's his name…" Shinji commented distantly.

"You mean Ryoji?" Junpei replied.

Shinji nodded. "Tch… Why does he even give a damn about us humans anyway?"

"I don't really wanna think about it…" Junpei replied. "No matter what we do, we can't stop it from happening…" He crushed his empty can and threw it into the recycling. "It's just not fair…"

"I honestly wish I could forget about it all…" Shinji admitted. "But I've been down that road before…"

Awkward silence, followed by Junpei kicking an innocent vending machine. "Dammit, why don't those Strega dumbasses make a move?" He asked. "They better hurry up so I can crush 'em."

"It's Christmas." Shinji replied. "Peace on earth and all that."

Junpei glared at him. "You saying you're gonna forgive them for what they did?" He asked. "They killed Chidori and Akihiko-Senpai!"

"Never said that." Shinji replied with a grin as he smacked a fist into his palm. "It's also the season for giving."

Junpei chuckled at that, and I headed off to work.

* * *

Not much happened at work, other than the usual, but I bumped into Bebe on the way home. He wasn't in a good frame of mind, so I sat him down for a meal and talked to him about what was bothering him.

Apparently, His uncle had told him that he wasn't allowed to come back to Japan. Bebe ran away from home after arguing with him, using his savings to buy a ticket to Japan and returning to his dorm. However, now his Uncle was threatening to cut his financial support in order to force Bebe to return.

Then he commented on the suit. Particularly, on the fetching waistcoat I was wearing.

It was the one he made, and one I rather liked. I pretty much explained honestly about my job, and ended up offering to pay for his living expenses so he could stay in Japan.

Bebe politely declined. Not because I'd already done enough for him, like I was expecting him to, but because he wanted to fight his own battles.

The French were world renowned pussies. That was a fact. The one badass thing they have ever done in their entire history was known as Bastille Day. For those of you who don't know your history, that was when the French peasants got sick of the aristocracy and slaughtered the entire royal family and anyone with any claim to the throne. Rush did a song about it.

This was Bebe's Bastille day, and on his honour, the king will kneel and let his kingdom rise.

**CRACK**

_**Thou hast taken the Temperance Arcana up to Eleven… Transcending beyond the impossible to achieve thy goals… **_

Sometimes, bringing these social links up to eleven was easy, like this time, or with Bunkichi and Maiko. Other times, they were hard.

* * *

Bebe was going to go back to France to confront his Uncle again after Christmas. Apparently he was spending it with a lady friend.

Yep. I'm shocked too. Not that he was able to pull, I mean He is very pretty, just that… you know.

When I got back to the dorm, Mitsuru had something interesting to say to me.

"I have no choice but to go on." She said. "The answer was in front of me the entire time… If I do not come back, then someone else will have to run the company. Although," She smirked. "I have every intention of returning."

Shinji gawped. "Holy shit, Mitsuru just smirked."

Junpei snapped to attention. "What!? Seriously!?"

Smirk was gone by then, and Junpei flinched into the couch with disappointment.

* * *

Next day, Monday, Uncle Amos gave me an actual phone call to confirm that I was, in fact, bringing my girlfriend over. He asked which flight I was taking and why he wasn't paying for the tickets, so I just told him that I'd land in Leeds Bradford at half-ten in the evening on the 22nd.

I'd originally planned to go a day later so we could enjoy Fuuka's birthday, but I got a feeling that I'd be better off changing the plan to set off at eight in the evening after the party. It was a twelve hour flight through the Dark Hour, but thanks to the time difference we'd get chance to sleep off the jet lag before we started the day before Christmas Eve.

Uncle Amos was disappointed that we couldn't stay for New Years, but I had stuff I needed to do. Like save the world. Didn't tell him that though.

My Uncles house is a four-bedroom semi-detached. Before I came over here, I shared a room with my now-fourteen year old cousin Noah, while Marina, who's my age, got her own room. The two twins, Mark and Emma, shared a room since they were both nine, but that's most likely gonna change soon.

Noah's been keeping himself out of trouble lately, which means that he's no getting caught anymore, and Marina says that she'll kick my arse if I don't bring presents.

Crap, presents. Need something for Fuuka too.

* * *

I didn't bother going to check the exam results, but judging from the fact that Kihei tried to hang himself in the toilets, I think I did well.

Hidetoshi then burst into the classroom. "Minato!" He shouted. "The Head wants you in his office right now!"

That can't be good.

* * *

"How the bloody hell did I get over a hundred percent in every exam?" I asked.

"It is our duty, as educators, to devise examinations that fully test the limits of our students." The head teacher explained. Emperor. "As such, we realise that sometimes our students exceed our expectations and capabilities as educators, and brought in a rule concerning written examinations." He looked at me over his glasses. "If a student is capable of correcting mistakes made in the test questions themselves, then he or she will be awarded additional marks, despite the fact that one would achieve the maximum grade by correctly answering all of the questions."

"Five percent added per correction?" I asked. That would explain my 300% score on Samurai History, considering Masakado was there for most of it.

"Indeed." The head explained. "You are in fact only the third student to achieve this since the school was rededicated ten years ago."

"The others being Mitsuru Kirijo and Naoki Kashima?" I asked.

"That is indeed the case." He nodded. "Now, normally, we would offer you the opportunity to advance a grade to reward you with your excellence, but due to the lateness of the school year…"

"I'd have to turn it down even if it was available." I told him. "I've already graduated from school. I'm just here for the experiences."

"A very wise viewpoint to take, young Arisato."

"Arisoto." I corrected.

"Arisoto." The Head nodded.

"Five points." I pointed out.

He hid a scowl. "Quite so. You are indeed brilliant, and I would like very much to offer you the position of the Head of Student Council next year."

Hm… "Would I get a badge?" I asked, getting down to the important details. "Or a sash?"

"You are free to wear whatever uniform you feel." The Head replied. I still have no idea what this guy's name is. "However, considering your school history, I must press the importance that whatever you decide to wear _must_ be something resembling a school uniform."

Drat. "But I could go out and buy a Gakuran and do the whole 'Banchou' thing, right?"

The Head looked surprised. "My dear boy… Banchou culture died out over a decade ago."

… "What."

* * *

I took the job, since it'll give me something to look forward to after we beat Nyx. I'm allowed the Head Boy privileges starting now, since apparently I already have been wearing Head Boy style uniform IE Non-school tie and Non-school jacket, but he gave me the heads up to throw on a waistcoat and some gloves, something Akihiko liked to do during his time as second-in-command. Hidetoshi ended up inheriting that job, but he never abused the privileges like we did.

I also asked about the girl who attacked our dorm, though not in those words. Her name was Maki, and her family took care of the funeral arrangements. He then asked me if I'd heard anything of Ikutsuki, to which I technically told the truth by saying that I hadn't heard from him since the start of November.

Chihiro was starting to recover, but she still wasn't fit to go to school. She was recovering in hospital, unlike Rio, since the hospitals had started refusing beds to those with Apathy Syndrome due to the sheer amount of patients they'd have to treat. Rio's parents were taking after her, and Kenji was going straight home after school each day to visit her.

…

Anyhoo, now to buy presents for various peoples.

* * *

We did one more run of Tartarus that night, and finally reached the barrier. Fuuka sensed a new block above us, but it most likely wouldn't open until the next full moon, IE New Years Day.

Next day at school, though, I took the Head's offer on abusing my new Student Council privileges with the waistcoat and the gloves. It was a badass waistcoat.

More importantly, Fuuka's birthday party. It was pretty fun, but Yukari and I had to leave half way through to go to the airport. Fuuka offered to come and see us off, but Yukari declined, telling her to enjoy her party as I shoved the luggage into the Taxi.

* * *

Getting through customs was scarily fast and easy. Hell, I'd almost say that they've been ordered not to bother the rich peoples on private flights.

And private the flight indeed was. We had Kinshiro Kurosaki as our pilot, with Goro Mooroka as his Co-pilot. Turns out he was the younger brother of beard-teeth, but clearly had a much better dentist. A young woman named Yumiko Kurosu was the flight attendant, but she clearly intended to spend the majority of the flight in the cockpit.

The cabin itself was pretty awesome, but it was kinda ruined by the lack of Jacuzzi. Still, with twelve pimped out airline seats in the entire cabin, plus the bar, lounge, what I predict is a bathroom and what was advertised as soundproofing, we were in for a pretty comfy twelve hours.

"Hey, Minato." Yukari said to me as the plane took off. "Do you know what happens when we enter the Dark Hour mid-flight?"

"Nope." I replied with a smile. "But finding out should be fun"

The look on her face was hilarious.

* * *

You know what sucks? The Seatbelt light came off just as the heated seats got gooooooooood.

It did mean, however, that it was time to check out the place. Apparently Tanaka had a thing for PS3. "Fancy a game?" I asked Yukari, picking up a pad.

"Sure." She replied, choosing a game and loading the disk.

Tekken 6.

My Mortal Nemesis.

I prepared to get my arse kicked with Yoshimitsu.

* * *

I did, however, get my revenge by thoroughly kicking her arse on Sonic Mega Collection. Unfortunately, while I went to cook some omelettes, she plugged in Mortal Kombat Vs. DC Universe.

That Bitch.

* * *

We got inexplicably got bored of the PS3 and the movies eventually. Scorpion can only kill Superman so many times before I go fishing…

Dammit, stuck on a plane.

Sigh. No Tantrum for me then.

"Ya know, for some reason, I'm feeling nervous…" Yukari brought up, lying down on the carpet. "Even though it's you, Minato…"

Hm? "What, about flying?" I asked.

"No, not that." She laughed. "It's just we're alone, in this place, doors locked, a mile in the air in a situation where we can't possibly be disturbed…" Her eyes snapped wide open before she pulled herself in hilariously. "What am I saying!?" She asked, gripping her bright red face. "Don't get the wrong idea, okay?"

I laughed as I moved into a cross-legged position. "Too late." I grinned, earning myself a cushion to the face.

"Don't be such a pervert!" Yukari shouted. "I didn't mean it like that!"

"That's what it sounded like." I laughed, throwing the pillow back.

She decided to be the mature one buried her face in her knees instead of returning fire. "Geez…" She groaned.

**DOOM**

We both looked around us to see the green light and blood seeping through the door. "Huh." I commented. "We've been flying four hours already?"

Yukari had done the sensible thing and gone to the window and opened the curtains. "Wow…" She gasped. "Come look at this…"

I got up and walked over to her, and first thing I noticed was that we weren't falling, nor were we moving. The plane was suspended in mid-air by the power of the Dark Hour. Mystery Solved!

Second thing I noticed was the yellow demonic moonlight reflecting from the ominous green clouds and the red ocean of blood, only from up here, it looks freakin' amazing.

"Guess the Dark Hour has other sides to it too…" I commented. Hanged Man, isn't it? Seeing something from a different perspective?

Is the man upside down or is it the world?

I shuddered. "Cold, isn't it..?"

Then I noticed the frost creeping in from the window.

Yukari and I quickly shut the curtains and stepped away. "I get it…" Yukari said. "Because of the Dark Hour… the heating's not on…"

"And we're a mile in the air and not in our coffins." I added, realising that we were pretty much screwed.

"I'll get the flight blankets." Yukari decided.

* * *

Within minutes, we were both snuggled up in the blankets, trying to keep warm. Thankfully, the soundproofing on the cabin provided some decent insulation, so we weren't in any danger of freezing to death.

Still bloody cold though.

"Oh, yeah…" Yukari said, fumbling around in her pocket. "I know it's not Christmas yet, but I wanted to give you something…" She put some clothy type thing in my hand. "This is for you… You know what it is, right?" She asked. "It's the strap from my cell phone. I got it at the opening ceremony for the Moonlight Bridge. It's been my special keepsake for many years… ever since my dad brought it for me."

Oh. "I used to talk to the toy figurine attached to it when I was in my room." Yukari said, then giggled slightly. "You must think I'm nuts, huh?"

"Yukari, I've only just stopped the voices in my head from talking to me." I told her. "I really don't have a right to judge people on who or what they talk to."

"That's true." Yukari smiled. "But, as I got to know you, Minato, I talked to my little friend less and less. …That's not the reason I gave it to you, though…"

Hm? "I-I'm only gonna say this once, okay?" She decided. "Minato… I love you."

Oooh… "Whew, I said it!" She said with satisfaction.

**SMASH**

DAMMIT SPOOKY VOICES!!!

_Thou art I… And I am thou…_

_The bond thou hast nurtured hath finally matured…_

_The innermost power of the Lovers Arcana hath been set free…_

_We bestow upon thee the ability to create Cybele, the ultimate form of the Lovers Arcana…_

_This bond shall never be broken… even as you part in death…_

**WHAT**

"When all of this is over, we should do something fun, don't ya think?" Yukari asked, trying to change the topic. "I want to spend some time together, just the two of us… I-I'm blushing, aren't I..?"

I kissed her.

No way in hell spooky voices.

No. Way. In. Hell.

* * *

Life tip: Concerning premature ejaculation…

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

Wrong amount of information Minato.

I'd say too much, but some of you were probably hoping for Lemon's, which I will now say you will not get. Yes, this story is rated M, but that's for the violence, occasional language, messed up peoples, and general mind screws.

Now, some of you have asked for Chihiro to be involved in the madness, and there you go.

And OMINOUS FORESHADOWING!!

Also, ENGLAND!!!

Also, WE'RE NEARING THE END OF THIS STORY!!!! WAAAH!

* * *

Now, I'd like to apologise for the delay on this chapter. Truth is, I didn't start on this chapter until Thursday morning, and that's entirely due to my laziness. I can make excuses, IE Schoolwork heating up, I've started teaching classes at church, I've forsaken school lunches in exchange for a Jar of Peanut Butter (One Jar has lasted me two days so far and I'm still only half way through), but I won't.

Besides, since I started living off peanut butter, my Thai Boxing has improved massively. It's full of muscle-building stuffs and it's very good for if you're not a fan of Tuna.

And for those who can read epic foreshadowing, this Christmas Holiday will be a huge test for Minato, in more ways than one. Guess which demon it's gonna involve, because I think it's pretty damned obvious by now.

Now, interesting piece of information about me. Until recently, my favourite Anime was Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann. However, that prestigious title has been snatched by FullMetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. BUT! The second TTGL movie Lagann-hen has just come out on DVD, so I'm eagerly awaiting the fansub. Once that's up, I shall let all of you know **which anime is the** **ULTIMATE!!!**

Because it's certainly not Bleach.


	87. Chapter 87

Right, new chapter time. First off, verdict

Best Anime of all time: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.

Most Epic thing in all existence: Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann: Lagann-hen.

Allow me to elaborate. Gurren Lagann is incredibly epic, but there are more things to a good story than manliness and epic, believe it or not.  
Brotherhood dishes out an incredible amount of epic in its own right, and although Gurren Lagann beats it in that regard, Brotherhood wins in so many other areas that it wins overall by a long shot. The second movie though… I won't do it justice, just go watch it yourself.

Now, reviews.

Slicerness, yes. And yes.  
I've been having some trouble uploading documents recently, so that may be why no-ones been updating.  
As for Yukari, it's pretty much how she actually confessed in P3, so maybe the P4 girls confessed like Yukari.

ISTF, believe it or not, that was my original plan until mid-December.

Heraklinos, I don't intend for the other SMT guys to break into the dorm, but I do plan for Minato to gather his troops early in the new year.

Naru-chan, prepare to worship dirt.

Athan Mortis, you have just given me an epic quote to worm into this chapter. YAY!  
I forgot to do Mitsuru's reaction, but I expect that she'll have calmed down by the time Minato returns to Japan.  
Minato thinks that one of them will die, possibly her if he survives The Fall somehow.  
Brotherhood is beyond damned good. At times, I would go as far to say that it outdoes Gurren Lagann.

Chaos Master, I disagree. And of course it's Lilith. Chapters 85-88 are referred to as the Lilith Arc.

Damien Black, Lagann-hen is the second Gurren Lagann movie, which covers the second half of the story.

General Generic, ah. That's why… Sorry about that.

Slackerman, I'll work one in if I can manage.

Abyss of essence, an elaboration on that would be that Elizabeth spell spams Minato's ass while Ed/Theo goes nuts with a sword. Still awaiting your opinions on his name, by the way.  
Don't worry, I have my own plan in mind for Souji.

Now, I'd like to apologise for the delay on this chapter. My partner in Time Paradox sent me the script for chapter 6 (Finally), and I had to get that done, then there were the errors in uploading them. THEN. Lagann-hen came out, and I didn't get any sleep Sunday night, so I was in no fit state to write on Monday. Seriously. I did about a thousand words, then deleted it all for sucking so bad.

Anyhoo, time for this chapter. It will be worth it. I had some difficulty making it feel Christmassy, so I listened to various Christmas songs on repeat, despite it being February. You are welcome.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

…Distract her with foreplay and hope she doesn't notice.

She didn't.

Dave, you saved my arse yet again.

* * *

Once we landed, I warped my Evoker into the Armoury. Tanaka's connections hold no power over here, and I'll get strip searched for carrying even a toy gun.

Silly security officers. They have no idea of the carnage I could dish out barehanded.

"Sir, what is this?"

The guy scanning my present's case called me over to look at the screen. "It's an authentic Sengoku-era samurai helm." I replied. "It's a Christmas present for my cousin."

"Sir, this could be classified as smuggling an offensive weapon." He replied, pushing the case out of the scanner and onto the desk. "Please open your case and retrieve it."

Damn, security's harsher on the way in than it is out.

* * *

I managed to talk my way into keeping the helmet, but that was only after they'd unwrapped it and interrogated me. Thankfully I wasn't probed.

Now to find Yukari, then Marina and uncle Amos.

They're all over there at one of the many Starbucks in this airport enjoying a pleasant conversation over coffee without me.

I almost forgot that Marina's almost as brilliant as I am.

Almost.

"Hey, there he is!" My cousin shouted, pushing herself up from the table and running towards me.

I immediately blocked her right cross then rolled under her left spinning kick. "We are in an airport you know." I reminded her, catching her left fist mid-swing.

She then forced my arm back and twisted me into a gearbox. "Speak English ya eejit!"

I rolled forward, swinging her over my back and lifted my knee to block her counter-punch. "Sorry, force of habit." I replied in English. "No violence in the airport." I reminded her.

She immediately backed off and straightened her skirt. "I knew that." Marina commented, before leading me over to the table where everyone was. "Your girlfriend seems nice." She pointed out.

"She is." I replied. Well, she is most of the time as long as you aren't Junpei.

"Wait, No denial?" Marina asked, looking shocked.

I tilted my head. "Why would I deny a compliment towards someone I brought over?"

"No, I mean you didn't contest me calling her your girlfriend."

"Why would I?"

"You mean she actually is?"

"Yeah."

"Seriously?"

"Do I ever lie?" I asked.

"When do you not lie?" Uncle Amos countered, laughing. "Glad to see you finally got a haircut, ya hippie."

"I'm not getting another." I laughed back at him. He had very short hair.

"Oh really?" He asked. "What'd you do if someone grabs you by the scalp and has you at his mercy because your hair is too long?"

I sat down opposite him. "I'd grab his wrist and pull him over my head."

"What if he's too big for you to throw?" My uncle sneered.

"Then he'd be big enough for me to twist and kick in the face, and you didn't get me a drink?" I asked,

"You were caught smuggling weapons, so we thought you'd take longer." Uncle Amos tossed me a quid. "This way it'll still be hot."

"We're at Starbucks." I replied, flicking the coin back. "In an airport. At Christmas."

"Fair point." He replied, pulling out his wallet. "Go buy yourself a bottle of water." He joked, handing me a tenner.

"Soreniyotte, subetegawakarimasu…" Yukari commented. Yeah, I guess this does explain a lot.

* * *

Yukari's understanding of the English language was pretty decent, and she could speak it about as well as I could French.

Problem was that in our house, we spoke Yorkshire, so it took Yukari a while to adapt.

Uncle Amos spoke Japanese pretty well, most likely because his sister married a Japanese man and had me, but the only other two that spoke the language in the house (Other than me), was Noah, who was Natalie's age and learnt it by watching a load of the Anime Amos had us watching to make sure I 'Didn't lose my roots'. I got pretty good at translating, and eventually Noah could speak it pretty well for someone who never had a lesson. Marina, on the other hand, only has a basic grasp of Japanese since she's slightly older than me (She was born in March), but she can stumble through a conversation if she's concentrating, but she'd have to use sign language.

That was one language that Marina has that I gave up learning. She works part-time at speech therapists, and she started learning because she works with a lot of deaf parents whose kid's can hear. I know the alphabet and a bunch of key words, so I could probably learn if I bothered.

_So why don't you? You already decided not to fall to Nyx_

Nameless voices in my head don't get opinions.

_I apologise. I am Attis. I believe that if you are working towards a goal, then you would be slightly more likely to convince Nyx of your will_

Slightly?

_A microscopic chance is a chance nonetheless_

Me learning sign language isn't going to save the world.

_Horus here. It's another skill under your belt that might help you do another social link that'll let you make a new super-persona. You haven't even started Judgement and they can kick some ass, right Trumpeter?_

_WE ARE VERY ADEPT IN BATTLE, THAT MUCH IS CLEAR._

KEEP IT DOWN IN THERE!

"We boring you lad?" Amos asked.

"Nah," I yawned, turning away from the car window. "Just enjoying the motorway."

Marina turned in the front passenger seat to face me. "Meaning you're spacing out again?"

"Just had a twelve hour flight through the night." I groaned. "So I haven't slept since Maths class, which must've been a good twenty hours ago."

She chuckled. "And like Noah's gonna let you sleep tonight." She said, turning back to face the front. "Just to warn ya, he's recorded the last Doctor Who special and wants to watch it with you the second you're through the door."

I tilted my head. "Thought that was on Christmas Day."

"Nah, it's because Tennant did that Hamlet thing." Amos replied. "Remember when we sent you that bootleg of that one with the bus and the nanobots, back when we sent you your Guitar?" He asked. "That was the first one, then they did another one back in November." He chuckled as he turned off the motorway. "THAT was a good episode."

"So, is there going to be one on Christmas day?" I asked.

"The Master's going to in it." Marina replied.

"Euyes!"

"And David Tennant's gonna die."

"What!?" I shouted. "But he's the best one!"

"You said that about Pierce Brosnan." Amos countered. "_Then_ you saw Casino Royale."

"That was Fleming's Bond, not Sean Connery's badass." I grunted, rolling over to face the window again. "Like comparing Dark Knight to Adam West."

"You hate Adam West." Amos reminded me. "You said he humiliated a badass."

"You know what I mean." I moaned. "It's great, but not what you're childhood memories once knew."

"Your childhood memories gave you nightmares, if I recall." Marina said.

"My parents had just died, the orphanage I was in burnt down, and then granddad faked my sisters death." I replied, then remembered. "Oh yeah. Natalie's alive."

"Who?" Marina asked as Amos almost killed us all.

"NANI SONO KUSO!?" Yukari shouted, lurching into consciousness as the car swerved.

"DAD!" Marina shouted as Amos got the car back under control.

"Sorry, sorry…" Amos replied. "Seriously?" He then asked as Yukari groaned and went back to sleep.

I nodded. "She's living with Granddad Kuzonoha under the name 'Shirogane'." I explained. "He never told her about me, but I bumped into him on a school trip."

"And by bumped you mean beat the living shit out of him?"

"Marina! Language!"

"Sorry dad." Marina apologised. "Well?"

"I only punched him once!" I replied. "…And beat down his bodyguards… then he drugged me."

Amos shook his head. "If your kid's ever end up as crazy as you, it's because of dad's genes, not your mother's." He groaned.

* * *

By the time we got home, Mark and Emma were already in bed, so I barely had time to say 'Hi, how are you?' to Aunty Anne before Noah dragged me upstairs to watch Doctor Who.

That said, it was a damned good episode. A Time Lord Victorious indeed.

I would have tried to get to sleep, but Noah then got into a big discussion about the episode we just watched, which took a long while.

Eventually my body started to realise that the consciousness cheques my brain was sending them were bouncing so hard, they broke my knee from the ricochet, so I knew I had to distract him then pass out, since I taught Noah how to keep someone awake.

Distraction… distraction… "Hey, is that Blackie?" I asked.

Blackie was my first home made weapon. A four-foot long broom handle covered in red electrical tape for support. I then covered the foot and a half end which was to act as the handle with taut rubber bands, then covered that grip with black duct tape, and silver ducttape around the rest of the stick to symbolise a 'blade'.

I made it when I was ten, and it's a wonder that it hasn't broken after all the carnage it's seen.

The second Noah turned to look at it, I fell onto the floor and closed my eyes.

* * *

I woke up on the carpet with a blanket over me. I threw it off and jumped to my feet. Good thing I'd gotten changed last night while watching the good Doctor.

One shower and a pair of jeans later, and I was ready for breakfast.

Mind you, I've always been pretty competent at dealing with not getting enough sleep, but damn, Yukari looks great today.

"Morning." She answered. "You're just in time for lunch."

… "Lunch?" I asked.

Marina then superman punched me in the back of the head. "YOU LOSE!" She shouted. "Sleep shall never defeat me my ass."

"Really?" Yukari asked. "Only he spent a week in a hospital bed unconscious within days of getting in Japan."

"Yeah, I heard about that." Aunty Anne replied. "What was it again, Apathy Syndrome?"

That was the excuse they came up with? Because it was a very well thought out one, if not for the fact that everyone with Apathy Syndrome recovered when I passed out.

"Then there was the time he got the flu early in September…" Yukari continued. "And spent the entire weekend asleep."

"I got up once to go to the bog." I sighed. "Japanese Sandman was stronger than I thought…"

"Enter Sandman." Noah added, turning away from Top Gear momentarily.

"Sad But True." I nodded.

"Holier Than Thou."

"The Unforgiven?" I asked.

Noah shrugged. "Wherever I may roam."

"Don't tread on me." I warned.

"Through the never." Noah agreed.

"Nothing else matters." I elaborated.

"Of Wolf and Man;"

"The god that failed." I finished.

Noah leaned over the couch and put a hand on my shoulder. "My friend in misery…"

I put my hand on his wrist. "The struggle within…"

"So what?" Yukari asked.

Once we recovered from the shock, Noah and I gave an earth-shattering hi-five. "What are you two on about?" Yukari asked.

"They just made a conversation using Metallica song titles." Marina sighed. "They also did a song called 'So What?'"

"More than that!" Noah shouted. "We just went through the entire track listing of the 'Metallica' album _in order_, and Yukari-san just said the name of the secret thirteenth track that was only released in Japan! Ow!"

"No honorific's in this house." I told Noah as he rubbed his head. "If I can't be arsed with them over in Japan, then don't show me up over here."

"Wait, so you call her without using honorific's?" Noah asked, earning himself another bonk on the head.

"I don't use honorific's at all if I can help it." I sighed, then turning to Yukari. "I apologise for the idiot, he has yet to realise that there's more to life than anime and running up walls."

"Erm, okay?" Yukari asked, getting back to setting the table with Marina.

"Hey, after lunch, wanna go for a run?" Noah asked.

"I'd like to go back to spend Christmas without a broken leg, thanks." I replied. Noah's 'runs' often led him across several people's houses. He was a very athletic lad, despite his nocturnal anime addiction.

Good think we discovered online streaming, or we'd be broke. Hooray for copyright theft!

* * *

It took a surprisingly long while for me to realise that the house was decorated for Christmas. I mean, I saw the tree and everything, it just didn't register for some reason.

Kenjamin had it down. _"Oh yeah… Christmas…"_

On another note, Snow.

Why the hell is there snow on Christmas week? We never get snow at Christmas!

"So, you two coming to the Christmas party tomorrow night?" Aunty Anne asked us.

Aunty Anne works for a clothing company called Damart, so I assume that they're doing a work Christmas party. Apparently it's a posh do, so Noah's babysitting the twins while Amos, Aunty, Marina, Yukari and I go. Sounds fun, so long as the foods good.

* * *

Marina, Yukari and I went out for a walk around two-ish to avoid the Dark Hour. Well, not really to avoid it, more so we don't have to hang around the house with a bunch of coffins and answer awkward questions about why we moved suddenly.

Yukari wasn't all that surprised about Marina being aware of the Dark Hour, but she wasn't prepared for daylight Dark Hour.

Remember that water turns to blood? Well, snow turns a sickly yellow colour, like a weeping scab. The sky turned blood red and the sun burnt black. There were blood red icicles hanging from every ledge, and a snowman we passed looked like it was in pain.

What really disturbed her was walking down the high street during Coffin Time, as we used to call it (Marina agreed that Dark Hour sounded better). Climbing on top of transmogrified people gets some getting used to.

Dave was used to it though. He liked to use them to climb onto roofs and eat his lunch. This way, his boss thinks that he's a harder worker because he doesn't stop for lunch apparently.

Once the introductions were made, we just sat on the roof and talked. There wasn't much else to do, until Dave brought up that I hadn't met my godson yet.

Which reminds me, I didn't tell Yukari that I had a godson. Whoops?

* * *

"Ugly little chap, isn't he?" I asked, holding little Minato.

"Why do you think we named him after you?" Dave laughed. "Don't drop the baby."

"'Course I won't!" I snapped back.

The young lad didn't have an Arcana yet, but that's normal for babies. He's only a few months old after all.

After a few seconds, the young lad got bored of me and went back to his momma. Dave then dragged me into his fiancé's parents kitchen for a quiet word while Yukari and Marina fawned over the youngling.

"How is he?" Dave asked.

I shook my head. "Too young to determine yet." I replied. He knew about my ability to sense Arcana, and helped me to figure it out in the first place. "Sorry."

Dave shook his head. "Nah, it's fine." He replied. "I'm probably better off not labelling the kid just yet."

"What's up?" I asked him, noticing the weariness on his face.

"Sons of Blood are acting up again." Dave sighed.

"Are we going to have to sort them out?" I asked him.

"I'm not getting involved." He replied. "Unlike you, I've got a family to support… what's happened?"

Dave studied deception recognition with me last year. While I don't have facial expressions to mask, I still make manipulators- hand gestures, posture, breathing patterns, shrugs and so on- and sometimes you can tell what I'm _not_ saying when I talk.

Dave practiced on me, so he's good at recognising manipulators. "I accidentally brought about the end of mankind, and the only way to stop it is to out-will a goddess bent on granting humanity's innate desire to die."

Dave whistled. "Sucks to be her." He replied. "Been for a walk yet?"

"Took out a biker gang, crashed a stolen motor bike, saved a girl from gang rape, played some guitar, gave a guy a job and got my head kicked in by a guy who could summon demons from his brain." I sighed, then reaching to my belt. "Which reminds me, here." I added, offering him an Evoker. "Merry Christmas."

"Minato, where did you get this gun?" He asked.

"Not a gun." I told him. "Demon summoning thingy called an Evoker. Basically, most people who can enter the Dark Hour-"

"That's Coffin Time, right?"

"Right." I replied. "Anyways, most of those people can summon something called a 'Persona' by putting this to their head and pulling the trigger." I explained. "Yukari's is called Isis, and I've got a bajillion because I'm special."

"Special needs more like." Dave gasped, taking the Evoker. "Why'd you write Dante on it?"

I smiled. "Autographed by the man himself." I told him. "It's been an interesting few months in Japan."

"Suppose it'd have to be." Dave sighed, looking for a way to unload the Evoker. "No way am I putting this thing to my skull and pulling the trigger." He said.

"That's fine." I said. "I just feel better knowing that it's there if you need it."

"Gonna give one to Marina?" He asked.

I handed him two more Evokers. "Give them out if she needs it." I told him. "I'd prefer that she's at least somewhat out of the crazy."

Dave nodded. "You know, if you were anyone other than you or you were saying this to anyone other than me…"

"I know." I nodded. "I had to experience to first hand against some freaky arm demon before anyone told me what was going on."

"Life's fun when you're around." Dave nodded. "You off to see James later?"

"Not today." I sighed. "But I will."

* * *

Afterwards there was carolling to be had, but no-one carolled.

Yeah, despite all the evidence that suggests otherwise, it really doesn't feel like Christmas.

* * *

After another night of talking with Noah (That lad talks about as much as I don't.), It was Christmas Eve.

Now, in the rest of the world, Christmas is a family holiday, but in Japan, Christmas Eve especially was for couples, so I spent much of the day walking around the place with Yukari.

Somehow, we ended up getting to the moors. It was cold, windy and the snow as a foot deep, but these moors are probably my favourite place in the world.

It was indeed hilarious when Yukari fell down a bomb crater. It was even funnier when I slid down the edge to help her get out and neither of us could get a grip on the sides, so both of us ended up getting stuck.

Wasn't so bad though. It was actually warmer inside the hole, since we were sheltered from the wind and any hot air was compressed down there by the cold above us, so other than being trapped, it was actually pretty nice until the Dark Hour came, so we decided that it was time to stop dicking around and use magic. Hollow Arcana, you saved my arse yet again.

* * *

After the Dark Hour ended, we grabbed a couple of fish and chips and headed back home. That's one thing I missed about England. Triple-Dan noodles or not, you just can not beat a good bag of chips to warm you up when the weather's as miserable as Nyx thinks the world is.

Unfortunately, some poor chap over-estimated my Christmas spirit and asked us for some presents, or he'd give me a knife wrapped in my belly. I phoned him an ambulance and Yukari healed his broken bones. You know, because it's Christmas.

And considering that the environment I grew up in is considerably more violent than the one Yukari grew up in, I think she's just surprised that everyone's not like me.

* * *

Around six O'clock, we set off for the Christmas party. Despite my love for suits, I hate tuxedos. I really do, they just lack the sheer badassery of a sharp business suit, which I wore.

Marina and Yukari did their hair up and looked nice.

What? I'm not Bebe, I can barely pick a tie that matches my socks, or whatever it is those fashion-types do.

* * *

In hindsight, I should've warned Yukari that the legal drinking age in England is much lower than that in Japan, and even then no-one really cares when it's Christmas. I had my first hangover on Boxing Day, back when I was thirteen.

Seriously though, why do they put booze into everything at Christmas? I stopped after one since it stopped me from keeping all my Personae under control, so a glass of saltwater in the bathroom later and I was the designated driver for the evening.

Oh well, at least this way I don't need to touch the fruitcake.

* * *

Did I mention that Yukari got completely drunk off her head? Because at half-ten I was in the bathroom holding her hair back while she lurched half-digested chips down the toilet.

What was that thing they said on Waynes world? _'I say hurl. If you blow chunks and she comes back, she's yours. If you spew and she bolts, then it was never meant to be'?_

Looks like it's meant to be?

"Argh." I grunted, then looked at my right hand which was hurting for some reason.

Two black holes appeared on the back of it, with the numbers _153_ carved onto my hand between them.

I grabbed Yukari's wrist and looked at her hand, and there was the same marking.

This is not good.

Yukari went limp, and for a second I feared the worst, but her pulse was fine and she was breathing, so I laid her into the recovery position in the middle of the bathroom floor and went into the corridor to see what was going on.

* * *

The windows were locked and unbreakable, as were any fire escapes, so it was pretty obvious that I was in a Sekai Rei. Judging by the snake motifs, I'd say I was about to meet Lilith's contractor.

Now for the main question; why 153?

_I am the Pale Rider. That is the number of guests attending this party, including the three unborn children in their mothers wombs._

So Lilith's human has hold of the guest list…

"It is also three greater than the number of the uninvited guests who intend to harm you this night."

I turned to the speaker, who was a teenage girl in a tiny red dress that barely covered her crotch and a santa hat.

Hey, I notice details like that. Also, she had devil wings. "Lilim." I said. "Do I need to banish you too?"

She shook her head and her hands. "No, please, I wish to help you." She replied. "As do many of my sisters, but our mother is forcing our hands…"

I nodded. "Alright, but you're treading on thin ice here." I warned. "What the hell is going on."

She glanced down. "My mother's contractor… has challenged you to a Shadow Game…"

Holy crap she is serious. "A children's card game." I said flatly.

Lilim looked confused for a moment, but recovered. "A Shadow Game is a demonic duel between to humans, with human souls as the prize." She explained. "At the stoke of midnight, Lilith's husband Cain will devour the souls of all the guests marked with the number."

Why is it always midnight? "And what is my role in this game?" I asked.

"Lilith's contractor brought one hundred and forty-nine human warriors with her…" Lilim explained. "Well, they think they are warriors, but they are little more than boys with weapons…"

"What is _my_ role?" I repeated.

"For every life you sacrifice to Cain…" Lilim hesitated.

"One innocent human will survive." Lilith said from behind us. "Leave us Child."

Lilim bowed quickly and disappeared in blue flames, and I turned to Lilith who was wearing a dress for once, although she was clearly an illusion. "So the game is that if I can kill all of your mooks within the hour, then only four innocent lives will be lost?" I snarled.

"My mistress is participating as well, of course." Lilith replied. "But she had failed to account for any plus ones."

I clenched my fist. "Why would she want me to kill all these people?"

Lilith smiled knowingly, but before she could gloat about how she wasn't going to tell me, I put a hand out to stop her. "Wait, she doesn't want me dead." I said. "You said mistress, so your contractor is female. You said that you wanted to fill my eyes with despair, and made me fight my own friends. She wants to break my mind with guilt."

Yes, I'm on the right track, according to her face, but I can also hear some lads coming behind me and from the front. "Kill defenceless enemies or allow innocents to suffer. Anyone with a Messiah complex would try and take a third option, which is at this point impossible unless I can convince the contractor to end the game by choice, considering how she is prepared to die for the sake of this game as well. This shows that she regards my pain as more important as her life, suggesting that she is someone obsessed with me and hates me, but not necessarily as an enemy."

Then it clicked.

"Jessica Thompson wants revenge on me for killing her brother." I said. "But death isn't good enough… she wants me to live with the guilt, since I killed her brother in self defence, so my hands are clean."

Lilith smiled as six lads with bats and knives surrounded me. "Indeed." The demoness smiled. "So, show us your-"

She stopped as the blood from six severed heads sprayed the room. "Tell her that James was only the first Good person I killed." I glared, flicking the blood from the Katana I just summoned. "And I will gladly pay this price."

"Wh-wha?" Lilith stammered in shock as I ran down the corridor for more victims.

* * *

I have never felt so angry before. Angry at myself, at the situation, at my enemies, and at the heavens themselves.

My blood is burning, and my heart is cold. And I am Angry.

This isn't Tranquil Fury. This is on a whole new level. I have gone past rage, beyond despair, through madness, and now I'm so bloody sane I'm not even hesitating to mow down this thirteen year old kid with a pistol.

The worst part was that this was all my fault, but at least I have saved fifty lives so far at the cost of fifty others.

"She was right about you." Said a calm voice from behind me.

I turned around to see a guy in a black hoodie with a duel disk strapped to his arm. "Fire and Ice and Rage." He continued, lifting his head so his mouth was visible in the light. "The Blackest Night and the Oncoming Storm… calm down!" He shouted, throwing me back with a forcefield. "I'm not like those other guys." He laughed. "See, I'm a demon summoner."

"A what." I stated, getting to my feet.

He laughed. "Behold." He declared, lifting his arms to the sky. "**King. Frost.**"

There was a dark melody played, and the King I banished came into existence around the guy. "_**We meet again, human.**_" King Frost threatened. "_**Hee.**_"

"**Surtr.**" I stated, smashing the card as hellfire surged down the corridor.

Not even ash remained.

A hundred and two heads still on the chopping block. Fifty one lives saved.

* * *

Sixty corpses later, and I was struggling to find the last few targets. Two dozen of the guys I'd killed so far were demon summoners, but frankly I couldn't care less.

"Oh fucking hell he's here!"

"Shit! RUN!"

I turned down corridor and shot the two poor sods in the back as they fled for their lives. Sorry, but you accepted this fate when you entered this place.

"**SETH!**" One guy shouted, and the black desert dragon screeched down the corridor towards me.

I put the gun to my head and pulled the trigger, summoning the Persona to tackle the real demon. It wasn't enough, but it got the message across.

I turned away as the demon turned back and torched its own master out of fear.

Thirty seven people left to kill.

* * *

"DUDE DON'T SHOOT!"

The guy who came forward was Dean Williams, the guy who sat next to me in English last year. "Dude, just let me outta here, please!" He begged.

I grabbed his hand and looked at the back. It had a snakes head, with the number _34_ in its mouth. "You came here with Jessica." I stated.

"Well, yeah, but if I didn't then she'd have got the Blood's on me!" He begged. "Please, you gotta let me outta here!"

I put a hand on his shoulder and his cheek. "Sorry." I told him, before snapping his neck.

The number on his hand turned to _33_, then vanished.

* * *

Half past eleven, I kicked down the doors to the main party. All the guests were kneeling down with their hands on their heads, Marina and uncle Amos being stood on with rifles pointed at their necks.

I aimed my bolter and fired twelve shots.

The number on my hand reduced to _4_, and I knew that there was only one person left to kill.

She stood there in the middle of the room, glaring happily at my face.

"Huh… not even a hint of guilt?" She asked. "You really are a monster."

"You asked for this." I told her, dropping the gun. "Now I'll finish it."

She didn't even resist as I rammed my bare hand through her dress, through her chest, through her ribs and grasped her heart, pulling it out with as much force as I could manage. Jessica coughed blood onto my face, then fell to the ground dead.

"Hm." Jessica said from behind me. "You always did know how to steal a girls heart."

**What**

She started to reform around my hand, smiling despite the stab wound in her new torso. "But I'm disappointed in you Johnny." She smiled, calling me by my old nickname. "It's not considered polite to grab a girl's boobs."

She then grabbed my arm and twisted it, snapping it instantly. I pulled my arm back and tripped over her corpse as Jessica strode over to me as the hole in her chest healed, naked as the day she was born.

"But I like a bold man." She said, licking her fangs. "Something you never seemed to grasp."

I slammed the ground as I channelled Odin, sending a forest of spikes into her, pushing her into the air and shredding her into mincemeat.

Then she slipped out of her corpse, like one would slip out of a jacket. "Hm, looks like torturing you will be fun after all." She smiled, landing on the ground and walking towards me. "Let's see how long you can keep me amused."

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

I did warn you that this story was going to get screwed up. Hands up if you saw that coming in the levels it did?

Did not think so.

Now for some explanations. First, "Nani sono kuso" Translated literally into "What That Crap." Japan doesn't have a word for 'The', so hey.

Second, yes, I made a somewhat sensical conversation from a Metallica album's tracklist. I deserve a trophy of some sort for that.

Third, Minato just slaughtered over a hundred teenagers, and now he's about to get torture-raped by a girl channelling Lilith's powers. His Christmas is pretty much ruined.

I also happened to be listening to 'Where Did You Sleep Last Night', from Nirvana's unplugged album, and it's seriously depressing and ominous, so it fits this Shadow Game quite nicely.

The fight will be concluded next chapter, which I PROMISE will not be as delayed as this one was. I'll get started on it today in fact!

Also, I uploaded a new chapter of Time Paradox, which is basically what this story would be like if comedy was the top priority, it's based on Final Fantasy VII, and Barrett gained arachnophobia from smoking weed. All those who have read that story shout "SPYDAHS!"


	88. Chapter 88

Alright everyone, it's that time again!

First off, Computer Geekz's 'Persona 3: Simulacrum' has completed, and an excellent story it was and I recommend checking it out if you haven't already.

Now for the reviews. Vajrini, good to have you aboard, hope you continue to enjoy the story!

Dude, I take that as a yes, you enjoyed Time Paradox. Yay!

Tanith Magnus, thank you for the compliment, but the first guy I showed the conversation to recognised the entire album. Then again, Metallica's his favourite band, so you did well there.  
And congratulations for having the foresight to add 'So Far' to that statement.

Athan Mortis, not yet. And this chapter should answer your other questions.

Slicerness, If Minato kills her; only three innocent people will die as opposed to four. Those four could include his aunt, his uncle, his cousin, Yukari, the three pregnant women, the guy who's cheating on his wife, or even just the waiter. He's trying to save who he can.

I Started The Fire, He's not strong enough to summon either Helel or Satan yet.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

I glanced at the clock as my spikes collapsed to dust. Ten minutes to midnight…

"Everyone, get out of here." I ordered, pushing myself to my feet with my one good arm. "You won't be able to leave the building until midnight, but please just-" I clicked the bones into place and started to heal. "Get out of our way."

"Minato, what the hell is going on!?" Marina shouted as I summoned the card for Surtr and burninated Jessica.

"I'm fighting a demonic entity that's helping my ex-girlfriend get her sick twisted revenge on me for killing her brother!" I shouted over Jessica's screams. "What's it look like? NOW GO!"

Jessica then strode out of the flames towards me, flicking her hair confidently. "Ooh, this promises to be fu~n." She giggled darkly, before raising her hands as snakes rose from the ground and pinned everyone where they stood. "But I'd prefer an audience."

I clenched my fist, then took a deep breath and got my head together.

Jessica was always of the Justice Arcana before now, but now it's Devil. Demonic possession on its own wouldn't do that, so at least a large portion of this is her own desire.

And she's channelling Lilith. Lilith drains electricity, nullifies dark, and is weak to light and wind…

I summoned my Evoker and put it to my chin. "NORN!" I shouted, pulling the trigger as people screamed for me not to.

Jessica tutted. "Nice try…" She smiled as the green wind surrounded her. "But now this wind just feels good I- I- Ahh…"

Oh yeah, Lilith learns how to absorb wind. Dumbass.

And Elec Break. And Maziodyne.

I switched to Daisoujou and cast Samsara, and the light surrounded Jessica and she collapsed.

I immediately ran over to grab my Bolter and aimed it at Jessica's body, just in time for another body to burst out of her back. I released the auto-safety and held down the trigger, shredding her body thoroughly with the oversized exploding shells.

I then charged at her as she reformed, smashing her skull off with the heavy gun. I'm assuming that if I kill her enough times then she'll stay dead.

Interestingly, her head didn't grow back. Instead, she just tore out of her old body fully healed and covered in white goo that somehow didn't get into her hair.

Whatever, I still had plenty of ammo, so I decided to be more efficient and blew her head off with one bullet. She broke out of her body again, so I fired another shot. She broke out of her body again, so I fired another shot. She broke out of her body again, so I fired another shot. She broke out of her body again, so I fired another shot. She broke out of her body again, so I fired another shot. She broke out of her body again, so I fired another shot. She broke out of her body again, so I fired another shot. She broke out of her body again, so I fired another shot. She broke out of her body again, so I fired another shot. She broke out of her body again, so I fired another shot. She broke out of her body again, and I ran out of ammo so I smashed her head off.

"Only five minutes left…" Jessica smiled, shedding her old body again.

You may be wondering why I went out with this psycho in the first place, but she was sane before I killed her brother. It didn't break her this much though, so I reckon Nyx has something to do with this.

I warped the gun back to the armoury and summoned a Persona card. "MELCHIZEDEK!" I shouted, smashing the card as the armoured king charged for her, punching a huge hole in her torso.

I wonder how she'll heal from that one.

Turns out she regenerated from the large bloody stain on the wall. Interesting.

This suggests that if anything of the heart remains, then she can come back freely, considering how she regenerated first time I killed her. This is gonna be problematic.

I summoned Pale Rider to run her through with a scythe, just to test what would happen if the heart was cut in half. I didn't have high hopes, considering she regenerated when her heart was turned to mush, so I wasn't disappointed. A repeat experiment of Pale Rider slicing her from the left side confirmed my theory that she regenerates from the right atrium specifically, since she burst from the top half first time and the main body the second time.

Someone puked, and I frankly wasn't surprised, but it's only getting worse from here.

"You only have a few minutes left to save someone." Jessica sang as I summoned my next weapon. "You need to work better than this!"

I charged, thankful that her supposed immortality had overridden her innate instinct to dodge. I rammed my fist into her chest and grabbed her heart.

She sighed. "What are you trying out this time?" She asked.

I smiled as I switched persona to Surtr. "I'm just checking if your heart can withstand a Krak Grenade rammed into the Vena Cava." I replied as I pulled the pin from the grenade in my fist.

Krak Grenades are basically glorified fire bombs. Its brother is the Frag Grenade, which launches shrapnel all over the place to shred anything in range.

Krak Grenades, on the other hand, incinerate anything in the immediate area that doesn't absorb fire, like I do.

**FWOOSH**

* * *

Unfortunately, it didn't work.

There's only thirty seconds left to midnight and only one thing I haven't tried yet.

I charged for her new body and punched my hand through her chest. Cutting it open wouldn't give me enough time to do what I needed.

Before she could say anything, I pushed my foot to her chest and kicked hard, pulling her heart out of her ribcage.

I cringed, then brought it to my mouth and bit into it, tearing of a large portion of DON'T PUKE JUST SWALLOW BEFORE SHE REGENERATES DAMMIT!!!

My stomach ignored the brain and puked up a mouthful of circulatory organ as I collapsed to my hands and knees. Dammit Minato!

Jessica reached up from under me and touched my cheek. "Times up." She told me.

I jumped to my feet as a black wind stormed through the room, and I heard four haunting screams as three people died.

So who was the fourth..?

"Hm?" Jessica asked. "That's strange… maybe the fourth person isn't in this room?"

**Yukari**

* * *

Jessica clapped her hands. "Oh well, such a shame." She sighed. "And you really don't look that impressed." She noted, bending over to look into my face better. "Do you really care that little?"

I rammed my fist through her skull as spikes rose from the ground, shredding the snakes keeping everyone trapped.

"Anyone who does not wish to die horribly will leave now." I stated, blinking the blood from my eye.

"Minato…" Uncle Amos said comfortingly.

"**Now.**"

Once the Exodus was complete, Jessica chose this chance to remind me of her existence. "So… what now?" She asked. "Are you just going to kill me over and over again until you get bored?"

Blackness began to spread across the floor from my feet. "**Damned right.**" I snarled as the inky darkness spread up the walls and consumed the ceilings. "**Welcome to my Sekai Rei.**"

A Persona card rose into the air infront of me, and I reached out to touch it gently as it slowly rotated. "Sword." I said. "And Chariot."

I then smashed the card and the room filled with hellfire. "_**THOU ART I!**_" I roared. "_**AND I ART THOU! FROM THE ABYSS OF MY SOUL I CREATETH THEE!**_"

The bloody roar could be heard from all sides as the fire took form. "_**THOU ART KHORNE, THE BLOODLETTER!**_"

I glared at Jessica as blood ran freely down my face. "_**KILL!**_" I roared, raising my arm towards her. "_**MAIM! BURN!!**_"

The Chaos god charged in heavy bronze armour, smashing its heavy axe through Jessica's body. It's head was similar to a minotaur's, albeit made of bone and on fire.

Jessica's screams turned to laughter as the armoured behemoth killed her over and over again. "YES!" She shouted. "OH, THE IRONY! IT'S JUST SO BEAUTIFUL!"

Her brother James was the one who introduced me to Warhammer in the first place. If I am Khorne, the Chaos god of hate and war, then right now she is Slaanesh, the Chaos god of pleasure.

I honestly had no idea she was such a masochist, but that snapped me out of my berserk state. "Oh, over already?" Jessica asked, covered in the blood, flesh and juices of her previous corpses.

"I just got tired of you enjoying this." I replied calmly, summoning another blank card as the room returned to blackness. "Coin." I stated, spinning the card in the air. "And Death."

I smashed the card and said the words. "Thou art I and I art thou. From the abyss of my soul I createth thee. Thou art Tzeentch, the Changer of Ways."

The poem then chanted from the darkness, as Khorne's warcry had from the flames. "_Do not ask which creature screams in the night. Do not question who waits for you in the shadow. It is my cry that wakes you in the night, and my body that crouches in the shadow. I am Tzeentch and you are the puppet that dances to my tune…_"

A writhing serpent came into existence between Jessica and I, and I realised that there wasn't a chance in hell this guy was going to let me be top dog inside my soul, so I went to work creating a countermeasure. "Wand and Hermit." I said hurriedly, smashing another blank card. "Thou art I and I art thou. From the abyss of my soul I createth thee."

I grimaced at the thought of what I was about to do. "Thou art Nurgle, the Unclean One."

I gagged as the putrid stench of the Chaos god of decay came into existence, but I'm not sure I have anything left to vomit. Jessica was suffering from his poisons too, so I used my last verge of control over Tzeentch to lock them in mortal rivalry and seal them within my soul.

The embodiment of growth versus the embodiment of decay. I know which one I'm more like, which is why I know how dangerous he is.

Jessica vomited white fluids, and another body crawled out of her mouth. "You really didn't think that one through, did you?" She asked.

I switched to Unicorn and cured myself of the poisons. "You really did not think going against me through." I stated. "You cannot win."

She smiled. "We'll see." She replied. "You'll feel despair long before I stop coming back."

"That's just it." I replied, lifting my fringe. "I can't."

"What?" She snapped.

"I got brain damage when my parents died." I explained. "My face can't show any emotion unless I force it to. The only then that comes close is that this scar on my head gets a bit sore whenever I'm feeling especially emotional."

I pulled my hand away and let the blood fall from my palm. "You haven't even touched my head yet and it's bleeding this much." I told her. "And my powers run on willpower. **How long do you think you'll last before you're going to wish you could die?**"

Jessica giggled maniacally. "Well, if you're the one doing it, then it should be quite enjoyable."

I smashed her face in with my fist. "Don't." SMASH "Screw." SMASH "With." SMASH "**ME!!**" **RIPP!**

I kicked her headless corpse into the air, and she burst out of it mid-fall. I raised my right hand and flicked it towards my left, and a huge block of Hollow Arcana smashed through her with brutal velocity.

"Oh… yes…" She groaned, crawling out of her corpse.

I brought down a tower atop of her new body, crushing her again.

"Yes…" she moaned, crawling out of the side of the block.

This time I brought a huge spike from the ground and tore through her.

"Yes!" She shouted, climbing out of the hole in her back.

Now I rained blades from the ceiling, shredding her body.

"YES!" She screamed, bursting from her old skin.

This time, a spike rammed into her chest, then shot out more spikes in every direction, piercing her from the inside-out as it lifted her higher into the air.

"YES!" She shouted, dangling helplessly in the air. "I- I-!"

The spikes collapsed into dust and she fell forty feet to the ground.

"Ahhh…" She gasped, crawling out of her mangled corpse. "I came…"

I stormed over to her and grabbed her by the hair, lifting her up. "You're not supposed to be enjoying this." I snarled.

"Why shouldn't we enjoy our last moments together?" She giggled. "After all, the eternal mother is coming soon."

I dropped her onto the floor. "You know about Nyx?" I asked.

"Oh, Lilith taught me so much…" She laughed. "But I'm not going to tell you anything… not unless you get angry again…"

"You twisted little…" I stopped myself, calming myself down again. "It doesn't matter." I replied, walking away. "Because Nyx won't come."

Jessica burst from her skin and stood up. "What do you mean by that?" She asked.

"Because I'll stop her first." I replied, slashing a hole through the blackness with a wave of my hand as she cackled.

"You're insane!" She laughed as I reached into the red hole. "You actually think you can do the impossible?"

I grabbed a head and tossed its owner into the room as blackness consumed the hole again. He was a young man with long, ragged gray hair and red eyes, wearing a black and green cloak. "You Cain?" I asked him.

The guy stood to his feet. "That is correct." He replied. "Now who are-"

I punched the top half of his head off, then grabbed him by the throat as he regenerated conventionally. "I am the god of this realm." I snarled. "Now I am offering you one chance to leave here alive."

Cain nodded in a panic. "Lilith resides within her soul." He said hurriedly. "You'll need to remove her from any plane of existence to stop her."

"Wise lad." I complimented him. "Now why did you take those souls?"

"I didn't!" He replied in a panic. "I just programmed the Shadow Game! I have nothing to do with her otherwise! And I can't bring them back, I'm sorry!"

"I never expected you to." I sighed, dropping him. "Get to Arisojack and report for tactical duty if you don't wish for me to end you."

He nodded happily. "Thank you Abel!" He replied before legging it.

What was he on about? Maybe I look like someone he knows…

I turned back to Jessica as the blackness faded, and we were back in the office party, albeit one filled with corpses. "I am going to count to three." I warned. "Then I will End you. I know how I am going to do it, and Lilith, you know damned well that I can do this, so you are going to run like hell so I can enjoy this."

Jessica then collapsed to her knees, screaming while clutching her face. She then burst from that body, now wearing Lilith's face as she ran for the window with exceptional speed.

"Three." I growled, then followed her out of the broken window.

* * *

I chased her across the frozen canal. She only slowed to launch snakes, thunder attacks, almighty attacks or something at me. She was desperate, and I was gaining on her.

Suddenly, she stopped and turned, grabbing me by the face and ramming me through the ice. Normally, the shock would have killed me, but I wasn't in the mood for this.

I summoned Surtr with my numbed fingers and launched Ragnarok, evaporating the freezing water instantly. I rode the thermals into the air and landed onto the ice in front of Lilith as the heat began to crack the ice, which was losing the support of the water below that rushed to fill the vacuum of my attack.

Lilith pounced for me, and I calmly dodged before kicking her in the stomach. "It's sad when you lose your safety net, isn't it?" I asked her. "I mean, no mortal can ever hope to match a demoness like yourself, but I know how to kill you now so now you're afraid."

"Wh-what do you want!?" She snarled.

"I want you to leave that body." I told her. "I know that doing it will kill her, but you are going to do this and I will take her body back to her parents." I glared at the snake queen. "Besides, you've destroyed her soul already, haven't you."

Lilith scowled for a second, then nodded. She stepped forward, leaving Jessica's corpse to collapse into the snow.

I wrapped the corpse in my Jacket as Lilith walked away, then I stood up. "Melchizedek." I stated, smashing the card as I held out one arm behind me and I walked across the ice towards the demoness.

She turned in shock at the black hole I was dragging behind me. "You know what this is, don't you!?" I shouted over the roar of the wind. "This is Melchizedek's Door! A One Way Ticket To Oblivion!"

"N-NO!" Lilith shouted. "You said you'd let me live!"

"**I made no such promise.**" I replied, then swung the black orb through her.

* * *

I carried her corpse back to her parents. There was no wound, but they had known that she was getting into some dark stuff. I knew that they hated me for taking both of their children from them, but her father thanked me for bringing her back to them like I had their son years ago.

A Succubus approached me and asked for my blessing for her to take the title of Lilith, but I refused her. Instead, I told her that the Night clan who were loyal to me were welcome to take refuge among the Jakkai, but with the warning of the upcoming war. She took my offer gladly.

I didn't go home that night, because I knew Yukari wouldn't be there. Instead, I went back to Damart to clean up my mess.

But, by the time I got there, the police, fire department and paramedics were surrounding the place. Someone had called about a terrorist attack somewhere along the line, and the firemen were looking after the survivors while the paramedics tended to any of their injuries and removed any bodies.

"Hey."

I turned behind me to find Yukari wrapped in a blanket.

What

"I suppose that you had something to do with all this." She said in Japanese.

"I thought you were dead…"

"Marina-chan told me what happened…" Yukari continued. "A woman's just had a miscarriage… the child was stillborn…"

"Oh…" I should not be happy at the news that a baby just died, but it meant that Yukari didn't…

Is that wrong, or just selfish?

* * *

Christmas day was a subdued affair. We kept happy faces on for the kids, but everyone was still in shock over last night.

We opened the presents first thing in the morning as usual, but those who went to the party didn't enjoy it so much.

Afterwards, uncle Amos called me over into the garage for a quiet word while everyone was fawning over the new blue-ray player.

I ended up explaining everything to him. I knew he could take it, but it was still a shock to him.

Eventually, he got some words together. "You're much stronger than I ever thought was possible for a single person." He told me. "Physically and spiritually."

I nodded. "You do realise that when I go back to Japan, I'll most likely have to kill more people."

Amos nodded as well. "I'm also well aware that I can't stop you." He replied, "Which is why I'm giving you this."

He reached up onto a shelf and retrieved a long wooden box. He opened it, then handed it to me. It was a four-foot long piece of black metal with a dull grey ring a foot and a half away from one edge. I grabbed the edge and pulled, unsheathing the most beautiful sword I had ever seen.

"I thought you were going to grow out of Blackie eventually." He joked. The sword had the exact same proportions and length as my wooden stick, and the weight was even throughout the sword. "Make sure you use it well."

I sheathed the sword and gave my uncle a hug. "Thanks." I told him.

He patted me on the back. "Merry Christmas."

* * *

That night, I was called into the Velvet Room. "Hey Igor." I replied.

"Good evening." He replied. "You have grown immensely since we first met." He commented. "Both in power and in maturity."

I nodded. "I trust that you called me here about my new persona making trick?" I asked.

He nodded. "Indeed, but first you must balance your soul."

I sighed. "Yeah, three Chaos gods are more dangerous than four, aren't they?" I asked, summoning a blank card. "Cup and Strength." I sighed. "Thou art I and all that… Slaanesh the Prince of Pleasure, yay…"

Igor chuckled. "A Persona made with that little conviction will be of little help to you in battle."

"I don't want it to." I sighed. "It's not a part of myself I like."

Igor smiled. "Well, it's not just that." He said. "Remember how I said that Demon's come into existence from human worship?"

I sat up straight. "You're saying I just unleashed the four gods of Chaos into the Warp?"

Igor chuckled. "You certainly created them, but they are anything but unleashed." He replied. "Rather, their power is limited by the few that worship them, and they are now amongst the Old Ones."

"So now I have the power to create demons among demons." I nodded. "Great."

"I would not say as such." Igor replied. "Although impressive your newfound ability is, it is limited by the fact that you are only human and your creations have not centuries of experience behind them. Now, they are skilled enough to hold their own against the other Old Ones, but they won't be causing any trouble any time soon, except for your two favourites."

"Khorne and Tzeentch." I nodded.

"Indeed." Igor chuckled. "I would not recommend on calling upon their powers as Personae, but their influence will be most helpful in the upcoming month… I trust you noticed your increased aptitude in the Hollow Arcana after creating The Changer of Ways?"

I nodded. "And Khorne will be helpful in battle… so I can make Personae willy nilly but they'll all be crappy compared to the ones I create with you?" I asked.

"Incredibly so." Igor chuckled. "At least for now, but I daresay that in due time your power could grow to exceed that of any demon." He almost giggled, the next chuckle was so high pitched. "I do look forward to seeing you fulfil your incredible potential."

I nodded. "Do I have time to grow strong enough to defeat Nyx?" I asked.

"Perhaps." Igor shrugged. "The possibility of accomplishing this, however, is alarmingly close to zero."

"My favourite number." I smiled. "Well, I'll be off then." I stood up and offered him my hand to shake. "Thank you for everything you've done for me so far Igor."

"Before you depart, there is one thing that I must ask you." Igor replied. "You are aware that there is no demonic power by the name of Melchizedek's Door in the possession of Melchizedek or any other demon for that matter." He said. "In fact, that final attack you used against Lilith has nothing resembling anything like it and any demonic compendium."

"Hollow Arcana." I replied. "If I can put things into existence, then I can take them away."

Igor chuckled as he stood up and shook my hand. "You are indeed marvelous." He told me as the Velvet Room faded into the light. "'Till we meet again…"

* * *

Boxing day was better than yesterday, even though Yukari and I were leaving tomorrow morning. We should land in the early evening of the twenty-seventh, then get a good night sleep before school the next day.

After spending the day with my family, I tried to get to sleep for the flight, but I got a phone call at one in the morning from Mitsuru. "Evening." I groaned, walking into the corridor so I didn't wake Noah up. "Just to know, it's one in the morning over here."

_\_ "I apologise, but it is imperative that you turn on the news immediately." _\_

I yawned. "Mitsuru, what's on the ten O'Clock news in Japan is not going to be on the late-night news over here unless a tsunami hit somewhere."

_\_ "This is currently headlining on CNN." _\_

Okay, this is serious. I jogged downstairs and turned on the TV. Ignoring the message that there's no CBBC at this time of night so go to bed, I flicked over to CNN.

_\_ "In a shocking turn of events in Japan, the Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama has lifted the long standing ban on personal weapons, including firearms, Samurai Swords, bows, clubs, and others." _\_ The American behind the desk said. _\_ "The new legislation permits anyone over the age of sixteen to carry and defend themselves with any melee weapon they consider appropriate to ensure their safety, and any adult over the age of twenty-one may carry non-automatic weapons of up to point-four-five calibre." _\_ He continued. _\_ "However, government forces are permitted and indeed will be provided with automatic weapons to ensure that law and order are upheld." _\_

"This is insane…" I gasped.

_\_ "It gets worse." _\_ Mitsuru said gravely as the woman behind the desk turned to the camera.

_\_ "It is believed that this new legislation is related to the appointment of the new Minister of Defence, Takaya Sakaki, who was appointed the role after the recent assassination of Toshimi Kitazawa in his own home." _\_ The woman on the TV said as a picture of Revolver Jesus in a suit and a haircut came on the screen opposite a picture of the last Minister of Defence. "Security footage in his home was unable to identify exactly when or how he was killed, but an autopsy has revealed that he was shot point blank in his own office around midnight on December the twenty-third." _\_

"That son of a bitch…" I gasped. "Good thing we're coming home tomorrow."

_\_ "Thank you for your confidence, but you do realise that this makes it much easier for the Nyxists to eliminate us at any time of the day?" _\_ She asked.

"Not particularly." I replied, turning the TV off. "This actually makes life a lot easier for us."

_\_ "What makes you say that?" _\_

I smiled. "If he's Minister of Defence, then he's authorised to hire snipers to take us out whenever, but instead he made it legal for his cronies to carry weapons." I replied. "It doesn't make it any less legal to attack someone, only to defend yourselves."

_\_ "You mean… we may have to fight against other people?" _\_ She asked. _\_ "Do you have the resolve to walk that road?" _\_

I didn't even gratify that with a response. _\_ "Of course you do. And I suppose that you have confidence in the rest of us as well?" _\_

I smiled. "See you tomorrow."

* * *

Next day we said our goodbyes and left to go back to Japan. We were flying through the day so no Dark Hour, but the mood was darkened nonetheless.

However, once we got into Japanese airspace, things got very interesting.

First off, half an hour before we were scheduled to land, the seat belt sign came on and the captain told us to brace for some risky flying. I ignored him and looked out the window to see a fighter jet fly past before turning behind us and firing.

"Strega now runs the Ministry of Defence I suppose…" I sighed, before walking towards the emergency exit. "Yukari belt yourself in, then grab a Parachute." I told her as I summoned my Evoker. "I'll show them how to do a dogfight."

"Wait, you're not-"

I didn't hear the rest of the sentence because I opened the door and walked onto the wing, then closed the door behind me.

BLOODY HELL IT IS WINDY!!!

I let go of the plane and dropped my Evoker. Buggery.

Oh well, time for card smashing instead. "KOHRYU!"

I landed on the misty dragon's head while I gripped the shards of its card. They were cutting into my palm, but I'd rather not play guitar for a couple of days than fall to me death, since I figured out that if the card stayed broken, then the Persona stayed there.

One of the two fighter jets launched a missile at the plane, but Kohryu intercepted it and launched the explosion back with a Makarakarn.

**CRACK**

What, what?

_**Thou hast taken the Lovers Arcana up to Eleven… Transcending beyond the impossible to achieve thy goals… **_

Nice, heroic idiocy is appreciated!

I summoned the card I created last night into my right hand, then smashed it without gripping the shards. "CYBELE!" I shouted.

The purple earth goddess flew through hoops with her knives, slicing right through one of the jet's wings. Kohryu launched an energy blast to shatter the rest of the plane as the pilot ejected, and I cracked Cybele's card again to destroy the falling scrap metal with a Megidola, so they didn't kill anyone on the way down.

That left me to focus on the other jet, which was now firing bullets rapidly at me. Thanks to Kohryu's skills though, the bullets just dissolved helplessly as they came within an inch of me. I simply summoned Cybele's son and consort Attis, and wiped out the entire fighter jet with their twin Megidola's.

That pilot wasn't lucky enough to escape.

Once Cybele and Attis faded, I felt the fatigue of using so many powerful Personae at once, and flew back to the plane as fast as I could and got through the door before I collapsed. All this cosmic power and I've only got a human body to wield it with.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

**EPIC FORESHADOWING**

So, yeah. That fight scene at the start is probably the most messed thing I've ever done in this story.

AND STREGA NOW RUNS THE ARMY, SPECIAL POLICE FORCE, AND THE NYXISTS! GASP!

…

Yeah, we all know who's gonna win that one.

Also, sorry for making you think that I killed off Yukari, but it explained why Minato went so damned batshit insane on Jessica and Lilith.

So, I hope this rapid double-chapter makes up for the delay, and you can all see the insanity that will be January. Am I forgiven?


	89. Chapter 89

Alright, I appear to have broken the Willing Suspension of Disbelief concerning Takaya, so I'm now going to pull a reasonable explanation for that out of my ass. I was just going to go for 'The Prime Minister's a Nyxist', but I don't think that that'll cut it right now, so I'm gonna feed you some crap about Sekai Rei's.

As I've explained, Sekai Rei's are 'Soul Worlds', or the space of the mind. Everyone has these of some level, but it takes a Persona to use its abilities properly. The card you summon? Part of your Sekai Rei.  
Now, the next stage up is the actual Sekai. Depending on a Persona users power and skill, these can have various size, duration, and strength, but they really vary in ability. Junpei, for example, has awakened to his Sekai Rei, which incinerates anything inside it other than him. He calls it 'Icarus'.  
Takaya, on the other hand, his Persona is Hypnos, the god of sleep. His Sekai Rei allows him to make those around him resist less, or to make them resist more, allowing him to convince someone, or wake them up from the Dark Hour. Now, if he has resolved to Morpheus (Which he now has, thanks ISTF), then this gives him control over another person's dreams, and their imagination, and therefore can pretty much brainwash anyone in earshot of his voice unless they're particularly strong willed, in which case he'd need a little time to work on him, say… a couple of hours?

Hope that scared you about how much crap Minato's in. Now for your many, many reviews.

Naru-chan, I had to earn my awesomeness through extensive research and strenuous mental exercise.

I Started The Fire, Minato isn't strong enough to summon either Helel or Satan, so he can't use Armageddon yet.  
The Abel line was a reference to Devil Survivor, because the main character there looks just like Minato, and just for that, Takaya has resolved.  
As for Gaea, I still haven't decided yet. Sorry.

Have A Little Feith, I got lazy. Plain and simple.

Slicerness, I normally update every couple of days, so that's what the delay was from.

Abyss of Essence, no-ones helping Strega. That's what's so scary. And fighting alongside his social link friends? What do you think?

Heraklinos, I haven't yet played Devil Survivor and can't get much information on the characters themselves, so I'll have to play it first hand. Well, maybe in the sequel.

Lichte, first, nice new name. Second, no, since that would seriously shatter the WSOD, since they could just firebomb the place and have done with. But you won't be disappointed with what I have in mind.

Thoughtless, Lilith was fulfilling her mission. That is all.  
After certain point of pain, the mind just breaks and you start to enjoy it apparently. Then again, she was screwed from the start of the fight.  
Yep, just pointing out how similar the two protagonists are.  
Human's power is unfortunately limited. However, human resolve is unbreakable.

Dark Hell Prince, Ramiel is dead, remember? Espada (The Rakshasha) told Minato to eat him. And as I've said, unfortunately I'm keeping Devil Survivor out of this apart from that one time.

Tanith Magnus, in the trade we call that a 'WHAT THE HELL HERO!?', which was exactly what I was going for. As Athan Mortis rightly pointed out earlier, Minato is a psycho, but he's our psycho.  
Takaya has mind control. Also, he's been running around since November.  
Minato's new sword looks like Thanatos's, but with a longer handle (Around four hand's length), and a scabbard. It's based of Blackie, which is based on Bluey, a broom handle wrapping in blue electrical tape in my garage.

Dragon's Shadow, I hope you can get back to enjoying the Story soon. I'm not normally a fan of excessive gore either, but something's are meant to be driven home. And are you sure Takaya's mind manipulation doesn't cut it? Because I think that would even explain if Jin became Minato's homeroom teacher… No I won't do that. Ruins my other plans.

Tenshi Reike, I'm not going to make a Persona 4 sequel. The sequel will be somewhat akin to Simulacrum in setting, but with a very different plot and character development, and will star the Investigation Team and S.E.E.S.  
And no. I didn't have to crank up the level from Hardcore to Batshit. Nor do I have to crank it up from Batshit to Chouginga later on.

Also, I recently found out that I screwed this chapter up somehow with another one. Fixing it.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

I spent much of Monday asleep, since that dogfight the day before really took it out of me.

I got up to talk with everyone during the evening though. Everyone had been training in Tartarus, that much was clear, but what I also noticed was how everyone had become more resolved in my absence. Looks like my way of thought is catching on.

Tuesday, I went out to get some social linking done. While exploring the town, however, I did some face-reading pratice on a young couple.

The guy's face was easy to read. "I feel really awkward these days… sigh, I'm getting worried… Is she okay..? She looks like this kind of thing happens to her every day…"

His girlfriend's face was also pretty clear. "It sounds preachy to talk about moral stuff like this, but this is when people's bonds are tested. At times like this, when the whole town is going crazy, and there's nowhere to run… I'm thankful he's here with me."

Glad to know I'm not the sanest person around here. And there's Nozomi our favourite overweight cultist. If it's the Nyxists then I'll kick his arse.

"Seven, eight, nine… Crap! I must have counted wrong before." Looks like he hasn't noticed me yet. "I'm one person short. Well they can't make a fool out of me… I'm not going to lose to my brother again!"

He suddenly leapt from his seat at the ramen bar and ran like hell, so I sat next to his space and ordered a triple dan.

"I don't get it…" Nozomi said absently when he returned. "I felt fine up until just a minute ago…"

"Winter bug?" I suggested.

He practically jumped out of his flab. "Whoa, Minato! Didn't see you there…" He sighed and sat down in his seat. "Don't you worry about me." He said. "I consider things like these trials, that's all. You have to undergo certain hardships if you wish to receive the mother Nyx's blessings…"

**What**

**SMASH**

No, not smash, what the hell!?

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Moon Arcana…_

DAMMIT SPOOKY VOICES I WANT ANSWERS!

Nozomi gagged on his noodles. "Noodles don't taste so great after a 'rewind', do they?" He pondered, before standing back up. "Maybe I'm not that well… I'll have to tell you all about Nyx-sama next time Minato…" He apologised before leaving.

Dammit Nozomi…

* * *

Next day I just sat in my room, throwing a ball against the wall. How the hell was Nozomi a Nyxist?

"Hey, it's me." Yukari shouted from outside the door. "Can I talk to you?"

"Come on in." I answered.

Yukari stepped into the room. "Hey, I have good news…" She said as I continued my prison game. "Aigis and Koro-chan are coming back today!"

I got a tennis ball to the chin at that. "Seriously?" I asked.

Yukari nodded. "Mitsuru-senpai said her wounds have finally healed." She explained. "We're meeting in the lounge tonight. Don't forget, okay?" She asked, before leaving. "See ya!"

…

I suppose I've got some Christmas Homework I could be doing…

* * *

When Aigis and Koromaru returned, I bolted down the stairs to see them, and I could tell something was off immediately.

"I'm back, everyone." Aigis said fluidly. "Sorry to have worried you all."

"Man, I'm glad to see you." Junpei said, pulling her into a hug. "I was getting nervous."

"Me too." Fuuka agreed, stroking Koromaru. "I feared the worst…"

"I'm a machine, so I can always be rebuilt." Aigis replied gloomily. "Even if I was completely destroyed, the programming data necessary to recreate me would still exist…"

"Hey… Don't talk about yourself like that." Yukari told her.

"They said another week would be required for a complete recovery, but I had the process expedited." Mitsuru whispered to me at the back. "Tomorrow is New Year's Eve."

"I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused…" Aigis apologised. "Mitsuru-san visited me at the lab and told me everything… That must have been difficult for you all to hear." She walked towards me. "Have you been well..?" She asked. "I mean, considering the circumstances…"

"I was worried about you." I told her.

"I'm sorry." She apologised. "It's because I wasn't strong enough… Ten years ago, I… What I did to you was…"

"Thank you." I told her.

That surprised everyone. "But… If I hadn't done that to you, you wouldn't be suffering like this…" She looked ashamed. "Ryoji has presented you with a difficult choice… Have you made your decision?"

"Yes." I replied. "I have."

Aigis looked down. "I have a favour to ask of you." She said.

"Shoot." I offered.

"Tomorrow, when Ryoji comes, please…" Aigis hesitated. "Please kill him!"

What.

"I can't bear to see everyone hurting like this!" Aigis reasoned. "Please choose to have your memories erased! Even if… Even if it means forgetting everything… and everyone…"

I kept my mouth shut, so everyone else did the talking for me.

"A-Aigis, what're you talking about!?" Yukari shouted.

"Yeah, this isn't like you." Junpei pointed out.

Aigis didn't reply, so Mitsuru stepped in. "What's wrong, Aigis?" She asked.

"Why..?" Aigis asked. "Why did I come back here? My mission is to protect humanity from Shadows. But now, I know that I can't defeat them! So then… why am I here? I'm useless!" She shouted. "I cannot even shed a tear for you all!"

"Oh, Aigis…" Fuuka said.

"Why fight, when you know that you can't win!?" Aigis shouted in despair. "What is the purpose of that!? WHY ARE YOU WASTING YOUR LIVES!?"

"We're not." Shinji replied. "We're just not gonna back down, right Kenjamin?"

"Right." Kenjamin nodded.

"I… I don't understand." Aigis sighed. "It must be because I don't possess a 'life'…"

Junpei laughed. "This has nothing to do with having a life." He said.

"I'm a machine…" Aigis said. "A machine that was created to protect humans from Shadows. But, I can't fulfil that mission with the powers I was given… So then, what is my purpose now?" Aigis asked, falling to her knees. "Could someone please tell me?"

"We don't know the answer, Aigis…" Junpei said, cutting me off. "The only one who can tell you what your purpose is, is you. That's why we're having such a hard time making our decision. There's just no easy answer." He chuckled. "But as long as we're alive, we have to do something… When we see others hurting, we want to help them. So that's our purpose."

"Can finding one's purpose really be so simple..?" Aigis asked as Fuuka crouched down to her level.

"When I saw you collapse, I realized something…" Fuuka told her. "I want to protect you… I don't want to forget about you."

"Fuuka-san…" Aigis gasped.

"There are times when you will lose sight of your goal, and you will have to search for it." Mitsuru said. "But if you can't find it again, then you must set your heart on a new goal. To truly live, you will need to make changes sometimes."

"Do you think I can do that?" Aigis asked her. "Do you think I can change?"

I wiped my right eye. "Haven't you noticed?" I asked. "You've already changed."

Aigis nodded, then stood up with Fuuka. "I know what my purpose is…" Aigis said. "I'm a machine, a machine who is here to 'live'. And the one who has given me this new purpose is… me."

"Aigis…" Yukari said.

"This is the promise I've made to myself." She told everyone. "I don't know how I'll do it… but I guess that is a part of living, too." She turned towards me. "Will you allow me to- you're injured!"

I looked at the hand I'd wiped my face with. It was covered in blood. "Hm, so I am." I shook it off. "Ah well." I shrugged, offering her my bloodied hand. "Of course you can fight with us." I told her. "You were always one of us."

Aigis took the hand. "Thank you!" She said happily. "I will be with you all… no matter what happens..!"

**SMASH**

A fierce blue flame appeared around Aigis, and we all looked up to see Palladion hover over her.

_The resolution in thine heart has awakened a new Persona…_

Palladion exploded, and a goddess with a spear, huge shield and helmet appeared.

_Palladion had given rise to Athena…_

* * *

Some interesting words were had after that. Remember that my scar bleeds when I'm extremely emotional and it completely burst on Christmas Eve? Well, not even Diarahan can heal it properly. Apparently wounds with psychological attachment to them have special rules concerning healing.

That said though, this damned thing cracks much easier now, so I'm gonna have to start carrying some of that magic gum stuff from Bleach or something.

Anyways, next day was the day. I spent the day in the gym with Shinji and Junpei. It was a good thing just to stop thinking and focus on moving the weight from 'Here' to 'Here'.

You know in games and movies where the hero has to stop the end of the world and everything? They never had to wait. For them, it was 'the sooner you stop it, the better'. Not us. We don't get that luxury.

"Hey." Death said from behind me. "Long time no see."

I almost dropped the dumbbell onto me. "Midnight's just around the corner, so I'll be waiting for you guys in the lounge." He said, before heading up the stairs.

Eleven… is it that late already?

* * *

Once we were all gathered, Death made his speech. "At midnight, I will change from this form into something unrecognizable." He said. "So, have you reached a decision?"

After looking around for a second, he stood up. "Okay, I'll be waiting in his room until midnight." He headed for the stairs. "Come see me when you have your answer."

"Ryoji-kun…" Fuuka sighed.

"Oh, and one more thing." Death added, turning around briefly. "Don't let the fact that you'll have to kill me influence your decision. As I said before, I'm going to disappear anyways. I won't feel any pain by 'dying'. So, there's no need to worry about me." He turned back and headed again for the stairs. "I'll be waiting…"

Once he was upstairs, Mitsuru spoke. "Have you made your decision?" She asked me.

Before I could reply, she nodded. "I understand. You don't need to say anything." She mimed wiping her forehead and turned to everyone else. "Have the rest of you made your decision?" She asked.

"Obviously." Shinji grunted as I wiped the trickle of blood on my forehead.

"You know how I feel." Yukari stated.

"I wouldn't be here if I wasn't on board." Junpei joked.

"I'm with the rest of you." Fuuka agreed.

"I'm in, too." Kenjamin declared.

"I have made my decision as well." Aigis nodded.

"Then, we're all in agreement, yes?" Mitsuru asked.

Shinji nodded with everyone. "Go tell the bastard then."

* * *

I went upstairs to my room to find Death sitting on my bed. "Hey." He greeted me. "It's been a long time since we talked like this in your room. Although back then, I didn't appear in this form, and wasn't known by this name."

I didn't say anything, so he just sighed. "Don't tell me you've all decided to let me live…" He said mournfully. "You're all going to risk your lives on a battle you can't win." He looked right at me. "But, you're the only one here right now, so… I'll say this one more time. If you kill me, Tartarus, the Dark Hour, and your memories of the battles will all disappear." He reminded me. "Tomorrow, you'll wake up a normal high-school student. You'll be able to live in peace until the moment of the Fall. But if you let me live, you'll spend every waking moment until that day in fear of your inevitable death. Nyx cannot be defeated…" Death reasoned. "It's useless to fight her."

"It's also useless to hide from her." I replied.

Death stood up. "Are you still thinking?" He asked hopefully. "Or, have you already made up your mind?"

I shook my head. "I've made up my mind." I told him. "You know what I want."

Death sighed, then paced around the room. "I guess my words didn't change your mind…" He said sadly, checking on the clock. "There's still some time until midnight. I didn't want to have to show you this… but I have no choice."

There was a flash of dark fire, and Death transformed from Ryoji into something looking a lot like my Persona, Thanatos.

_**See?**_ He asked._** I'm not human. I will bring death to this world until I am finally satiated. Do not hesitate to kill me. **_

_**I want you to think about this carefully. **_ He reasoned. _**Is facing Nyx really the best decision? Right now, you are all confused by the truth. But some things in this world cannot be changed. You do not understand this yet. Memories are ambiguous… Old ones can be replaced with new ones, creating a new reality. Don't you want to end all your friends' pain and suffering?**_

_**It's up to you. **_Death told me. _**You're the only one who can make this decision. Now, this is your last chance. Tell me your answer…**_

"Stop trying to guilt trip me." I sighed. "I'm going to risk it all against the impossible."

_**I see…**_ Death replied, raising a hand to my face. _**Then I have no choice…**_

* * *

"Yo!" Junpei called, running to catch up with me. "Damn, it's cold. But of course, you can't miss a day of school, head boy." He laughed. "Man, can ya believe this year's already over? We're practically seniors now. Just one more year… Ya think anything interesting will happen?"

"Huh?"

Junpei laughed. "Yeah, I hope you're right." He joked. "But, seeing the current seniors makes me wonder… Seems like all they frickin' do is study. Talk about boring. Is that gonna be us next year?" He grabbed his forehead. "Why do I feel like I'm forgetting something?"

Junpei shook his head then noticed the blonde hiding behind the tree. "Hey, is that girl looking at us?" He asked. "Dude, she's pretty cute! How come I never noticed her before?"

"What are you talking about?" Yukari asked, coming up from behind us. "She lives in the same dorm as us."

Junpei did a double take. "Seriously!?" He asked. "Uh… What's her name, then?"

"I dunno." Yukari shrugged.

"So then, why're you giving me a hard time?" Junpei groaned. "Anyway, it's always crazy in the dorms this time of year, with so many people coming and going. Oh yeah, did ya hear?" He asked. "Shinjiro-senpai's movin' out! Ya know, the guy who makes us all lunches?"

"I know who he is." Yukari sighed, "But I haven't really talked to him. Of course, all the graduates are leaving, even Kirijo-senpai."

"Ms. Student Council President…" Junpei nodded. "She's in our dorm too, huh?"

Yukari waved over Junpei's head towards the blonde girl. "Hey, there!" She called. "Are you looking at us? Is something wrong?"

"Um…" She hesitated, before shaking her head. "It's nothing."

"She looks kinda depressed, doesn't she?" Junpei commented as the girl ran off. "Wait, do ya think she might be interested in one of us!?"

"Haha, I doubt it." Yukari joked, jabbing him with her elbow.

"Ouch. That hurts." Junpei complained.

Yukari skipped ahead of us. "Come on! We're gonna be late for the assembly!"

"Oh yeah." Junpei said. "Let's go!"

* * *

"Next, a word from the valedictorian…" The Head said. "From Class D, Mitsuru Kirijo."

"Thank you." Mitsuru said once she was at the podium.

"This last year, I accepted an important responsibility as Student Council President. When I first addressed you from this podium, I spoke to you all about seizing opportunity while you had the chance… Well, it must have been fate that intervened and gave me an important reminder of this… As many of you may know, my father unexpectedly passed away due to illness… To tell you the truth, after losing my father, I also lost much of my self-confidence. You see, I had overestimated my ability to handle everything alone. Few people can be that strong… There are times when we cannot stand without the support of others… After my father's death, I received kind words from many people. You all taught me the value of allowing yourself to be cared for and protected. I would like to continue going forward with the support of those around me. For us graduates, it was truly an honour to share the last three years with all of you. Thank you so much… for those wonderful years…"

She walked off the stage, wiping tears from her eyes. "She seems kinda bummed, doesn't she?" Junpei commented. "I guess even Presidents cry too…"

"Hey, where's that girl?" Junpei asked before I could say anything.

"What are you talking about?" Yukari asked him.

"You know, the girl we saw earlier. I assumed she'd be here…"

"Oh, her." Yukari nodded. "Well, there's a lot of people who aren't here. Actually, I'm surprised YOU didn't skip."

"Heh, I thought about it." Junpei admitted. "Anyway, next year it'll be our turn… What have you got planned, Yuka-tan?" He asked her. "College?"

"Mmmm… I haven't really decided yet." Yukari admitted, before turning to me. "What about you?" She asked.

"He's probably got no idea." Junpei laughed. "You know what he's like."

Yukari giggled. "That's what I thought." She said, before turning serious. "You know how the President was crying?" Yukari said. "I can sorta relate, since my dad passed away too. But, that stuff she said about seizing opportunities? Gimme a break."

Huh? "We're only in high school." Yukari reasoned. "I mean, yeah it's important, but can't it wait a few years? But anyway, there's really no hurry to decide what we wanna do with our lives, right? I mean, high school's hard enough as it is."

"Yeah, I can agree with that." Junpei nodded.

"Here's what I think…" Yukari continued. "Sometimes you're better off not knowing. As they say, 'Ignorance is bliss'. Besides, you can't always be thinking about the future." She reasoned. "In the end, it doesn't matter as long as you're happy. You've got to live in the moment--carpe diem, right?"

"Yeah, I guess so." Junpei nodded. "Whew, that was some speech."

"To be honest, I'm not that strong of a person…" Yukari admitted. "That's why I get so worked up so easily. It's hard to explain. It's just the way I am."

"Hey, I know where you're coming from." Junpei nodded. "Thinking about stuff like that just gives me a headache. So, I try to avoid it as much as possible."

Yukari giggled. "Now, that's the Junpei we all know and love."

Junpei scratched the back of his head. "Everyone's so uptight these days. They just need to chill out… You know, take it easy for a change."

"What're you gonna do if that plan backfires?" Yukari asked.

"Well, that'll be that." Junpei shrugged. "But for now, let the good times roll… Karaoke, anyone?" Junpei offered. "Let's celebrate our future!"

"A graduation party, huh?" Yukari pondered, before glancing towards me. "I'll go if he goes."

"Well in that case, I won't take no for an answer." Junpei grinned at me as I reached into my jacket pocket. "I'll buy ya a drink, alright?"

I pulled out my Leatherman, whipped out the knife and rammed it into my left arm.

"SHIT MAN!" Junpei shouted as Yukari screamed. "WHAT THE HELL'S WRONG WITH YOU!?"

"Clench your teeth…" I grunted.

"Huh?"

I stood up and rammed my fist into his ugly mug as hard as I could, and the world exploded. Ryoji flew through my bedroom door, then crash-landed into Akihiko's old room with a broken jaw.

I strode across the hallway, gripping my bleeding arm as blood ran down my face. "You twisted sack of shit." I snarled. "A world where none of us know each other, where we're worse idiots than when we started!?" I pulled the knife out of my arm and threw it into the wooden floor. "WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU SHOW ME THAT!?"

Death got to his feet and corrected his jaw. "I wanted to show you just what I was offering you."

"Oh, and that was supposed to make me want to kill you!?" I shouted, ramming a Diarama into my arm. "Well guess what!?" I shouted. "It did!"

I smashed my fist into his face again, and he landed inside Akihiko's old wardrobe. "I will never run from _anything_ _ever again._" I snarled. "Hell, I've gathered a demonic army to fight against heaven at any second and I am going to _win _dammit!"

Death sighed, brushing the splinters off of him. "But it's not the same…" He pleaded. "It's just impossible to kill Nyx!"

"I couldn't care less." I replied. "I've got about four back-up plans in case we can't stop her, the last one being to shout as loud as I can."

Death tilted his head. "What's that supposed to achieve?"

I smiled. "If a man shouts loud enough, he can achieve anything."

He stared blankly at me for a second, then broke down laughing. "I see…" He sighed. "I understand." He said, getting up. "It's regrettable, but it's your life… You can do what you want with it. I will respect your decision."

**SMASH**

**_Thou hast taken the Death Arcana up to Eleven... Transcending beyond the impossible to achieve thy goals..._  
**

Death walked through the broken door. "Let's go back to the lounge." He said. "I need to tell you guys how to confront Nyx."

Huh? "But, you just said we couldn't." I pointed out.

"Oh, well, you're still gonna die." Death shrugged. "But still, go for it."

* * *

"Yo!" Junpei shouted as we came down from the stairs. "What's up, Ryoji?"

Death sighed. "It's an unfortunate decision… but it is yours to make."

"That's right." Yukari replied.

"But you can't defeat Nyx… It's impossible." Death told everyone.

"But we must still try." Mitsuru told him.

"I couldn't give a shit whether it's possible or not." Shinji grunted. "Still gonna do it."

"I understand." Death replied. "It's almost midnight, so I'll keep this brief. I'll tell you where to find Nyx."

"Tartarus?" I asked.

Death nodded. "She'll be at Tartarus. You must reach the top of the tower before the promised day."

"Which is when..?" I prompted him.

"Exactly one month from tomorrow… January thirty-first, two-thousand-and-ten." Death answered. "Nyx will descend to Tartarus… and the world will end. If you go to the top of Tartarus on that day, you'll be able to face her. The tower exists for the purpose of Nyx's coming. As The Appriser, I usher Nyx into this world… and Tartarus welcomes her arrival."

"So Tartarus is Nyx's landing pad…" Shinji nodded. "Tch… so that's why it's called the 'Tower of Demise'…"

"Yes, but remember…" Death warned. "From today, you will constantly fight against madness and eternal despair. Like I've said so many times before, Nyx cannot be defeated. When you face her, you will finally understand this truth. And then, you will realize what it is you are trying to stand against."

"We understand." Mitsuru nodded. "There's no need to keep telling us. January thirty-first… We won't forget that date."

Death nodded. "Well, I'll be going on ahead of you, then." He sighed, heading for the door. "I want to leave you while I'm still in this form." He stopped just as he opened it. "Aigis… I'm sorry for all the pain and suffering I put you through."

"I won't forget that you were my enemy…" Aigis replied. "And my friend."

Death smiled. "Thank you." He said. "This will probably be the last time I see you all like this. But… I'll always be watching over you." He took a deep breath. "Well, good bye…" He hesitated again. "Best wishes in the coming year." He told everyone. "That's what you say on New Year's Eve, right?"

I sighed. "Death, stop being such a baby and do what you need to do." I told him.

He chuckled. "Blunt as ever, aren't you?"

I put a hand on his shoulder. "I'll see you later." I told him, pushing him out the door.

Death stumbled down the steps, then turned to look up at me, smiling. "See ya." He said as a trickle of blood ran into my eye. I blinked, and he was gone.

"Heh…" I smiled, closing the door and turning to everyone. "That idiot…"

**SMASH!**

_Thou art I… And I am thou…_

_The bond thou hast nurtured hath finally matured…_

_The innermost power of the Fool Arcana hath been set free…_

_We bestow upon thee the ability to create Susano-o, the ultimate form of the Fool Arcana…_

_This bond shall never be broken… Side by side… thou shalt face the might of the darkest of them all…_

Hey, spooky voices know their music.

**SMASH!**

Wait, what?

_Thou art I… And I am thou…_

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Judgement Arcana…_

Now that is what I am talking about.

* * *

Next morning, I had the interesting experience of not having a hangover on New Years Day. It wasn't all that special.

Me being the boring person that I am, I hit the gym with Shinji and Koromaru. After a while, Kenjamin came to join us.

"Happy New Year, Senpai!" He shouted happily from the top of the stairs.

"Happy New Year." I replied.

Kenjamin smiled. "Let's make this the best year ever!" He announced as he started stroking Koromaru. "Happy New Year to you too, Koro."

See? That's an appropriate nickname for the dog. Koro-chan? Please…

"Oh man…" Junpei grunted from the top of the stairs as he started coming down. "I completely overslept. Why'd I stay up all night watching that stupid movie..? Did you guys see it?" He asked, sitting himself down on a weight bench. "It had these giant Amazon women running around in the jungle…"

"Yeah…" Shinji grunted. "It was a pretty crap movie."

"Hey, isn't anyone going to the shrine?" Kenjamin asked.

"I don't believe in that crap." I replied.

"Me neither." Junpei laughed.

"Oh, that's too bad." Kenjamin sighed darkly. "Yukari-san and the others are already there. They're all wearing kimonos."

…

"Kimono's… huh?" Junpei asked, headed for the stairs.

Shinji blocked him off with one arm. "Hold it." He said, forcing Junpei back down effortlessly.

"Uh, what?" Junpei asked, getting up off his arse.

"I thought I didn't believe in that crap?" Shinji asked him.

"N-no, I-I'm not off to the shrine!" He protested. "I'm just off for a walk!"

"Oh yeah?" Shinji asked. "Well, I'll come too." He said. "I'm bored outta my skull myself."

"Oh, I'll go too!" Kenjamin said happily.

"Alright, alright, let's go to the shrine then." He sighed. "Except you." He said, pointing at me. "You don't believe in that crap."

"I believe that girls in Kimono's are hot." I answered, getting off the rowing machine. "Come on, I know the way."

* * *

-{ You have pulled the trigger of fate… I see it now… The target was the shadow of impending doom… Your goal is now clear… Keep your flame of life ablaze until the end… Farewell, then… May your future be bright… }-

* * *

We got there just as the girls were starting to leave. "Happy New Year! Let's all do our very best this year!" Yukari greeted cheerily, then dropped the façade. "Hey, you guys are late. We were just about to leave."

"Y-Yuka-tan…" Junpei gawked.

"Wh-What?" Yukari asked, reasonably embarrassed.

Junpei turned his male gaze towards Mitsuru. "Happy New Year!" She greeted, before noticing something. "Hm? What's the matter, Iori?"

"Mitsuru-senpai…" Junpei saluted. "You look hot… I, um… heh… I mean…"

"S-Stop staring at me…" Mitsuru snapped.

"Um, I've never word a kimono before…" Fuuka said hesitantly. "Does my sash look okay?"

"Fuuka…" Junpei whistled. "You look… Wow!"

"G-Geez…" She groaned.

"This traditional clothing is quite interesting." Aigis commented. "However, it's quite difficult to move in…"

You know, her new fluid way of talking might take some getting used to.

"Ah… I'm so glad I came…" Junpei sighed as Kenjamin snickered at the double entendre. "New Year's kicks ass! Yah!"

"Junpei-san, why are you acting so strange?" Aigis asked.

He ignored her. "Man, we got to see some great stuff today." Junpei laughed, swinging an arm around Shinji's shoulders. "Right, Shinjiro-senpai?"

"Tch…"

Kenjamin hid his evil smile and put on an innocent face. "Hey, aren't you guys cold?" He asked.

"A little," Yukari admitted, "But I love this time of year…"

"Um, that's not what I meant…" Kenjamin replied, shaking his head. "Junpei-san said that you guys aren't wearing anything underneath your kimonos."

AW HELL YES KENJAMIN!

"He said WHAT..?" Fuuka snarled.

YOU ARE WORTHY OF BECOMING MY DISCIPLE LAD!

Yukari stamped hard on Junpei's foot, and he hopped away in pain. "What did you wish for, Fuuka?" She asked, suddenly all smiles.

"I.., I wished for a great year." Fuuka replied. "It's a bit generic, but that's what I really want."

"That's what I want as well." Mitsuru nodded.

"How funny…" Yukari laughed. "We all wished for the same thing."

"But, it wasn't a plea for help." Mitsuru said. "I know that we'll be victorious."

* * *

"Dude!" Junpei growled at Kenjamin. "I didn't say that! D-Dont make things up!"

"Huh?" Kenjamin replied innocently. "But, I'm sure…"

"It was extremely well done my boy." I complimented him. "Once all this is over, I'll teach you all my tricks."

"And what tricks would that be?" Mitsuru asked from behind us.

"General evil manipulation skills." I replied honestly. "What better way to start the year than by corrupting the youth? Right Junpei?"

"Hey, what!?" He shouted.

"I can think of one for you." Mitsuru replied. "I understand that you are in contract with the previous generations of Persona users."

"Well, yeah." I replied. "Want me to get you the contact details?" I asked.

"No." Mitsuru replied. "I would like it if you can ask them to gather at our dorm tonight for a council of war."

"…Oh, okay." I nodded. "What time?"

"Just this evening will suffice." She replied. "Please ask them to invite any other Persona users that they are in touch with as well."

* * *

So, while everyone else enjoyed the New Years festival, I was on the phone organising for everyone to meet up at the dorm. The whole thing took a good twenty minutes, but once that was done, I was all set to enjoy myself.

"It is time my lord."

I turned around to see Espada. "We must depart for Arisojack now." He told me. "Heaven's forces have launched against us."

I nodded. "I need to get to a TV first." I told him. "Go!"

He Ninja-Vanished, and I vaulted off the fence and leapt into the trees below. I landed on a branch and bounced off it, breaking it under my weight as I ran into the city.

"Hey, what's the rush?" Naoki asked, running alongside me.

"Got an army to lead." I explained. "Can you get me to the Warp faster than I can?"

"Only if you let me join in." He grinned.

"Fair enough." I smiled, charging into the demonic portal the Demi-Fiend opened for me.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

And in case any more of you are considering dropping this story, The Jakkai War has been confirmed to take place during Chapter 90. That is all.


	90. Chapter 90

Gentlemen, it has often been said that I like war. Gentlemen, I like war. No, Gentlemen. I love war.

Nah, just kidding, but yeah, it's that time.

Unfortunately, I broke the screen for my Laptop, so I'm working from my USB on the family computer and school computers for now. Unfortunately, the mouse on the family machine is acting up, and I need to come home from school early every day this week to babysit while mum picks up my little brother, so, yeah.

On the bright side, I'll be getting a replacement in time for half-term, so that looks promising, but I hope that that explains the delay for this chapter.

Well, reviews. Derek Barona, glad you appreciated it.

Lichte, I'm going to do something even better.

ISTF, don't make any assumptions.

Heraklinos, you shall soon find out. And I will do the complete opposite to your request. HOWEVER! Everyone still alive at that point will do something awesome on January 31st, rest assured.

Tenshi Reike, when I read your review I went back and read the first two chapters, and Damn. Both my writing and Minato's character have improved dramatically since I started. He was a bit of a douche when he started, wasn't he?

Slicerness, some people felt that the story got too unrealistic and dropped it. Can't please everyone, right?  
My new Avatar is supposed to be this story's Minato, and it's edited from Simon The Digger, the greatest man that ever lived. Seriously, when he was twelve and had no self-esteem, Kamina went out of his way to remind everyone that he was nothing in comparison to Simon. The last avatar was an edit from Keima, the capturing god of dating sims who has to social link real women or his head will get cut off.

Naru-chan, I am currently listening to DragonForce and have actually made a couple of plans for this chapter, so I'm pretty confident of the Gar levels I am about to create.

Dark Hell Prince, who the hell do you think is leading this army exactly?

JRS74, I had to go look up Hideo Kojima on Wikipedia. Then I had to go on the reliable wiki, and from that I worked out that pulling a Kojima means to perform a Mind Screw twist style thing? Well, I have something planned, but I'm sure it doesn't count. And I was planning a Tartarus trip for the next chapter, so yeah, sure.

Tanith Magnus, will Seta do?

Dragon's Shadow, first off, yay!  
Secondly, thank you. I've been hoping for someone to point these things out. And yes, your points have been noted and will be integrated during the course of the story.

Patcheresu, It'll be a while until you get to this point, but glad you enjoyed it so far!

Also, I corrected a mistake I made last chapter. Minato was supposed to take Death Arcana to 11 when he kicked Ryoji out the door and told him to grow up, and now he did. Just a heads up.

Gentlemen… let's create Hell.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

I was going to war.

This was nerve wracking, but yet, I couldn't wait for it.

Calm yourself Khorne… no, this isn't Khorne's influence I'm feeling.

I'm acting like a little boy, exited over a war game.

Grow up Minato. Now is not the time.

* * *

When we got there, I introduced Naoki as the Demi-Fiend, and Blackjack was very impressed with the reinforcements I had brought.

Anyway, he led me into another room, where he told me that they'd prepared me a suit of armour. All our men were armed with a Bolt weapon, a melee weapon, grenades and power armour as standard, plus whatever tools their purpose required.

All the non-combatants were evacuated into the underground shelters, as had the recent refugees from the Night clan. Many of them wished to fight alongside us, but Blackjack had refused. He was confident with our chances, and did not want any untrained demon among our soldiers.

Naoki questioned his judgement on this matter, considering who we were up against, but I agreed with the decision. Our soldiers were hardened and prepared for battle. We don't want numbers on our side if those numbers are going to just be wasted.

The armour they had prepared for me was a dull black and took a good five minutes for three scientists to put on me. I had to strip to my jeans and T-shirt, but I felt much lighter inside the armour. Apparently it bears the properties of a Magatama, and will act as a filter between the demonic atmosphere and my human body. When I was wearing this, my maximum time inside the Warp extended from an hour to a day, and I was much more suited for fighting.

It reminded me of being in my old Demonic Seal form, and it felt good.

I noticed a red piece of cloth tied around my left bicep, and one of the Jack Et's slipped a sleeveless dark blue cloak with a high collar onto me. On the back of the cloak was the Gekkoukan emblem with the emblem of a sword behind it and gold wings coming from each side.

"You often go into battle with that emblem." The Jack Et explained, "Do you approve?"

I nodded. "It's great. Thank you."

At this point I was handed a Black Boltgun and six ammo cartridges. "These are Devil Tear rounds." The Jack Plug explained. "Thanks to the research done on Dante's Ebony and Ivory, we have managed to replicate the ammunition-replicating properties of those weapons and apply them to our Bolt weapons."

"So I'm guessing that each cartridge fires a different bullet?" I asked.

"Correct." The scientist hastily explained. "Gray is the Standard Bolt, Red is the Inferno Bolt which releases burning Promethium onto the enemy, but is not as powerful otherwise. Yellow is the Hellfire Bolt, which unleashes microscopic needles soaked in flesh-consuming acids but is useless against armour, so aim those bullets between multiple enemies. Blue is the Stalker Bolt, which is designed to be almost silent, but at the cost of raw power."

"Looks like I won't be using that one today then." I commented.

"Black is the Metal Storm Bolt," The Jack Plug continued. "Best used against lightly armoured targets. The shrapnel these thing produce is incredible, but they can't exactly break through armour, so another one you don't want to aim directly at the target. White is the Kraken Penetrator Bolt, which doesn't explode but it can pierce through pretty much anything."

He rammed the standard round into my gun and strapped the five clips around my waist. "Any questions my lord?"

"Any others?" I asked, pointing to the three remaining ones.

"We are currently working on three more types of rounds, but they are not yet ready for use." The scientist replied. "And no, nor are we close enough to try them experimentally, but if you insist then we may be able to grant you the Vengeance round by the end of the month."

"You're being pretty blunt with me." I pointed out. "Good work. Can I get a flag with a Chainsword on the end?"

That threw him off. "We could modify a Chain-halberd, but why a flag?"

"Why the cloak?" I asked. "Why do all the rounds have dramatic names, as do all our strategies and weapons?" I clapped him on the shoulder. "Because it gives us something to _believe_ in." I explained. "A symbol we can fight for."

* * *

Few minutes later, I was standing atop the Tower of the King with Naoki, Blackjack and Dante. Blackjack was wearing armour similar to mine, but silver and with a black cloak. Dante wore what he always did, Rebellion across his back and Ebony and Ivory in each hand. Naoki had the full Demonic Seal activated, and was wearing some black shorts, combat boots and the red cloak from the Widegame. He didn't, however, pass up the offer of a Chainsword and Bolter.

I looked over the city, and hundreds of soldiers were standing at the ready on the rooftops, the highest being thirty feet below us. I then looked up to the clouds covering the sky. Thanks to them, we'll only get about thirty seconds of visibility before an angel reaches the city.

All we know is that they are _there_. Even I can sense the demonic power above our heads.

"Is Groundbringer ready?" I asked Blackjack.

"Oh yes." He smiled. "And that woman, Miserichorde trained our lad's well."

"Why I suggested her." I agreed.

"Sure, give her all the credit." Dante moaned. "After all, all she could do is teach them how to hit whatever they're pointing at."

"And what did you do?" Naoki asked him.

"I showed 'em how to do it in _style_." Dante laughed.

"And I'm sure it will save their lives." I sighed. "We got time for an epic war speech?" I asked Blackjack.

"Go for it." He offered.

Right. I took a deep breath and shouted. "**RIGHT LADS!**"

That got everyone's attention. "**UNDER OUR FEET ARE OUR JILL'S, OUR BRATS AND OUR MAM'S!**" I roared. "**ABOVE US ARE THE BASTARDS WHO WANT TO TAKE THEM AWAY!**"

"**NO, NOT EVEN THAT!**" I corrected myself. "**THEY DON'T WANT WHAT WE HAVE! IF THEY DID, WE'D HELP THEM BUILD THEIR OWN! THEY JUST DON'T LIKE THE FACT THAT WE HAVE RISEN ABOVE THEM, AND NOW THEY ARE COMING FROM THE SKY TO GRIND US DOWN INTO THE DIRT, LIKE THE DEMONS WE ONCE WERE!**"

I took a deep breath. "**WE WILL NOT GO BACK!**" I shouted. "**WE SAW THE CHANCE TO GROW STRONG AND WE SNATCHED IT WITH BOTH CLAWS! WE HAVE BUILT FOR OURSELVES A HOME! A WAY OF LIFE! FAMILES! CHILDREN! AND WE WILL DEFEND IT!**" I roared, raising the flag above my head as the chainsaw blades roared. "**IN THE NAME OF JAKKAI WE WILL DEFEND IT!**"

The Jakkish soldiers below me roared in agreement. "**IN THE DECADES SINCE THIS GREAT NATION WAS FOUNDED, WE HAVE GROWN STRONG!**" I continued. "**WE HAVE FORGED WEAPONS, GAINED KNOWLEDGE, CREATED A WORLD WHERE ORDER AND FREEDOM EXIST ALONGSIDE EACH OTHER!**" I cried. "**SOME WOULD SAY, WE HAVE BECOME LIKE HUMANS!**"

"**THAT IS OUR STRENGTH!**" I shouted. "**THE DEMONS OF HELL, THE ANGELS OF HEAVEN, THE WARRIORS OF VALHALLA AND THE PANTHEON OF OLYMPUS! ALL THEY CAN ACCOMPLISH IS TO RULE AND DESTROY!**" I laughed. "**THEY CANNOT WAGE WAR! THAT IS A HUMAN CREATION THAT DEMONS NEVER MASTERED!**"

"**UNTIL THIS DAY!**" I roared. "**THIS DAY! WE SHALL SHOW OUR ENEMIES WHAT WAR IS! THIS DAY WE SHOW THEM WHY WE ONCE BENT TO THE WILL OF HUMANS!**"

"**TONIGHT!**" I roared. "**THEY DINE! IN HELL!!**"

They cheered, and I knew the Khorne in me was doing his work well. Now for Tzeentch to work his magic.

"**I GIVE TO YOU ALL TWO COMMANDS!**" I roared. "**PROTECT THOSE THAT LOVE YOU! MAKE SURE YOU RETURN TO THEM ALIVE AND PROUD! SECOND!**" I paused for effect. "**MAKE THEM BRING REINFORCEMENTS**"

"**MAKE THEM DESPAIR!**" I explained with all my fury. "**MAKE THEM CRY FOR HELP AND BEG FOR MERCY! WE WILL FORCE THEM TO STRIKE WITH ALL THEIR MIGHT, ALL THEIR FORCES, THAT THEY MAY RENDER US UTTERLY DEFEATED!**"

"**AND THEN WE RISE AGAIN, HAVING TAKEN ALL THEY CAN GIVE, NO LONGER AFRAID! KNOWING THAT NOTHING THEY CAN DO TO US CAN EVEN COMPARE TO WHAT WE SHALL DO TO THEM!"** I turned around and raised the flag even higher, and I noticed what was on it.

The Union Jack. I should've known.

"**FOR WE ARE JAKKAI!**" I roared. "**WE SHALL NOT FALL!**"

"**LAUNCH GROUNDBRINGER!!**"

* * *

Groundbringer was evil. Against who we're up against, there's no better way to describe it.

Groundbringer is a network of Anti-Aircraft gun turrets all over ArisoJack's rooftops. However, instead of firing anti-aircraft bullets, it fires Frag grenades (The ones that explode in a cloud of shrapnel), Metal Storm Bolts (The ones that explode in a cloud of shrapnel), Shrapnel, and various sharp things. The angels will laugh at it as it misses them completely, bounces helplessly at their armour, or mildly cuts their faces.

Then they notice the holes in their wings.

* * *

Seconds after the sky around us filled with metal, the first angel fell. Another followed, screaming as he fell to his death.

The purpose of this tactic is to prevent them from attacking us from above. For all the advantages we have in ammunition, armour, training and resolve, the fact is that bullet's going up aren't as effective as holy weapons going down.

However, with Groundbringer, they'd be forced to come at us on a level playing field.

Then it came through the clouds.

* * *

Sandalphon. A giant, metal angel that's said to be the twin brother of Metatron, the head honcho underneath YHVH. It's said that it'd take a human five hundred years to walk across its body.

I'm calling bullcrap on that one. I could walk it in a day, head to foot.

Yeah, it's pretty damned big. Forty miles I reckon.

It wasn't doing anything though. It was just lying there in the sky, hovering ominously over the city.

Dante whistled. "Big girl 'aint so beautiful." He said.

"That's a dude." Naoki replied. "I know what's under the cloth suggests otherwise, but trust me on this."

Dante winced. "Poor guy."

"More importantly, all the remaining angels have taken refuge above him, using his metal body as a defence against Groundbringer."

Indeed… if we don't take that thing out, then we're dead.

"Dante, you got any other weapons on you?" I asked him.

"Got a couple of them bolters." He said, swapping the two handguns for the two larger weapons. "No doubt you've got something fun planned for me, right?"

I nodded. "Someone give me a Heavy Bolter and We'll destroy that thing." I said. "Stop Groundbringer. Activate the Rosarius."

Rosarius was an incredibly powerful forcefield. Anything that touches it is converted into light particles, even Light attacks, since they're technically Holy demonic energy. Problem with it, as you may guess, is that it can't hold for more than a few minutes at a time.

"Belay that." I corrected myself. "Keep firing, but leave us a window to get up there. Once things start exploding, activate it until I give the OK."

"That's a suicide mission." Naoki pointed out. "You go up there, you can't fight against Nyx."

"A suicide mission for you, maybe." I replied. "Why do you think I want Dante to come along?"

"Sounds like fun." Dante grinned, tossing me a Heavy Bolter. "Let's party."

* * *

I rammed the white clip into the Heavy Bolter strapped around my body and Dante rammed in two red Inferno clips into his two Bolters. "Ready?" I asked him, summoning the card into my hand.

He nodded. "Let's rock."

At this point Sandalphon chose to start shooting laser's at the city, so I smashed the card and Kohryu rose up, coiling around the tower before lifting Dante and I on its head. We flew up rapidly, twisting around Sandalphon before throwing us onto its back where the angelic army was.

I summoned the two cards I needed. "THANATOS! ALICE!"

The death god and the little girl appeared behind us and card-spears flew from above, knocking out the majority of the heavenly host. I rolled to break my fall, then started firing massive shots at those who were still standing.

The main difference between a Bolter and a Heavy Bolter, other than the weight, is that a Bolter fires .75 calibre Bolts, while a Heavy Bolter uses 1.00 Calibre and shoots them _harder_. So the plan was that I fire massive Kraken Penatrator Bolts into the joints and wings of Sandalphon, and Dante will fill the holes with Inferno Bolts, the kind that explode in a large pile of molten promethium, which is basically demonic napalm.

Then its joints lock up and it can't fly anymore, so it crashes into the Rosarius. You know, the forcefield that disintegrates anything it touches?

I ended up summoning two Hell Bikers so Dante and I could get across the angel's body fast enough. The bikers would drive, manoeuvring around the angels and dodging their attacks while Dante and I focused on our shooting.

Pretty soon, the ground (IE, Sandalphon), shook, and it started to fall.

"Time to skip this party." Dante suggested, telling his Hell Biker to head for the edge of the angel.

I swung the heavy bolter onto my back and drew my Bolter, aiming it for my face. "SCARLET HAVOC!" I roared, steering the burning bike towards the edge of the falling, paralyzed behemoth, and giant saws came into existence and sliced through the defenceless angel into manageable chunks. I would have done that sooner, but demons have some kind of natural energy field that protects them from serious damage, the stronger the demon, the stronger the field. However, once Sandalphon started to fall, I knew that it was weakened to the point where the wargod and the hero I summoned could do their work.

We jumped off the falling angel as I summoned Thanatos to fly on, and two skeletal wings burst from Dante's back; I recognised it as his weapon 'Lucifer'. We then hovered in the air with the remaining angels as Sandalphon collapsed into scrap metal, only to be obliterated against the Rosarius.

"You know, that actually was pretty fun." Dante commented. "Time to finish these guys off?"

There were still well over a thousand angels left, so I had a better idea. "Come on if you think you're hard enough." I sneered, before heading back down to the city.

"You know, we could have taken them." Dante said as he flew down with me. "Don't tell me you're some kinda pussy now."

I looked back to make sure we were being chased, then gave him an answer. "If the Jakkai don't fight themselves, then this war is meaningless." I told him. "I'm just here to show them how to win, not to do it for them."

Dante was surprised at that. "You do know that's gonna kill a load of our guys, right?"

I nodded. "But it'll be their victory." I explained. "And We'll just be another hero among many."

Dante swooped ahead of me before turning and firing at the angels behind me. "You're the boss." He laughed.

At this point, the order to fire was given, and the angels pursuing us were granted a forest of metal to rip them to shreds. Bolts, unlike Groundbringer, does pierce armour, and even if it misses, the shrapnel will tear any exposed flesh or wings to shreds.

Thanatos veered in the air as a large wooden tentacle-thing narrowly missed us. The Seraphim called Gabriel was leading this particular mission, and she was trying to kill me with wood.

I'm up for that. I jumped off Thanatos, who disappeared, and landed on the falling wood, running towards Gabriel's next branch intended to tear my head off.

By the time she realised that this was a stupid method of attack, I was already swinging my Chainsword at her, and she blocked with her own sword. Had it not been a holy weapon, the grinding teeth of my weapon would have torn through hers and her with little difficulty, but as it is her block was the only thing keeping me in the air.

Gabriel composed herself. "Foolish child…" She said almost lovingly, like a mother would when reprimanding a toddler. "You truly do think that these little demons you have raised can hope to withstand the might of our heavenly master's army?"

I grinned. "I didn't bring them up to withstand your army." I grunted, all my weight resting on my two wrists. "I raised them to bloody destroy anything that dares even threaten us."

Gabriel laughed. "And you would even go against the almighty himself?"

I leaned closer to her face. "Foolish angel…" I replied in a fatherly tone. "If I wasn't, then why are you the only angel still alive?"

Gabriel fell for my bluff and looked down to the warzone below us, and I kicked her in the face, then spun my leg around to smack the sword out of her hand, then swung the Heavy Bolter on my back around as I fell, launching a dozen massive Kraken Penetrators through her chest, head, wings and whatever was left after the first eight hit.

I landed on a retreating angel's back, then rolled over and grabbed her wrist, ignoring her flailing and screaming as my weight dragged us slowly down to the ground level. "Thanks." I said, smacking her unconscious. "**GABRIEL IS DEAD!**" I shouted, and everyone stopped.

Man, I love this epic dramatic voice. "**I GIVE UNTO ALL YOU SURVIVING ANGELS A CHOICE!**" I shouted. "**KNEEL AND SUBMIT YOURSELVES TO US, DECLARE YOURSELVES HERETICS AGAINST HEAVEN, AND WE SHALL GRANT THEE REFUGE AMONGST US!**" This got a lot of disagreement from the Jakkai, which I ignored. "**OTHERWISE, DIE AS THE SCUM WHO INVADED A SUPPOSEDLY DEFENSELESS CITY WITH THE INTENT TO DESTROY IT!**"

Surprisingly, some Angels and Archangels did kneel in submission, as did a few Powers and Principalities. However, none of the Virtues or Dominions did, and the majority of angels chose to keep fighting against us.

They did not last long.

* * *

After the first wave, we had captured a total of thirty angels of varying ranks. They were currently placed in the prison to be guarded by the members of the Night Clan who wanted to fight, with the orders of not to mistreat them. They had been stripped of their armour and weapons, had their wings bound, but we gave them clothes and food, since we wanted to establish ourselves as a decent lot.

That wasn't my orders, nor Blackjack's. Neo Jack's are learning well.

And surprisingly, I saw an Incubus that didn't look repulsive and merely had a noticeable bulge under his pants. I think the Neo-evolutionary trait applied to all demons in here.

After the first wave of attack, we'd lost merely twenty Jacks, and killed almost ten-thousand angels. The Chainsword and Bolter is not an easy combination to defeat, especially if you add Groundbringer and each troop having their own demonic skills to fall back on.

Frankly, the whole thing had just been an absolute slaughterfest of angels, and according to one of the prisoners, Metatron will be fast to react. He showed me how to use one of the angelic tomes we'd retrieved from one of the killed Dominions, explaining that we could use it to communicate to varying angels, most likely hoping to improve his prospects by offering us new communication technology and a way of intercepting their strategies.

I had a better idea. "OI!" I shouted into the book. "METATRON!"

_/_WHO IS IT THAT CALLS UPON THE VOICE OF GOD _/_

So this thing works. "We are the Jakkai, and we just raped that pathetic bunch of incubi-sucking birds you sent to crap on us." I winced and mouthed an apology to the Neo-Incubus in the room, who waved it aside. "Also, I killed your brother." I told him. "It was fun."

_/_ HOW DARE THOU SPEAK SUCH FALSEHOODS _/_

"Because it's true." I shrugged. "Seriously, if you're going to attack our main city, at least put some effort into it, I mean…" I laughed into the book. "We took out half the guys you sent by throwing our crap into the air." Yep, that's pretty much how Groundbringer works. "Frankly, if you're coming for another go, you might want to come from the side next time." I suggested. "At least getting shot in the face is less humiliating that realising your wings don't work and falling to your death."

_/_ THOU SPEAKETH HERESY THOU MORTAL _/_

"It's only heresy if I'm one of you lot." I corrected him. "Now here's the real kicker. We're still preparing the Vengeance round, which gets stronger depending on the power of whatever it's shot at. Add that with the Tempest and Dragonfire rounds that are also still in development, and our training for our new aerial troops, pretty soon we're going to be strong enough to take on any army with little effort. Since we're already pretty tired from the last battle, your best chance to get a decent shot at destroying us would be… right about now in fact."

_/_ WHY WOULD THOU EXPOSE THINE WEAKNESSES TO US _/_

"Because I want you to take the bait and attack us." I explained. "Since I'm human, I can't stay in the warp for very long, so if you come back on a later day, I'll need to come back here and get all this armour on and give another epic pre-war speech and frankly I simply can't be arsed."

_/_ WHAT _/_

"I'd simply rather take you all out in one go." I shrugged. "I mean, you've still got Uriel, Michael and Raphael's armies, right?" I asked. "So you come from the fourth direction with your angels and we're surrounded. There's no way we could possibly survive a full on assault from all sides, is there?"

"So why are you hesitating?" I asked. "Are you really that intimidated by a mortal and a bunch of lesser demons? I mean, sure, The Demi-Fiend and Dante are here too, but that shouldn't make too much difference against you lot, should it?"

_/_ SO BE IT. YOUR DEATH SHALL COME WITHIN THE HOUR _/_

I slammed the book shut and raised my hand for a hi-five, which Rai-ho gave me. "Who led the most powerful angel into a trap, hook line and sinker?" I asked everyone.

"You did."

"Damn right I did." I boasted. "Alright, ready the men."

* * *

Metatron was good to his word and brought all four armies flying towards the city within forty-five minutes. Metatron came from the north, Michael from the south, Uriel from the east and Raphael from the west.

I raised the flag at the north gate while Naoki raised one at the South. Dante faced against Uriel and Blackjack against Raphael. Simultaneously, we gave our order.

"**FIRE AT WILL!**"

There must've been a lot of angels called William, because a lot of angel's heads asploded. That's because the city walls had Hurricane Bolter turrets. A Hurricane Bolter is a very effective Anti-infantry weapon consisting of six bolters strapped together in a three-by-two pattern, and they just mowed through the approaching angels. Even worse was the fact that every other turret fired all six types of round, not just standard Bolts, so hundreds of angels were dead before Metatron was close enough to break them down.

-=- PURGE THE HERETIC -=- Metatron ordered.

"**KILL THE BASTARDS!!**" I roared, swinging my Chain-Halberd-flag at Metatron.

He smashed it with his fore-arm, then rammed his hand into my throat.

-=- FIRE OF SINAI -=- Metatron chanted, and I switched to Surtr to protect myself. The bugger launched an Almighty attack so that didn't do much good, but Cybele's healing skills made me right as rain.

I grabbed the angel's iron wrist and kicked into his metal chest, to which he responded by smashing his fist into my skull. I've definitely grown stronger because normally that would cave a hole into me.

Then a hole appeared in Metatron's shoulder. Metatron turned to face the direction the shot had come from, and Miserichorde was firing a Heavy Bolter at the highest angel while blowing heads of with a Bolt Pistol.

-=- THOU SHALT PERISH FOR THY SIN -=- Metatron stated, before burying her in holy flames. However, her sacrifice bought me enough time to get my head working again and I got the Hollow Arcana to ram a huge drill through his chest. He backed off, and I healed myself again while Metatron did the same.

The carnage around me was insane. Before the fight was incredibly one-sided, but this time…

Jack and Angel were dying all over the place. Dante was locked in combat against Uriel, and Blackjack was struggling against Raphael. Naoki was evading Michaels 'cut-through-anything' sword just like I planned him too, but he had yet to land a single hit himself.

-=- SEE WHAT THOU HAST DONE -=- Metatron asked. -=- THIS IS THE CONSEQUENCE OF THY SIN AGAINST HEAVEN -=-

"For all you know, we could be winning." I replied.

-=- FOOL -=- Metatron scoffed. -=- NOT EVEN ALL THE FORCES OF HELL COULD HOPE TO OVER COME THE HEAVENLY HOST -=-

"And yet, every human who has stood up to you has." I reasoned. "And these guys are more human than demon. I'm surprised you don't see how this is going to go down yet."

-=- YOU ARE THE ONE WHO CANNOT SEE -=- Metatron replied, striding towards me. -=- THY DEATH SHALL ONLY BEGIN THY SUFFERING -=-

"Death is only temporary in this world." **DAKKA DAKKA DAKKA **"We shall meet again!"

Miserichorde died for real as Metatron turned around and punched her head clean off. That's twice she's saved my arse now.

Make that three, because I picked up the Heavy Bolter she'd dropped a minute ago and unleashed **MOAR DAKKA!!!**

Once again, Metatron was less than impressed and flew straight through the bolts and at me. At the last second, I shifted my grip and rammed the Bolter into his head, knocking him sideways. It didn't do any damage to him, but it let me charge myself a Valhalla and rush him, beating him down with my armoured fists, which were finally beginning to make an impact on his armoured body.

Then a spear rammed through my shoulder, so I had to get back and deal with the Power that stabbed me in the back. Once he was dead, Metatron charged at me again, the damage I'd already done to him healing.

It's like Lilith all over again, only less gross and more painful. Which reminds me.

I summoned Melchizedek's card into my hand and crushed it, summoning Melchizedek's Door. For some reason, I can only do this with this Persona, but hey.

I rammed the black hole into the iron angel, who simply tossed it aside like a beach ball as it devoured the angels coming to his aid. -=- THE POWERS BESTOWED BY HEAVEN HAVE NO POWER AGAINST ONE SUCH AS I -=-

"Fair enough." I sighed, before rushing at him bare-handed again. In this armour, it's the best weapon I have, even if he can beat me down with raw strength.

-=- PERISH MORTAL -=- Metatron commanded once I was on the ground.

I coughed up blood as I laughed. "Don't really feel like it." I replied, slamming my hand against the ground as inky blackness closed around us.

"Welcome to my world." I taunted Metatron as I warped to several feet away from him, and on my feet.

-=- YOUR ATTEMPT TO TRAP US BOTH HERE IS FUTILE -=-

"Oh, I don't want to trap you here." I said, summoning a Persona card into my hand. "I merely don't want my own men to get hit."

I crushed it and the world erupted into flames. "_**KHORNE!**_"

* * *

I leapt out of my Sekai Rei as The Blood God tackled The King of Angels. Those in the immediate area froze under the sheer demonic energy coming from the black orb where I just escaped from, so I picked up my Bolter and started taking out the angels, remind everyone that we were at war here.

There was an explosion from somewhere to my right, but it was too far away for me to get involved, so I did what no-one else was bothered about right now.

My Valhalla had faded, but thanks to the armour I was still going, so I switched to Nata Taishi and ran around the warzone, looking for injured but breathing Jack's for me to heal. It was taking a lot of concentration and energy to keep my Sekai Rei going while I was elsewhere doing other things, so I knew that I'd have to drop it sooner or later.

After about ten minutes of healing the wounded and finishing off the dying, I re-sealed Khorne and ended my Sekai Rei. "NOW!" I roared, unleashing my plan while Metatron healed from The Beserker's fury.

Candle Jack swooped down, armoured and swinging his Rope around Metatron, trapping him before unleashing the righteous fury of his bolter while I finished the Persona I'd just made. Death and Sword: White Death.

A sniper shot burst through Metatron's metal face and I followed trough by swinging Mjolnir right on the bullet hole, where the fault was just enough to cause his metal face to crumble under the weight of the Hammer of the Gods.

Unfortunately, this wasn't enough to kill him, but the freaky-fish-demon-thing that was once Serph burst from the warzone and sliced through his armoured chest and I rammed my hands into his torso and rent his body apart.

I would have paused for breath, but we had a war to win, so I tossed Serph's Atma Avatar a Bolter and ran once again into the maw.

* * *

After a while, I ran out of angels to kill, so I looked around to find some more. Three Jackish soldiers were firing at a dying Throne, but that was about it, so I summoned Kohryu and flew to the top of the Kings Tower.

There were no remaining angels. We had won.

"**IT IS OVER!**" I roared, lifting a spare flag I'd found while firing my bolter rapidly into the air. "**VICTORY! IS! OURS!!**"

**DAKKA DAKKA DAKKA**

* * *

Victory came at a heavy price. Many homes and buildings were destroyed, and over a thousand Jakkish soldiers had fallen in battle to purchase the lives of over a million enemy angels. We burnt those corpses, and held a mass funeral for our dead.

I used the Hollow Arcana to make fitting tombs for each one. I knew very few of them, but their families tearfully told me about each one of the one-thousand, six-hundred and ninety-four men and women who had given their lives for us this day.

Today, millions died. And millions were saved.

The Jakkai Live On.

* * *

Naoki came to me when I finished making the tombs. "You know, there was a whole demonic army from hell just over the hill." He explained. "Beelzebub said that if we started to lose, then they were to come and save the day."

I grunted. "We'd have fired upon them too." I said. "This was a war between Jakkai and anyone who wanted to reign over us." I turned to face him. "Should we ready the troops?"

He shook his head. "They retreated." He said. "Apparently they had never seen anything so… brutal in all their existence."

"I did tell you that demon's don't know how to wage war." I said. "Not real wars." I sat on a tomb. "Hell, this was barely a war. This was a battle."

"A pretty damned epic one that will be spoken of for millennia to come." Naoki reasoned. "The Jakkai have earned a name for themselves."

"_Don't. Mess. With. Us._" I said. "That it?"

He laughed hollowly. "Yeah, that's pretty much it."

-=- THIS IS NOT OVER -=-

I stood up and faced Metatron. -=- WE RESIDE IN HEAVEN -=- He warned. -=- NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES YOU KILL OUR ARMIES, WE SHALL RETURN TRIUMPHANT -=-

I grabbed him by the face and slammed him to the ground. "**No.**" I snarled. "**This. Ends. Tonight.**"  
"**This was merely a single battle.**" I explained. "**Our. **_**First**_**. Battle. And we triumphed over the greatest army in the Warp and sent the second strongest army into retreat. Only now, we understand the pain of war and the woe of aftermath, and shall fighter harder and fiercer then ever before against any that **_**dare**_** come against us Ever. Again.**" I let him go and stood up, pointing a Bolter at his face. "**This time, we merely defended ourselves.**" I warned. "**And one thousand, six hundred and ninety four Jakkai died to stop a single one of the seven million angels you brought from harming a single one of our loved ones. This was when we were defending.**" I stood on the shocked angels throat. "**Next time we counter-attack.**" I warned. "**And next time, our new city shall be build on the charred remains of Zion.**"

-=- YOU DARE CHALLENGE HEAVEN -=-

"**I dare Heaven to challenge the Jakkai.**" I retorted. "**Leave this place, let them think that you were utterly destroyed and if that dream vanishes, all their fury shall be aimed at you and will not be sated until the last angel ENDS.**" I cocked the Bolter for effect. "**UNDERSTOOD?**"

-=- HOW DOES ONE MORTAL GAIN THIS GALL -=-

**DAKKA**

"**I asked if you understood me.**"

-=- I UNDERSTAND -=- Metatron replied. -=- BUT DO NOT YIELD -=-

I dropped the gun and dropped down, straddling his wings as I dragged his head up by the hair. "**THEN. YIELD.**"

-=- I WILL NOT -=-

"**YOU SHALL YIELD!**"

-=- I SHALL NOT -=-

"**YIELD TO ME!!**"

-=- NO -=-

I dropped his head, and only then did I realise what was happening.

This guy was the strongest of all angels, the one who I had fought so hard to defend my people from, and now he was standing up to _me_.

I am the villain in this situation.

It feels good to have power over someone, and so… ugly when that someone resists so much…

I stood up. "We are the Jakkai." I said to Metatron. "And we enter the Armageddon pact."

* * *

The Armageddon pact. A treaty between the Metatron of the Angels, Lucifer of the Devils, Odin of the Aesir, Zeus of the Olympians, Izanagi of the Kami, Asura of the Sura and Hito-Shura of Humanitas. And now, Minato of the Jakkai.

With this pact in effect, wars between the major parties are illegal until the end of days, when Armageddon, Ragnarok, Titanomachy or any other epic wars between demons that would threaten the destruction of all. It was unheard of for a human to enter into this pact, but this is my decision and on my head it will remain.

And now I enter the Judgement Pantheon, and am now level with the great Demons: the step below the Old Ones. Now that I'm here, Metatron was required to stop withholding heaven's powers from me, so I feel that a trip to the Velvet Room is in order in the near future.

Zeus also offered me a few Persona's to add to my collection, but he also warned me that should I prove victorious against Nyx, then I would be required to forsake my humanity and become a Demon like themselves.

Great.

* * *

I eventually got out of my armour and used the Eye of Terror to return to my room in the dorm. Thankfully, it was still January first, two-thousand and ten, so I think I am okay for some sleep.

**BANG BANG BANG**

What?

"Hey, Minato!" Shinji shouted. "You in there!?"

"Yeah, why?" I groaned.

"Because we got like thirty people down here waiting for you!"

Oh yeah… that…

* * *

Don't ask me how my door got fixed because frankly, I don't know myself.

Anyway, once I got down there and looked over all the Persona Users plus Hijiri, Itachi and Naoki, I remembered what this was all about.

"Alright everyone, sorry I'm late-"

I was interrupted by another knock on the door. Junpei opened it slightly then slammed it shut. "Shit!" He swore. "It's Kenji! What do I do?"

"Let him in." I groaned. "He's a Persona user… don't ask."

Junpei let him in, and Kenji glared at him, then jumped at everyone gathered. Right, I think that's everyone.

"Okay, some of you know my already, but my name is Minato Arisoto." I said. I recognised Naoya, Kei, Maya, Katsuya and Tatsuya, but there were also plenty of faces I didn't know. "I lead the current generation of Persona users, since I'm currently carrying around two-hundred Personae and I need to pop off to the Velvet Room later to make some more because I just got a load back." I ignored the murmuring and continued. "For those of you who aren't Persona users but Devil summoners, I'm also the Jack King of the Jakkai."

Itachi Uchida and a girl who I assume is his sister both did a spit take. "What!?" She shouted. "_You're_ The Jacking?"

I groaned. "Yes, it's not that important."

"Hell yeah it is!" Itachi shouted. "You're at war against heaven!"

"Correction;" Naoki intervened. "_Was_ at war against heaven."

"We won." I explained. "Hence why I'm so freakin' tired…"

"Hold up," Junpei said. "When did you do this?"

"Remember how I was at the new years festival making all those phone calls to everyone and then suddenly I wasn't?" I asked him. "Well, I just got back from the post-war funeral, hence the fact that I could really do with some sleep!" I barked, before turning to everyone else. "_ANYWAY,_ onto the important stuff, the world's gonna end on January thirty-first unless I stop it somehow and until then the world's gonna go insane."

"I'd say it was pretty insane anyways." Tatsuya shrugged. "I mean, have you seen the new Minister of Defence?"

"He's a Persona user that killed a friend of ours a few months ago, head of the nyxist cult and wants the world to end next month." I sighed. "You got something else on him?"

"His Persona lets him brainwash whoever's in front of him unless they've got enough mental strength to withstand it."

…

"How much mental strength we talking about?"

"Enough to summon a Persona." His older brother Katsuya explained.

…

"Crap." Kenjamin sighed.

"Hold on, wouldn't there be some kind of government inquiry into this guy?" A dark haired woman asked. Judgement. "I mean, he came completely out of nowhere."

"Because of his hold on the Prime Minister, he's stay in office while an investigation that'd take at least two weeks would take place." Katsuya explained. "Because of that, he only needs to brainwash people for two weeks and then he's in the clear until the end of the world apparently."

"Damn." Naoya whistled. "I bet his buddy can give people Personae too."

"He doesn't need to." Tatsuya sighed. "His Persona Morpheus can do that too."

Wait, Morpheus? "I thought his Persona was Hypnos?" Shinji asked.

"Apparently he's resolved since then." Tatsuya shrugged.

Shinji punched through a wall. "Shit…" He groaned.

"What about his secretary, Jin?" I asked.

"Chronos." Tatsuya explained. "That guy can screw around with time."

"Alright, _now_ we are boned." I sighed. "Ah well, we'll burn that bridge when we come to it. Mitsuru, you're better at this than I am, so you lead the meeting while I go to bed. We're going to Tartarus tomorrow night so don't stay up too late."

"Ah- what?" Mitsuru asked.

"Hey, I just won a demonic war against seven million angels!" I pointed out. "What's your excuse?"

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

There ya go, sorry about the delay but you know. Broken laptop and everything.

TARTARUS NEXT CHAPTER AND STREGA REVEALED!

AND EPIC FORESHADOWING!

Yeah, as always, enjoy!


	91. Chapter 91

Alright, time for a new chapter.

ISTF, I intend to go into as much detail as I can with Judgement Arcana, as I can't find an actual script for it, so I'll make it up.  
The party are currently at the last barrier before entering the Adamah block.  
Yep, that was the Judgement girl. I'll give a brief summary of what was discussed, since Minato can never really be bothered with the small details, and explanations shall occur in due time.

Dragon's Shadow, glad you liked it. I'll provide a name and Arcana for everyone, and Jin's face shall be explained this chapter, or next. And the main focus on the Warhammer stuff in this chapter was because I heavily based the Jakkai Army's technology on Warhammer technology. Now that's over, there won't be as much of a focus on it.  
I'll include Vision Quest if I can get enough information on it by the time it comes up, but no way in hell am I missing out on Monad.

JRS74, ah, right. I can hardly believe that this story is finishing soon either, and alright, you've twisted my arm, Minato will wear that cloak to school.

Lichte, around chapter 15 a Random Fanfiction Reader pointed out that the metagame references, IE levels, immunities, so on, seemed out of place, so I chose at that point to detour from the official game and go for awesome.  
Yes, that one anonymous review is the main reason why this story is Crazy Awesome. Without that mysterious reviewer, Minato would just be trudging through a rather dull January. If that reviewer was you, come on out and take thy glory.

DHP, What secret army? He's got a cult under his control and the standard army to deploy. Granted, he can't really do anything overboard until the 14th, but then all hell breaks lose.  
Yep, Jin can pretty much do that. Of course he'll get Helel, Satan and Lucifer.  
I don't intend on Philemon showing up. I actually planned for him to attack Minato alongside Nyarlathotep back in chapter 73, but I couldn't make it work.  
Abel… I'll see what I can do. And no, Jin won't try to escape. For full details on what Jin's time control is like, check out the manga called Psycho Busters. Some of the later online chapters pretty much sums it up.  
And as for your second review, You win the prize for making this story way, way, waaaay more awesome. Kudos.

Tenshi Reike, Let's just say that the Bittersweet ending I have planned outranks TTGL's in my book.

Slicerness, no, I am not a father. The most advanced consoles I have at my house are a Wii and a PS2, so I doubt that I'll be playing BioshockII any time soon. Besides, I suck at shoot 'em ups worse than Minato does at Beat 'em ups.  
The armour was meant to keep him alive in the Warp, so it'd probably just slow him down against Nyx, and Minato didn't pick up that sword, he'll get it in due time through weapon fusion.

Have A Little Feith, I don't intend on reviving Miserichorde any time soon. That kinda cheapens the lives of the thousand other Jacks who died.

Unstoppable Mr. Awesome, you're Simo Hayha? The legendary White Death who, using a standard bolt-action rifle, gained the highest number of confirmed kills in any major war ever? The man who hid in a tree during the second world war and, in temperatures between minus forty and minus twenty, killed over seven hundred men in under a hundred days?  
Wow, I thought you were dead…

Also, magnificent news! I've decided to do a Persona 4 story! Sort of…

'Investigation Team Go!' will be episodic, and each chapter will follow a single plot line, some of which could occur over several months. It won't be in chronological order, or even in order of importance, it'll be kinda like a 'Best Of' of what the Persona 4 story would have been like if I had the time for it.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

The toilet flushed ahead of me and Dante walked out, waving his hand infront of his face. "Whew!" He declared. "No-one go in there for another hour!"

… "Dante?" I asked.

"Wanker." He replied.

"I- what?"

"You know, Jack King, Jacking, wanking?" He made a circle with his hand and wiggled it up and down. "Get it?"

Oh, I got it alright. I got it so hard, I broke my hand on his face.

"Ngh…" I grunted, hobbling back over to the group while ignoring Dante's smarmy reply. "Who the hell invited him?" I asked.

Naoki raised his hand while Junpei, Kenji and a guy with a yellow hat pointed at Dante in shock. "Yes, that is Dante." I explained, summoning the Cybele card into my left hand and smashing it, summoning the earth goddess to heal my hand.

Kenji snickered. "What?"

"Your persona has boobs."

I sighed. "I'm not getting out of this, am I?" I asked Mitsuru, who shook her head. "Fine, I'll do this properly." I looked over everyone. There was twenty-nine people here, including myself. "Fine, let's all go round and introduce ourselves. Name, Persona if you have them, favourite weapon and something about yourself that's got nothing to do with anything." I suggested. "My name is Minato Arisoto, I'm a fool Arcana so I got a bajillion Personae, but my first one was Orpheus. I use whatever weapon I can get my hands on but I always did like Shortswords, and my favourite fictional character is Simon the Digger." I looked around the room. "Who's next?"

"My name is Aigis, and I am a machine built to eliminate Shadows." Aigis said. "My persona is named Pallas Athena, and I fight with guns embedded in my fingertips, and I enjoy caressing watermelons."

… okay?

"Misao Inaba!" The yellow cap declared enthusiastically. Chariot. "My Persona is Sunano-o and you just can't beat an Axe and shotgun!" He grinned. "Also, I recently graduated from the New York Academy of Art!"

"Nice…" Kenji nodded. "I'm Kenji Tomochika, and I got my Persona Odysseus when that idiot" He pointed at me. "Pushed me into a TV. Don't ask. I also like axes, and my favourite food is ramen."

"The great Junpei Iori, and my persona is Trismegistus!" Junpei boasted. "Everyone knows that a Katana is a man's weapon, and I want to play baseball when I graduate from high-school."

Didn't know he was on the baseball team. "Kei Nanjo." Kai said. "My Persona's name is Yamaoka, and I use both a Broadsword and a Rifle in combat. My goal is to be number one in all of Japan."

"Naoya Toudou." Naoya laughed. "My Persona is Ra, And I prefer a Shortsword, since it gives my a free hand to use my sub-machine gun. I work under him." He said, nodding towards me.

"My name is Kenjamin Amada."

"A-HA!" I shouted, and Kenjamin smacked himself on the head.

"Sorry, _Ken_ Amada." He groaned. "My Persona is Kala-Nemi, and I use a spear to make up for my size, and my favourite anime is 'A Certain Scientific Railgun'."

Good show. "Arf." Koromaru barked.

"He's Koromaru, his persona is Cerberus, he fights with knives and he enjoys walks and Shinjiro's cooking." I translated, then turned to Aigis for confirmation, but she only shrugged. That's foreboding somewhat.

"Guess I'd better introduce myself then." Shinji sighed. "I'm Shinjiro Aragaki, my Persona is Atlas, and I use whatever is heavy enough to knock the other guy into next week. And yes, I cook." He grunted. "Next!"

"Lighten up, grumpy." Dante laughed. "I'm Dante, and I don't know about Persona's or whatever, but my favourite weapons are Rebellion on my back and Ebony and Ivory in my belt." He said, reaching for a slice of one of the many Pizza's that had been delivered at some point. "I run a demon-slaying shop over in the states called Devil May Cry, stop over if you need me to kill something."

"Um, My name is Fuuka Yamagishi…" Fuuka said. "My Persona is Juno, but I only give support from a distance… oh! I've also been told that I'm skilled with electronics…"

"Yukino Mayuzumi." A woman with blue hair said. Empress. "I lost the power to summon Persona a few years back, but I used to have Durga. Now I'm a photographer for Coolest."

I'd seen that magazine around the dorm a couple of times actually. I think Mitsuru reads it in secret. "My name is Maya Amano." Maya said, introducing herself. "My Persona is Artemisia, and I prefer to use handguns in battle. I'm a journalist for that magazine."

I may have to flick through one of those at some point. "Eriko Kirishima." The Judgement girl from before told everyone. "My Persona is Michael, and my favourite weapon is the rapier, and when I was younger I wanted to be a beautician."

"And now you're a model…" Junpei sighed. "How wonderful."

Yukari stamped of his foot. "I'm Yukari Takeba." She introduced, trying to draw attention from Junpei's suffering. "My persona is Isis, and I use a bow since I'm on the Archery team, and my favourite food is steak."

Why do I not know these things?

"I'm Tamaki Uchida!" The girl next to Itachi said. "This is my twin brother Itachi, but he hates that name since everyone makes Naruto jokes at him." Itachi groaned and Junpei snickered. "I like rapiers while the oaf uses big things and there are a lot of girls where who use rapiers aren't there?" She asked, looking around at Mitsuru and Eriko.

Itachi sighed. "To clear it up, my favourite weapon is the chainsword." I rushed to get in the cue for high-fives; Dante and Naoki were quicker. "And I'm a Lawyer,"

"That's it, I want my Hi-five back." Dante grunted.

"And I build motorbikes as a hobby." Itachi finished.

"Nevermind, you're not an asshole afterall." Dante smiled, grabbing another slice of Pizza. Let me get in on some of that action.

"I'm Naoki Kashima." Naoki introduced. "Also known as the Demi-Fiend, and I'm one of the strongest demons in the warp, probably second to Minato if he keeps getting stronger the rate he is."

"Thank you." I nodded, grabbing myself another slice of pizza.

"You're welcome." Naoki nodded back. "I like to rip things apart with my bare hands, and my favourite game is Tekken-" I threw my pizza at him. "What was that for?" He asked, peeling the cheese off his face.

"For being clearly evil." I reasoned, grabbing another slice. "Anyone else who mentions that evil monstrosity gets a pizza to the face."

"Tekken."

I threw it in the direction of the speaker, but he caught it. "Thanks." He said. Hanged Man. "My name is Baofu, and my Persona is Prometheus. I flick coins at people when I fight, and I faked my death so the Taiwanese mafia didn't kill me."

"I'm Ulala Seriwasa, his partner." A red-haired girl next to him introduced. Star Arcana. "My Persona is Astria, and I fight with my bare hands since I used to box."

Akihiko would've liked her. "I'm Tatsuya Suou." Tatsuya introduced. "My main Persona is Apollo, and I use two Katana when I fight."

"Damn man!" Junpei cheered. "That is hardcore!"

"Thanks." Tatsuya smiled. "And I'm currently studying law enforcement at university."

"And I'm Katsuya, his older brother." Katsuya introduced. "My Persona is Hyperion, and thanks to that psycho running the army, I get to use a battle rifle." He swung his weapon around for effect. "And I'm under paid leave because my partner got the crap kicked out of him while on the job. He's not saying who did it, but he's been suspended for obstructing justice and is getting transferred to the middle of nowhere once his arm heals."

"Sorry." I apologised.

"What for?" Katsuya asked.

"I was the one who turned Adachi's arm into an accordion." I confessed. "He kinda deserved it."

"I'll take your word for it." Katsuya sighed. "Who's left?"

"Me for one." A blue haired guy answered. Death Arcana. "Eikichi Mishina, my Persona is Hades, I run a sushi shop and smack people with a guitar case."

As long as you take the guitar out first so it doesn't get damaged. "I'm Lisa Silverman." A blonde girl introduced. Lovers. "My Persona is Venus, I use kung-fu, and my hero is Bruce Lee."

Another sensible person. Bruce Lee is indeed awesome. "And I am Jun Kurosu." The ambiguously gay guy at the back said. Fortune. "My Persona is Chronos, and I fight using roses." Yep, that is pretty cra- did he just say Chronos? As in the Persona that Jin has that lets him screw around with time?

Damn. "Um, I'm Maki Sonomura." The woman next to Naoya said. Priestess. "My Persona is Verdandi, and I use a bow when I fight, but I work as a psychiatrist."

Seriously? Wow. Didn't know they had those is Japan. We certainly need more though, that's for sure.

"Reiji Kido." Introduced a well-built guy in a suit, emanating danger despite his welcoming appearance. "I beat demons down with an assault rifle back in the day. Now I try to sell knives to support my family, but my Persona Mot scares people as soon as they open the door."

I chuckled. "I had the same problem with Thanatos." I replied, turning to the quietest member of our merry group. "Hijiri, you're the last one."

"Ah, right." He said. "My name is Jyoji Hijiri, and I got cursed with immortality for killing god."

Taking in everyone's shocked faces, he continued awkwardly. "Erm… I'm also recently divorced, but my daughter's coming over for the weekend, and I'm looking forward for that…"

"You killed god?" Naoya asked. "Are you shitting me?"

"The demon god is an asshole." Dante shrugged. "So he had it coming, but damn, really?"

"He got better though." Naoki sighed.

"Don't they always?" I groaned, remembering Metatron. "Anyhoo, now for me to explain the situation."

"In the years before the millennium, the Kirijo Corp were mucking around with Shadows, trying to either build a time machine or a doomsday device." I explained. "The original plan was the DeLorean, but then they went crazy and made twelve big Shadows to fuse them all together.  
"Anyhoo, March Nineteenth, two-thousand." I continued, before gesturing to Yukari. "Her dad realises that the whole thing is damned suicidal and blows it up… did you happen to get the original video?" I asked her.

"Yeah, Fuuka gave it to me." Yukari nodded. "Want me to go get it?"

I nodded. "I'll get the projector." I turned to everyone. "Sorry I'm so unprepared. Did I mention I was at war earlier today?"

* * *

"Alright…" I grunted once it was all ready. "Play!"

_\_ _"I pray this recording reaches safe hands…" __\_Yukari's dad said.

_\_ "_My employer has become obsessed with a loathsome idea. This experiment should have never even been conceived… That's why I had to interrupt it. However, in doing so, I set free a number of Shadows that are certain to torment future generations. But if I hadn't, the entire world may have paid the price… Please, listen carefully… I cannot stress this enough… You must not hunt the Shadows that have dispersed!_

"_I wasn't able to stop this madness… He won't listen, no matter what I say… He's under the devil's spell… Now, the Shadows are trying to eat one another… But if they're reunited, then we are all doomed! I'll say this once more… Leave the Shadows be!_

"_There's not much hope for me now. I have just one favour to ask… Whoever finds this… Please… Give my daughter Yukari this message… I know I promised I'd be home soon… and I'm sorry to break that promise… But, I want you to know… Daddy was the happiest man on earth when he was with you… I love you, Yukari. Please take care of yourself…"_ _\_

The recording ended, and Yukari wiped a tear. "Unfortunately, the man who was managing our merry band was a psycho and had edited the tape." I explained as Kenjamin turned the lights back on. "The new tape was much shorter, and told us that if we killed the Shadows then everything would be happy happy joy joy." I sighed and drank from the can of Mad Bull that I'd opened during the tape. "So, we killed the Shadows."

"Then it gets interesting." I continued. "Because the night Eiichiro Takeba blew up the lab was also the night my parents died in a car crash. Only it wasn't so much of a car crash as everything stopping except for me, the robot girl and the demonic demon duking it out on the moonlight bridge." I wiped a dribble of juice from my mouth. "Robot girl turned out to be Aigis, demonic demon turned out to be Death, so she did the only sensible thing and shoved Death into the nearest thing awesome enough to hold it. IE, me." I'm not arrogant, it's just true.

"Because I'm awesome, Death and I became good friends, he amped up my already crazy awesome skills, and I made him more human." I continued. "We killed the twelfth Shadow in early November, and the next day Death left me and became Ryoji Mochizuki." Alright, maybe I am a little arrogant, but that doesn't make it any less true.

Kenji did a spit take. "Wait, Ryoji!?"

I nodded. "Yeah, Ryoji." I nodded at Hijiri and Naoya. "Remember that young man with my last name who did work experience as a cleaner a few months back?" I asked.

They both did a spit take. "He impregnated a girl!" Naoya protested.

Now for a united S.E.E.S. spit take. Or at least, if we were all drinking something, it would've been.

"That can't be good." Itachi commented.

"We'll live." I sighed. "Anyhoo, I suppose that makes me a grandmother since I carried Death inside me for ten years, it's all very confusing." I scratched my head. "Where were we? Oh, right."

"So, early in December, Ryoji remembered that he was Death, and told us that Nyx was going to come, everyone would die and there was nothing we could do about it." I explained. "Gave us a choice to lose our memories and delay the inevitable by a couple of months, or watch the world go insane and face Nyx at the end of January, and gave us until yesterday to make our choice. Since we're talking about this, you can guess we decided to fight Nyx."

"Good story, but it was lacking something." Dante yawned. "I dunno, explosions or something?"

"We blew up a tank earlier." I sighed.

"That's better." Dante nodded, satisfied.

"Anyway, today Mitsuru asked me to gather you all here to confirm the situation or something, but I suspect it's so she can advertise the Kirijo Dark Hour Pill."

That got everyone interested, so Mitsuru took over. "Our company developed a drug that allows one to experience the Dark Hour with little side affects." She replied. "We are also able to artificially stimulate a Persona into a user, but that carries the combined risks of the Persona turning on the user, and dramatically shortening the user's lifespan, which is why we discontinued the second pill."

Kenji raised his hand. "Wait, Minato made me awaken to Odysseus, and I've been fine."

"That's most likely because you faced yourself." I reasoned. "If I could put my theory forward, I assume that everyone here had to face up to something or make a decision concerning their lives before awakening to their Persona?"

Nods all round, shrugs from the demon-summoners. "Well, the Persona pill gives you a Persona without the user having a strong enough mind to use it, so the Persona usually kills its master if they don't use life-shortening suppressants to control it, right?" I asked Mitsuru and Shinji.

They nodded, and Mitsuru took over. "We'd like to ask for volunteers to take the non-harmful drug that allows one to experience the Dark Hour." She asked. "If we have more people to fight alongside us, then the chances of humanity's survival also increases."

"I disagree." I disagreed.

After everyone's heads snapped to turn towards me, I continued my counter argument. "Don't take me wrong, you're welcome to join in." I said. "However, the fact remains that all of you have already fought for humanity before, and there is no reason that you should have to take that cross up again. Hell, Tatsuya's done it twice in two separate universes." I explained, then realised that no-one else other than Tatsuya was aware of that, but hey. "Fact of the matter is, this is our fight, and it's our responsibility. If you want to help, then by all means do, but just remember that this isn't your battle."

Baofu chuckled. "I thought you were facing something unstoppable?" He asked.

"So what are a few dozen more people going to do?" I asked. "And for the record, I intend to face Nyx alone."

"WHAT!?"

"Ryoji said that I was the only one who could kill him." I explained. "Stands to reason that I'm the only one who can kill Nyx." I sighed. "However, there is a way that I would like you all to help us outside of the Dark Hour."

"Which is..?" Eikichi prompted.

"Fight zombie Hitler."

* * *

That took some explaining to do, but when Tatsuya went to that alternate universe, all his Persona Senpai banded together to fight against Zombie Hitler and his demon army while Alternate Maya and Tatsuya went to fight against Nyarlathotep.

And that's what I was asking these guys on doing. Focusing on the Nyxists and Strega while we kept our attention on Nyx and Tartarus. It was a good plan, one that I put Tatsuya in charge of. Fuuka used her mad interwebbing skills to copy everyone's contact details onto everyone's phones, and everyone had left satisfied by half eleven.

**CRACK**

_**Thou hast taken the Fool Arcana up to eleven… Transcending beyond the impossible to achieve thy goals… **_

"And now I'm too awake to go to bed." I sighed. "Let's go to Tartarus."

* * *

Adamah was pretty. Ever see Superman's Lair in Superman II? Because the sixth Tartarus block was like that.

**SMASH**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Judgement Arcana…_

Which reminds me. First Guardian we get to, I'm taking the lift down and entering the Velvet Room for a few drinks.

* * *

The Shadow's here were pretty powerful, and even though Koromaru, Aigis and Yukari were pretty out of practice, they caught up to everyone else's strength fairly quickly.

Pretty soon, we were at the 220th floor, and ready to face the guardian.

_~ I sense three Shadows in the centre… they're very powerful so be very careful! ~_

Will do Fuuka.

The Three Shadows looked like giant fat men on rocking chairs. They were of the Hanged Man, so they'd be an absolute bugger to kill.

_~ They're Jotun's of Grief… ~_ Fuuka explained, before gasping. _~ Tha- That's just not fair! ~_

"What is it?" I asked.

_~ Nothing will work! ~_ Fuuka explained desperately. _~ They'll absorb any attack other than Pierce damage! ~_

"Then we'll stab 'em." I suggested, summoning a Bolter. "What's the problem?"

_~ They still resist pierce damage! ~_ She explained. _~ And they can use Almighty attacks… this fight isn't fair! ~_

"Course it isn't fair." I said, aiming my Bolter and firing a Kraken Penetrator through the closest Shadow. "But it's their fault for picking a fight with us."

A violent arrow burst through another Jotun and the third was riddled with bullets. Koromaru barked in annoyance.

"Sorry Koro." I apologised. "I'll let you get a shot at the next one, alright?"

**SMASH**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Judgement Arcana…_

* * *

We went downstairs to substitute the team, and I made a quick visit to the Velvet Room to drink some angels. I also fused the four archangels, Michael, Uriel, Gabriel and Raphael, since they were now mine for the taking.

I was also able to take Sandalphon too, but I turned that one down. That Persona went down a bit too quick for my liking.

…

Oh what the hell I drank it. Couldn't hurt.

* * *

I ran with Shinji, Junpei and Mitsuru for another four floors before we decided to call it a day. 224 floors down, plenty more to go.

We decided to have a very long lie in tomorrow morning and make another burst through it tomorrow night.

**SMASH**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Judgement Arcana…_

* * *

I restocked on revival beads and the like from the medicine man, and regretted it. Apparently he has a bear in his basement or something, but someone broke in there last night and all that remains are bloodstains on the walls. Creepy.

I managed to get a quick report done for Takaya, then decided to hang out with Nozomi before blitzing Tartarus again.

It didn't go well.

"Okay, I'll tell you something, but I want you to keep it a secret, okay?" Nozomi warned me at Wild Duck. "And don't freak out. This world is going to end soon. All of humanity will be wiped off the face of the planet."

"But don't worry!" He told me. "Nyx-sama will re-create a new world where we are all one and there won't be any more bad things in the world!"

"There won't be any good things either though." I reasoned with him.

"Sssh… keep it down!" He hissed. "I told you it was a SECRET! We can't risk starting a panic…"

Oh, I can start a panic alright. "Listen, when Nyx-sama comes, material things like hate, pain and mortality won't exist anymore!" He said. "It'll be a utopia of peace! Granted, we'll die on the Promised Day, but after that, we'll all be together in heaven!" Nozomi grabbed my wrists exitedly. "Isn't that wonderful?"

**SMASH**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Moon Arcana…_

"Not really." I stated, risking a Reversal. "We wouldn't eat anymore. We wouldn't laugh anymore. We wouldn't love anymore. We wouldn't live anymore." I pulled a Gendo Pose. "Are you really okay with that?" I asked him.

"Of course I am!" Nozomi shouted. "But don't worry!" He said, standing up. "I will still plead with the prophet for your salvation!"

"This prophet…" I said, standing up. "Does he happen to be the new Minister of Defence?" I asked him.

"Yes." Nozomi nodded happily. "He reached that grand height through Nyx-sama's blessing! If I can bring two more people into the fold, then I too can receive Nyx-sama's blessing!"

"Let me warn you." I told him. "Stay away from Takaya."

Nozomi backed away, shaking his head. "I'm sorry my friend…" He said. "I hope you shall see the light before the Promised Day comes…"

With that, he ran off.

Dammit Nozomi…

* * *

It was pretty clear I was pissed that night, what with the rate I was cutting through Shadows. It wasn't long before we reached the next Guardian in fact.

Kenjamin, Shinji and Koromaru looked around, but there was no sign of any Shadow. "Fuuka." I ordered. "Are these like those snipers we faced ages ago?"

"Or those damned angels..?" Shinji shuddered.

_~ No… the Shadow's definitely here… ~_ Fuuka said cautiously as something scratched in the air. _~ Hierophant Arcana, Cloud of Cerberus… ~_

Crap. "MOVE!" I shouted, and everyone did as a black thundercloud rushed around the corner and right through where we were standing. Shinji grunted, then created a huge wall around it, but the smoke monster broke through it again.

"**Grr…**" Koromaru snarled, then he roared. The smoke monster took the shape of a huge, black behemoth and Koromaru summoned Cerberus to take it on.

"I say we let Koromaru take this one." I suggested. "This looks like it's personal."

Shinji was about to nod in agreement, when Cerberus's left head got torn off by the Shadow monster, who then devoured the right head as Koromaru yelped in pain.

"Koro!" Kenjamin shouted.

_~ PLEASE! ~_ Fuuka pleaded. _~ Help Koro-chan! ~_

"No." I replied as Koromaru barked in anger as his wounded Persona collapsed.

"In every fight so far, Koromaru has been left at the back." I said. "This is Koromaru's chance to prove to himself that he's not worthless, that he's not just some dog with a Persona."

Koromaru growled powerfully at the Shadow. "This is Koromaru proving to himself that he is a proud beast ready and willing to fight to the end, right?" I asked him.

Koromaru howled, and glass broke. A thousand more wolves howled and a great, black wolf in silver armour and chains burst from the blue flames surrounding Koromaru to disembowel and devour the Shadow.

"Fenrir." I nodded. That's the second non-greek Persona on the team, along with Isis.

**SMASH!**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Judgement Arcana…_

Koromaru wheezed, and I ran up to him. "Good job." I told him. "Need a break?"

Koromaru shook his head, and barked with determination. "Sweetness." I replied, turning to Shinji and Kenjamin. "How 'bout you two?"

* * *

Since they didn't want to wuss out to a dog, an epic rivalry was born that carried us through the hordes of Shadows over the next few floors. I went toe-to-toe with a Minotaur or two, and we took out several World Balances which were also an absolute bugger to kill, but they weren't that much of a threat.

However, once we got to the next Guardian floor, I insisted that we swap teams, bringing in Junpei, Yukari and Aigis.

The Guardian was of the Priestess Arcana, and it looked like a jet-black little girl in a yellow dress and a silver Cher wig behind the mask covering her lack of eyes.

Junpei swung the Balmung confidently as Yukari readied her bow. I wasn't sure what to expect either, so I drew the sword my uncle got me. It was similar to a Ninjato or an Executioners Sword, but it still didn't fit into any actual category of sword, so I didn't name the weapon.

I'll name it some other point, but right now, slashing time.

The Cher wig lashed out and smacked me and Aigis aside, then stabbed ahead at Junpei. He cut through it and Yukari fired an easily blocked arrow.

_~ The Shadow's hollow! ~_ Fuuka told us. _~ Nothing else will hurt it, but if you all keep charging at it then one good hit will shatter it! ~_

Easier said than done Fuuka, but thanks. I focused the Hollow Arcana around me to create slashy things as I charged alongside a burning Junpei, and Orgia Mode Aigis and a glowy windy Yukari, who all broke through whatever defences the Shadow put up as it tried to get us, but eventually I brought a fist through its empty skull, destroying it instantly.

**SMASH!**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Judgement Arcana…_

"That was fun." I commented as everyone collapsed. "Let's try something else."

* * *

No-one liked that idea, so we went home. I paid a visit to the office the next day and hung in the Velvet Room, but nothing really eventful happened.

Well, other than…

**CRACK**

_**Thou hast taken the Hanged Man Arcana up to eleven… Transcending beyond the impossible to achieve thy goals…**_

But you know. That's just hanging out with Maiko and her dad. He warned me to keep the hell away from her when she told him her future plans concerning me, so I ran like buggery.

Nah, the fun began on Monday. We still had a week left of the Winter Holidays, and I intended to sort Nozomi out by then.

I found him hanging at Paulownia mall eating a sandwich as he does. Surprisingly, he came up to me for once.

"Hey, I haven't been doing so well since last time, and I think it's because of those things you said against Nyx-sama." Nozomi said. "I begged so hard for your soul that I think I even lost weight."

I facepalmed. Nozomi found that amusing. "Yeah, that's probably not going to happen. I eat fried chicken first thing in the morning."

Dude, your heart!

"Look, I get it, alright?" Nozomi announced. "You're embarrassed to be seen with me. I can tell." Yeah, because you're crazy! "I'm not like my little brother…" Nozomi complained. "I can't study for hours, and my stubby legs won't let me be athletic… And, I'm genetically predisposed to spilling on my clothes. Everyone hates me. They all wish I could be more like my little brother.  
"Everyone's always making fun of me, and I just want the whole world to go away right now!" Nozomi declared. "But even then, you still won't…  
H-Hey Minato! I'll try my best to make it to gain Nyx-sama's blessing!" Nozomi promised. "Then I'll have a totally sweet new power! I'll be taller and more slender. And my body will glow, so I'll be safer at night! See?" He asked desperately. "Then I won't be inferior to my brother, and you won't hate to be seen with me! So please…" He begged. "Don't abandon me."

**SMASH**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Moon Arcana…_

"Hey, I did it!" Nozomi stated proudly. "I finally met my quota! I found someone else to welcome into our flock! Well, well! Speaking of which…"

Two young chaps came up to us and started talking to Nozomi about Nyxism, depriving me of my opportunity to slap some sense into him. "Oh wow, you're interested in joining too!?" Nozomi asked happily "Finally, Nyx-sama is smiling on me!"

"Just stop it." I sighed.

"Y-You think I should just abandon these people in their pain?" Nozomi asked angrily. "I'm trying to save these people!" He shouted. "People who have been suffering, just like me! Of course you can't understand…" Nozomi snarled. "You're good looking enough that everything is handed to you. You're not like us. If…" Nozomi hesitated. "If this is how you really feel, Minato, then we're through!" He shouted.

**SMASH**

_Thou hast reversed the Moon Arcana… until this wrong is righted, thou shalt not have our blessing…_

"Don't follow me around!" Nozomi shouted as he headed off with his new friends. "Only true believers are allowed into Nyx-sama's embrace!"

I sighed, then turned around, deciding to sort him out another day after letting him calm down, when I saw that guy older guy who was threatening Nozomi from before follow Nozomi into the Velvet Room Alley with a dark chuckle.

Come to think of it, I think I recognised those two guys as the two fools who started on us while we were investigating the Ghost Story…

The penny dropped.

I ran after Nozomi.

* * *

Nozomi was scrambling against the dead-end, cornered by the two 'investigators' as the middle aged man came in. "Wha? Th-This is… an emergency!" Nozomi shouted in panic. "A serious emergency!"

"You going to talk about the end of the world some more?" The man asked. "I remember another cult that got into that… Except they weren't really about 'initiation fees', I think it was just about giving up material wealth. A lot of these cults just borrow ideas from other, actual religions, don't they? Tell the truth!"

"I have renounced my old ways!" Nozomi shouted. "Nyx-sama will redeem this world through death!"

The man sighed. "You went too far, kid." He groaned. "I tried to do this civilly, but I don't even feel bad anymore." He turned to his hired fists. "Try not to hit his face." He ordered. "If he gets scars, then he'll be able to press charges or something."

Nozomi started freaking out and sobbing. "Ah… Ahhh… Am I gonna die? I… I… B-But if I die here… I'll be one with Nyx-sama… I'm not s-scared..!"

"That's enough." I stated, walking past everyone and stopping just before Nozomi.

"Minato!?" Nozomi asked. "Wh-Why are you here?" He grabbed my leg and started sobbing. "I was so mean… I said bad things about you. N-N-No, c'mon…" He sniffed pathetically. "I hate pain!"

**SMASH!**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Moon Arcana…_

I nodded and turned around. "This pathetic little shit is my monkey." I told them. "He goes and scams idiots outta their cash, I give him half the money." I glared at the guy. "You got a problem with that?"

Nozomi let go of me and backed off while the man glared. "Wait, so this whole cult..?"

"This fat lump actually believes every single word of it." I chuckled. "If you're gonna beat the crap out of someone for robbing your kids, I'm your guy."

The guy shook his head while the two guys grew impatient. "You're sticking up for your friend… how noble…"

"Friend?" I asked. "Who on earth would befriend a fat, sleazy spineless scumbag like him?" I asked. "He's just so pathetic that it makes the whole thing so much more convincing." I told them, while taking my coat off. "But I'm not some little coward either." I said, tossing the coat to Nozomi. "Just keep above the belt."

"Hey, so long as we get paid." Thug A shrugged, before punching me in the gut.

I didn't resist it, and got completely winded.

* * *

Once they got bored of kicking me in the ribs, they backed off, so I stood up and spat a mouthful of blood. Normally, I'd beat the hell out of them, but I'm trying to make a point. "OI!" I shouted, before they left.

They turned back to face me and I beckoned them to come closer. "I really don't think you've earned whatever he's paid you yet." I taunted. "Because that was the most half-assed pummelling I've ever had in my life and trust me, I know a good pummelling when I see one."

"You callin' us weak?" Thug B spat.

"I'm calling you a worse con than I am." I replied, making sure that their client was still watching while I blinked blood from my eye and wiped blood from my nose. "Unless that's seriously the best you can do?"

"Ng… you're asking for this!" Thug A barked, ramming another fist into my face. I staggered, but regained my ground as his mate came along and launched a side-kick into my ribs, which I took full on.

"Come on!" I laughed. "Weren't you going to kick the crap outta me?"

Thug B growled at me. "I'll fucking kill 'im." He barked, pulling a gun out of his pants. "I am fucking serious."

"Hey!" The man shouted. "I don't want anyone dead here!"

"SHUT IT!" Thug B snapped back, putting the gun- no, Evoker to his head and pulling the trigger. "PAN!"

**BLAM**

A burning Faun charged down the corridor and slammed me against the wall, tripping me over the cowering Nozomi. "Guh…" I groaned. Damn, now I got broken ribs.

"You see that fatso?" Thug B taunted. "_That_ Is Nyx-sama's blessing!" He laughed. "Wings? Glowing in the dark? Don't give me that bullshit! Persona is the greatest power of them all!"

"Ngh…" I groaned getting back to my feet. "How many of those things do you have?" I asked him.

"Idiot…" Thug A laughed, pulling out his own Evoker. These were actual Nyxists. "Everyone has one!" **BLAM!** "FURY!"

A winged madman flew down and rammed fists into my chest, cracking the wall behind me. "…Only… One…?" I asked.

"Should we tell him?" Thug B asked.

"Why not?" A replied. "We're gonna kill him anyway."

"Right then." B laughed. "Apparently these this one guy, the Orpheus, according to our prophet." He explained. "This one guy is so broken in his mind that he has dozens of Personae."

… "Dozens?" I gasped.

"Yeah. But that doesn't exactly matter… why are you laughing?" A asked.

"It's just… only dozens?" I asked, getting to my feet. "Man, that idiot…"

"What's so funny?" B demanded to know.

I grinned. I was injured, under attack, losing a lot of blood, and I had the upper hand. "Go tell that psycho Takaya that I don't have dozens of Personae." My head snapped up with pride. "I have two-hundred and eighty-nine."

I smashed two Persona cards as Orpheus and Asparas appeared, healing me and probably Nozomi, and then I summoned Tsukuru Izanagi to rush forward with his blade and send them flying across the mall.

I then reached my arm under Nozomi and hoisted him up onto my shoulder. "You okay?" I asked him. "Sorry about saying all that stuff earlier," I apologised, "But I wanted to make sure that you didn't get hurt."

"Minato…" Nozomi managed to say as I walked him out of the alley. "W-why?"

"Because you're practically my big brother." I told him as people milled across the three unconscious people by the door, and decided to hide out at Escapade. "Do you have any idea how I felt? Watching you get into all that crap?" I knocked on the door. "Look, Nozomi, I'm begging you. Stay away from the Nyxists. Don't assume you're the only one who has it hard because frankly, people have been trying to kill me for as long as I can remember. Both my parents are dead, my grandfather took my sister away from me so I'd never know she was still alive, heaven wants me dead and Nyx is coming because of my idiocy. No body is perfect." The door opened and I pushed us both inside. "But nobody's worthless either."

**SMASH**

_Thou art I… And I am thou…_

_The bond thou hast nurtured hath finally matured… The innermost power of the Moon Arcana hath been set free…_

_We bestow upon thee the ability to create Tsukoyomi, the ultimate form of the Moon Arcana…_

_This bond shall never be broken… even as the illusions masking the harshness of reality collapse from thine eyes…_

Damn straight.

* * *

We waited there while Nozomi collected himself while holding something alcoholic. The barman passed me the phone at one point and handed me to Mutatsu, which was a fortunately timed meeting. He'd found his family and, as expected, his son decked him when he came through the door, but then the lad helped him up and introduced him to his wife and daughter. Mutatsu was shocked to be a grandfather, and even more shocked that his family was actually letting him back in.

He'd called just to pass the message onto the barman that he was doing fine, and I was pretty damned happy for him.

**CRACK**

_**Thou hast taken the Tower Arcana up to eleven… Transcending beyond the impossible to achieve thy goals…**_

Hm. Today has been a rather productive day.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

Indeed it has.

I should have my laptop back tomorrow, so YAY! Also, I'll going to work on a Time Paradox chapter next, so also YAY!

Other than that, hope you all liked Tartarus, Koromaru's resolution, the end-result from the Fool meeting, and so forth.

Oh, and for those who read Bleach and Naruto? **DUUUUUDE!**


	92. Chapter 92

Alright! I got a new machine! Still getting used to it, but hey!

Also, I'm half way through the next Time Paradox chapter, for those of you who read it. For those of you who don't, DO!

Now, reviews. Naru-chan, you really need to stop challenging me like this, you're beginning to make a fool of yourself everytime I rise above and beyond your expectations each time.

ISTF, The child would be 5-6 years old by the sequel, but I'll see what I could do. If anyone has a suggestion for the child's name, bearing in mind that the mother has no idea about the father's true identity, just PM it to me or leave it in your review.  
Minato will summon all these Personae and more in due time, and everything is resolved for now. _For now._

Slicerness, the PS2 is the greatest gaming console ever produced by mankind, closely followed by the Sega Megadrive and the Gameboy Advance SP. Anyone who disagrees is foolish and is blinded by the graphics and gameplay, forgetting about the raw enjoyment the game console provides. And the DS is inferior to the Advance because the DS won't let you play the old school games on it.

Forgotten Memories, I have actually considered that, if I were Japanese, I'd like to work as an editor for Shounen Jump or something, since my greatest asset in storytelling is amping everything up to eleven and beyond.

Mr. Awesome, ah. I may get lynched for telling you this, but my personal belief is that Kamina is a pussy who only knows how to make himself look manlier than he actually is *Dodges rocks and hides from the lynch mob*. Despite the fact that Kamina actually says this himself in Ep 11, no-one believes me.  
Please don't hate me…

Have a Little Feith, You never know. I might, and I might not. Still haven't decided.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

Since we were going back to school on Friday, we slept in every day that week and climbed Tartarus every night.

By Thursday night, we'd reached the barrier on the Two-hundredth and fifty-fourth floor.

_~ We did it everyone! ~_ Fuuka shouted. _~ And so fast too! ~_

"Hey, Fuuka…" I gasped, panting for breath after the brawl Junpei, Mitsuru, Kenjamin and I had just been through. "We at the top yet?"

_~ Um, no… ~_ She admitted. _~ But, this barrier won't move until the thirty-first… ~_

"Why not?" I asked.

Since no-one answered, I continued. "How do we know this barrier won't shift?" I asked. "Has anyone ever tried breaking through it?"

"Early into the original exploration of Tartarus… years ago…" Mitsuru explained. "The group brought large sums of Dynamite into Tartarus in an attempt to overcome the barrier down in Thebel…"

"Yeah, but I'm sure that we're stronger than Dynamite right now." I replied.

"Hey guys, check it out!" Kenjamin shouted from the side of the barricade. "I'm flying!"

Kenjamin was indeed floating down the side of the barricade, but that's not as important as the point I'm trying to make. "Why don't we try to break through this tonight?" I asked. "We got a good ten minutes before the Dark Hour ends, so why not just wail on it?"

"Trismegistus!" Junpei shouted, pointing his Evoker at his skull. "RAGNAROK!!"

**BLAM**

Junpei's Persona incinerated the barrier, but it remained firm. Mitsuru sighed, then summoned her own Persona. "NIFLHEIM!"

The barrier shrugged off the incredibly heavy attacks, but it was enough to bring Kenjamin to the ground. "No good…" Mitsuru sighed.

"I have an idea." I pointed out. "Hollow Arcana is a similar power to the one that made Tartarus, right?" I asked. "So I'm pretty sure that that should have a chance of breaking through."

She stepped aside. "Feel free."

I nodded, then stepped back, as if taking a run-up. I raised my hand into the air and took a deep breath. "Finishing move." I breathed.

"Wait, what?" Junpei asked as the crystal started spiralling around my outstretched hand to form a cone.

"GIGA!!" I growled, giving the Hollow Arcana the form of a drill much larger than myself. "DRILL!!" I shouted, slamming the drill into the ground and pulling it close to me. "**BREAAAKKAAAAHHHH!!!**" I Roared, pushing myself forward, flying towards the barricade.

The colossal, spinning drill collided against the barricade and sparks flew. I kept pushing, harder and harder, and eventually the drill smashed.

I pushed forward again, and the inner-drill span harder and faster against the barricade, but that in turn shattered.

So I pushed again, ramming the centre-most drill into the crystal ball blocking my way.

That broke, so I rammed my fist into the orb with all my force, pushing continually as flesh met crystal.

Flesh gave away, and my fist collapsed under my own force, as did my arm as I kept pushing my puny flesh against the immovable barricade, all the way until there was nothing left of my right arm below the bicep. I flung my shoulder back and cast Diarahan on myself, and howled in pain as bone re-grew, flesh stitched itself anew, and skin melted back into existence, and I rammed my fist back into the barricade.

The barricade gave way.

I was bloody all over, tired, and damned near collapse, but I had done it.

Break through the impossible and grasp tomorrow with both hands.

**SMASH**

_Thou art I… And I am thou…_

_The bond thou hast nurtured hath finally matured… The innermost power of the Judgement Arcana hath been set free…_

_We bestow upon thee the ability to create Messiah, the ultimate form of the Judgement Arcana…_

_This bond shall never be broken… and it shall strengthen thy resolve during thy atonement…_

Yep… these ominous messages in my head? Nothing to worry about… nothing… at… all…

* * *

Aigis woke me up the next day. Apparently I'd driven myself so far past the point of exhaustion that I'd reached it again with souvenirs from around the globe.

Still, it wouldn't do for me to be late for school on the first school day of the year, so I hauled my weary arse out of bed and got dressed. Surprisingly, Aigis left to give me some privacy.

I seriously think I did something to her Papillion drive.

* * *

But hey, it was pretty pleasant walking to school with the new and improved Aigis. It was an interesting experience; it was still Aigis, but she was certainly more 'human', if that's the word.

Mind you, since this is me we're talking about, this pleasantness couldn't possibly last. In fact, it lasted right up until Aigis and I were cueing to get through the turnstiles at the train station, and a nice chap from behind me wanted a word.

"Minato Arisoto?" He asked.

"That's me." I replied, turning around to meet the barrel of a gun aimed between my eyes.

**BLAM**

As you can expect, there was an instant uproar of chaos, panic and disorder, which was fortunate for once since everyone was too busy screaming and running to notice the armoured Persona Abel floating in the air above my head. However, since my attention was on the guy who just shot me, I saw him pull his collar to his mouth and say "Target is a confirmed bullet summoner, requesting-"

He didn't get to finish the request. I made sure of that. I then tore the communicator from his jacket and pulled it to my mouth. "This is the Target." I stated, plugging in my assassin's earpiece into my ear. "And who'd trying to kill me this time?"

_\_ _"No-one's trying to kill anyone right now, hypocrite." __\_ Jin rasped over the line. _\_ _"We're just assessing our opponents." __\_

"Assessing how?" I asked, hoping like hell he wasn't going to answer the way I knew he was going to.

_\_ _"Just figuring out who in your little group needs an Evoker to summon their Persona, or if they can do it with a bullet to the head." __\_ He laughed. _\_ _"Of course, we're gonna find that out the most obvious way." __\_

"Judgement and Coin." I stated, raising a hand and cutting though the card that appeared before me. "Thou art I and I art thou."

_\_ _"What are you on about?" __\_

"From the abyss of my soul, I createth thee." I continued, making damned sure Jin knew just what he was getting himself into by threatening us. "Thou art Skynet, the Global Defence Network."

The line went dead, and I knew that I had full control over the electronic communications of this city. Skynet is a powerful Persona, so long as I keep it under control. Let's try sending a message.

–{ Fuuka, do you read me? }-

…

_~ Minato? Is that you? ~_

YES! –{ Where are you? }- I asked her, motioning for Aigis to lead me out of the train station.

_~ Um, I'm at the Port Island Train Station, on my way to school. ~_ Fuuka replied, and I got to work accessing the security cameras. _~ What's going on? ~_

There! –{ Fuuka, I need you to trust me and do what I tell you to do immediately and to the letter. }- I explained. –{ If you don't, you and the others may die. }-

_~ There's someone after us, isn't there? ~_

-{ Yeah. }-I replied. –{ To your left is a café. Head over there as if you're going for a coffee. }-I saw Fuuka do just that on the security cameras. –{ Good, now on three, you're going to run like hell towards that staircase to behind the train station. }- Aigis gasped, and I remembered that she was a machine too. –{ When you're there, summon Juno and look for the others. Don't worry about any witnesses, just do it. }-

_~ Alright… ~_ Fuuka replied shakily, scared to be on the front line for once.

-{ NOW! }-

Fuuka bolted, and the assassin rushed after her. However, by the time he caught up to her, Fuuka was already behind the impenetrable shell of Juno.

-{ Now, grab him with Juno and throw him against the floor! }-

Juno's arm lashed out and grabbed the secret-serviceman, who was indeed tripping balls, then smacked him against a wall to knock him out.

-{ Close enough. }- I sighed. –{ Now send a message to everyone else. }- I ordered. –{ Then send me their locations and I'll guide them. }-

* * *

With a little help from Fuuka and I, Everyone managed to dispatch their assassins without taking a single life. Oh, they were hospitalised, but they weren't gonna die from the epic beat-down's everyone gave.

"Thanks Fuuka." I told her, having finally caught up to everyone with Aigis. "Couldn't have done it without you."

**CRACK**

_**Thou hast taken the Priestess Arcana up to eleven… Transcending beyond the impossible to achieve thy goals…**_

I smiled.

Then Yukari brought up an important point.

"Where's Ken-kun?"

Crap.

* * *

"**JUST WHO IN HELL DO YOU THINK I AM!?**" Kenjamin roared, surrounded by half a dozen Nyxists. "**I AM KENJAMIN BLOODY ARMADA!!**"

That is a much more badass name that the one I gave him. For one thing, it references a fleet of warships. For another, it uses the manliest curse in the book. Bloody.

What was even more badass was the way he used his electricity to control the iron minerals in the soil to create a black-sand-barrier around him, which lashed out at his attackers and brought them down as he charged and brought down the Hama of justice.

Aye. That lad is truly worthy to be my disciple alright.

* * *

I miraculously got to school before first period, so I was safe.

"Hey, did you hear about that new Secretary of Defence guy?" A girl behind me asked another girl.

"Who, that Jin guy with that really nasty burn on his face?" Her friend asked. "Don't you think the way it looks totally like a handprint is gross?"

"I actually think it's kinda sexy." The first girl admitted. "I mean, He's clearly had it rough when he was younger, so it's like a battle scar, right?"

"I suppose so…" The second replied squeamishly. "I'm still freaked out by the way his eyeball is just, like, _there_, ya know?"

"Huh?" The first girl asked. "I never noticed."

Aigis took her seat next to me. Yukari and Junpei were still recovering from the whole thing. Don't blame them, it was really intense.

"Do you remember when we met Koromaru-san last summer?" Aigis asked me. "He was protecting the shrine where his master used to live… even though he knew that his master had passed on, he still wanted to be by his side…"

Aigis turned to look at me. "Now I can understand his reasons for doing that." She said. "What drives people isn't necessarily facts, but feelings… He knew for a fact that his master had died, but he still had feelings forcing him to stay…"

Hm? "It's the same for me." Aigis told me happily. "I have grasped the fact that I cannot protect you, or even that you are beyond the protection of anyone…" She chuckled. "Yet… here I remain… subconsciously, I was following my feelings rather than the available data. I was so confused at the time that I didn't notice it, but to tell you the truth…"

"It seems that…" Aigis hesitated. "The reasons behind my behaviour changing while I am with you, Minato-san…"

She looked down and refused to say another word.

**DERDADERDADERDANUM**

Wait, what?

**DERDADERDADERDANUM**

Angus Angus?

**SMASH**

That's better.

_Thou art I… And I art thou…_

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Aeon Arcana…_

Aeon? That's a new one.

Aigis's head shot up. "Oh, I have a correction to make." She told me. "I talked about 'What Drives People'… But Koromaru-san and I aren't people…" She chuckled "I'm sorry."

"Close enough in my book." I sighed, leaning forward onto my desk as Yukari and Junpei fought their way in just before the bell rang.

* * *

During Lunch, Nozomi kidnapped me and dragged me to Hagakure. I think he's been taking lessons from Mitsuru.

"My younger brother and I were twins, but not the kind that look the same." Nozomi explained, opening up. "He was the better looking one. Everyone compared me to my brother, and I was never able to surpass him." He sighed. "Not at anything.  
"For a while I'd hit him for no reason, but he always treated me like a brother. We did always enjoy eating together… But, when I was in eigth grade, he got food poisoning… I guess it was undercooked or something… But I couldn't even cry." He admitted. "I was relieved, because I finally didn't have to measure up. I felt free."

I gulped down a mouthful of noodles. "That's understandable." I shrugged.

"Thanks, but…" Nozomi sighed. "I know already. I was a terrible brother. At first, I tried to be like my brother. I went to cram schools and did martial arts and everything… but I was never as good as my brother had been, so I started to feel like people were laughing at me."

Nozomi gazed into his cooling bowl of ramen. "When I eat, all I need to focus on is the table in front of me…" He said. "Everything else disappears. See?" He asked. "That's what the Gourmet King is really made of… I only ate to make the voices in my head shut up. But, if I keep going like this… I'll never be anything like my brother, will I?"

I slurped down a mouthful of noodles. "When I was seven, my mom and dad died in a car crash." I told him. "My little sister was only three at the time, but she and I survived somehow. A few days later, grandpa faked his and my sisters death by burning his house down while I went to mom and dad's funeral. I only found out that she was still alive a few months ago, and even then I've only seen her once.  
"But that's not what I'm getting at." I explained, lifting my fringe, which now covered my eye, to show the red scar above my right eye. "In the accident I got this." I explained. "It killed the nerves connecting the emotional lobes in my brain to my face, so every single emotion I make has to be forced or faked."

"For ages, I thought that I was broken." I told him, letting my hair flop back into my face. "That the trauma from losing my entire family had made me go insane, and that I'd never smile again. Eventually I stopped whining, stood up, and learnt how to smile again." I gave him said smile. "I still have to force it, but I'm smiling, aren't I?"

"Yeah, I guess you are." Nozomi laughed awkwardly.

"My point is, we're all pathetic meatbags until we decide to stand up and become men." I told him. "Hell, I've got you to thank for helping _me_ get this far with myself." I told him honestly. "So how long are you gonna wallow around the shadow of a corpse before you stand up straight and become Nozomi Suemitsu?" I asked him.

He stared at me for a few seconds, then bust up laughing. "You're right…" Nozomi gasped between bursts of laughter. "Of course, Minato! I can never be like my brother! We're two different people! Ha ha… How could I miss something so obvious?" He asked, wiping a tear from his eye with a podgy finger. "Thank you, Minato…" He told me. "I really owe you one."

**CRACK**

_**Thou hast taken the Moon Arcana up to Eleven… Transcending beyond the impossible to achieve thy goals…**_

"By the way, you can no longer be a follower of the Gourmet King." Nozomi declared, pulling something out of his pocket and handing it to me. "Because you're the new king." He told me with pride before bowing 'Wayne's-World' style. "All hail Gourmet King the Second!"

"Thank you, thank you!" I replied, humouring him.

"The restaurants in the strip mall gave that Gourmet Licence to me because of how often I eat there…" Nozomi told me. "I feel like I've been a fake all this time… But, I will become the true Gourmet King one day! I will become a food critic. It will be my job to eat… And I will master it!" He declared. "Then, once I die and go to the afterlife, I can face my brother… And he'll be impressed by the fact that I was able to master something, all by myself! Hold onto this until I achieve my ultimate destiny, okay?" He ordered me. "I may have lost my position, but once I educate myself in the ways of the culinary arts, I shall reclaim it! That's my promise to you… and to my little brother."

He leaned forward to me. "So you promise to stop Nyx so I can get it back off you."

I nodded. "Sure." I told him.

Nozomi smiled, then focused back on the Ramen. "What's this?" He asked. "Even when I talk about my brother, I don't have to eat to feel better… And I just realized this ramen is actually really good!"

* * *

After school, I was contemplating on whether I should finish Mitsuru's link or work on Aigis's new 'Aeon' link, when Junpei came and asked for a talk on the rooftop. Since there was a chance that this would let me open up some crazy new social link…

Nah, that's not true. I went to talk with Junpei because he needed it.

We both did.

"We've never really had a chance to talk, have we?" Junpei pointed out. "I mean, not properly." He sighed. "It's almost Coming of Age Day, ya know. I used to just think of it as a day off… But now, I wonder if I'm even gonna live long enough to celebrate it…"

"You worry too much." I told him.

Junpei laughed. "Yeah, I guess you're right." He replied. "It's been pretty weird around here lately… People have been passing out, others have gone missing… some have even been found dead in the street… Dude, it's crazy."

"From the sounds of it, it's only going to get worse." I sighed.

Junpei nodded. "Senpai said it's because there are too many Shadow victims and the memory revision can't keep up… It's all gotta be because of this Nyx." He grunted. "Oh, and this doomsday cult?" He asked. "They've been running around town telling everyone they see that the end of the world is coming… And that bastard's running the army and half the country…" Junpei sighed. "Man, we need to do something, and quick."

"People are just scared." I told him. "But yeah."

Junpei nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I guess they can somehow sense what's going to happen." He said. "And it's not just Nyx… Those two members of Strega are still alive, and we know they've gotta be planning something… We need to take care of them, too. Wow…"

"What?" I asked him.

"Becoming such good friends that I'd trust you with my life…" Junpei laughed. "I never would've imagined that happening last spring." Junpei shrugged. "But then again, I never thought it would come to this… Ya know, I don't think it's completely hit me yet… It's just all so hard to believe…" He crushed the empty can of Dr. Salt in his hands, and it started melting. "But, that doesn't mean we should just sit around and wait for it to happen." He decided. "You're pretty cool, man."

"I know." I nodded.

Junpei laughed. "Seriously. That thing was inside you for ten years, and you harnessed its power and made it your own… I'm glad I met you." He said. "It's embarrassing to say it, but… that's really how I feel. We'll always be friends, right?" He asked. "I mean, even after this is all over?"

"I'll tell you the same thing I told Kenji." I sighed, before punching him in the face. "GAY!"

He rolled into a landing and wiped the blood from his lip. "Heh." He laughed, summoning flames around his fists. "Bring it, punk."

* * *

We decided not to go to Tartarus that night, since we were all tired from the continual trips this week and this morning's assassination attempt. Also, Junpei and I had almost destroyed the roof with our little game of 'Fishing', so we decided to go tomorrow.

Me? I paid a visit to a certain Velvet Room to create a certain trinity of Japanese gods and goddess.

* * *

Next day, after school, I caught up with my favouritest red-head in Japan. And even if Marina came over, Mitsuru's still less evil.

"I think I've acquired a taste for fast food." Mitsuru declared, munching into half of my Peta-Wac burger. "Do you remember when I said I was hesitant to meet with you like this..?" She asked.

"Clearly not, since we're meeting like this right now." I laughed.

Mitsuru smiled back. "Well, could you just pretend you never heard that?" She asked. "We both sleep under the same roof; there's no point in worrying about it. And… I should confirm my decision."

There was some serious melancholy on her face. "Hey, Arisoto." Mitsuru sighed. "Do you want to see how many places we can visit in one day?" She asked me. "Or, is that being selfish?"

I remembered that time Elizabeth dragged me through the 'Gourmet Run', as Nozomi put it, and figured that Mitsuru had a smaller stomach than she did. "Well, I've just eaten half my weight in meat…" I groaned. "But what the hell? Let's go!"

"Oh, I'm glad to hear that." Mitsuru replied with a smile. "Let's visit all the restaurants you introduced me to, in order. I can go anywhere now…" She said. "As long as you're with me. Thank you, Arisoto." She nodded, standing up from her seat and offering me her hand. "Let's make some memories that will last forever."

I grinned and took it.

**SMASH**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Empress Arcana…_

You know, normally I'd be concerned if Mitsuru was just using me to get some more freedom before her forced marriage, but I have a record to beat!

* * *

Mitsuru seriously over indulged herself that afternoon. Her stomach was only that of a mortal, unlike mine and Elizabeth's, so she stayed at the bottom of Tartarus that night as I took Aigis, Junpei and Yukari through the broken barrier, which was amazingly still broken.

"I'm still not over how you did that man." Junpei shuddered. "That was messed. Up."

I shrugged, leading the way up the stairs.

There were several crystal platforms atop of long, wide crystal staircases, most of which were devoid of Shadows, and eventually we reached the two hundredth and sixty-third floor, which ended with a large ramp going through a sheet of ice.

"No-one try to break it." I ordered. "I don't want anyone getting impaled by ice shards."

I carefully used the Hollow Arcana to remove the sheet of ice from the ramp, push it away from the opening and poked my head out.

BLOODY HELL IT IS COLD AND IT IS WINDY!!!!

I pulled myself back in and withdrew some arctic gear from the armoury. Knew it'd come in handy someday. After distributing them out, we all climbed out onto the outside of Tartarus.

It was black, with a spiral staircase winding around the last storey of the tower until we reached the very top. We had to grasp onto the sides of the tower so we wouldn't be blown off the side, and in the end, I was the only one able to brave the very top peak of the tower.

It was warmer there somehow. Much warmer. The wind was calmer too.

And Death was sat in the middle of the floor, cradling himself.

"Hey." I said, walking over to him.

He turned to look at me in surprise, and he was right: he was almost unrecognisable, and he was only mid-transformation. "You're early." He commented. "Nyx won't be ready for another twenty-two days."

"I know." I told him. "I just wanted to get to the top quickly."

He nodded. "You are not nearly strong enough to face the thing I will become." Death warned me.

"That's cool." I nodded. "We have another three weeks left to train."

He shook his head. "Not even the heights of Tartarus will be enough to prepare you for what you will face." He warned, reaching into his blanket of midnight-blue feathers and withdrawing a bronze key. "Here." He told me. "This is the key that shall open the door to true strength."

I nodded, taking the key. "And where is this door?" I asked him.

He chuckled darkly. "Within the Monadian depths..." He said.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

AWW HELL YEAH THIS IS HAPPENING!

Yeah, I think that this ominous cliffhanger more than makes up for the 'ew' giga drill break from earlier. I know that Minato said not to use them incase they do too much damage, but (a), Minato wanted to inflict too much damage, and (b), Minato's a hypocrite. I'm sure you all know this already.

And Minato has the Persona used by the main character of Trinity Soul! AND SKYNET!

Sorry if I once again broke the willing suspension if disbelief there, but I think it was so worth it.

Ninth of January. Twenty Two days to go.


	93. Chapter 93

New chapter time everybody. Hope you all had a good Valentines Day, mine was pretty standard. No girlfriend, but not that bothered, so meh.

Licthe, Minato will fight Elizabeth in due time. Of course, I'm going to turn it up a notch, but I've gotten bored of telling you all how I'll do it. Look over the previous Author Notes.

Slicerness, remember how I said I've never played Nocturne? Or the previous Persona games? Or Persona 4? Or Devil Survivor? But you all thought I had because of my mad lying skills? Well, I got bored of the anime after a couple of episodes as well.  
Monad is only a New Game+ dungeon if you're a pussy. You can enter it on the first playthrough if you reach the top of Tartarus and kill the Reaper. And I have no idea what you mean by the boss there, unless you mean Elizabeth, but you need to face her there alone as it is, but only after you kill the Reaper.

Dark Hell Prince, I'ma making Skynet look like a glowy ominous disco ball of doom, since that's its appearance in the films. Now, should Minato summon the T-800?

ISTF, Skynet was the evil machine in Terminator that kills us all in the future and sent Terminator back in time to kill Sarah Connor. I intend for Thanatos to learn of the kid, and force him to help raise him, but since Ryoji's gonna die soon…  
Not sure about Kenjamin having Thunder Reign since his focus is on Light skills, but definitely for Yukari.

Heraklinos, Time Paradox is another story I do. It's a Final Fantasy story that's actually pretty damned dark but no-one notices because everyone other than Cloud is hilariously Out Of Character, and Cloud's from the future. It's a lot funnier than this story, I can promise you that.

Sour, Shit got real a long time ago. Depleted Plutonium Rods just got real.

Ryder Tsukikage Ookami, Thanks. I've always wanted for someone to praise me Waynes-World style.  
Second, I have no idea what's next, other than it will be impressive.  
Third, you just set the world record for reading all of the Fairly English Story in Twenty Hours! Can anyone beat that time?

Forgotten Memories, levels are extremely relevant in my story. Right now I'd put them at level 79-81.

Insane Melody, glad you enjoyed the story.  
Second, I sent you a long explanation of the how the Persona Creation system works, but I lost it. I'm not typing that up again any time soon unless someone asks Minato.

Mr. Awesome, I'd agree with you, were it not for the fact that Simon The Digger is the greatest man that ever lived since he not only had substance behind his claims, he also lived them too.  
The sole reason that the 'Fairly' is there is so I could make the abbreviation work.

Abyss of Essence, that's exactly why Minato told him.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

After giving me the key, Death told me to kindly get the hell offa his roost and threw us all back inside before creating an impenetrable barrier around the whole peak of the tower. Several obliterated limbs proved just how impenetrable it was.

We then noticed that Fuuka was tripping out over some freaky-doorway down at the bottom of Tartarus, so we got her to warp us down to check it out.

Indeed, there was a bigass door hanging around the back of the lobby. Probably twenty-thirty feet tall, but it opened as soon as I touched it.

"Of course he opens it easily." Shinji sighed. "I went at it for five minutes solid and it didn't even budge, but he opens it like a jar of pickles…"

"I also happen to have the key." I explained, looking through the door. There was nothing behind the doorway, but through the door was a block of Tartarus that looked like an orange version of Thebel.

Fuuka collapsed to her knees behind me. "Such… how can there be so much evil in one place?"

"What's in there Fuuka?" I asked her.

She forced herself to her feet. "Shadows." She explained. "Stronger than any I've ever sensed before… a single one of them could overpower the Reaper himself…"

_**Monad is indeed a dangerous place… Do not enter if you value your life… **_

After all the stuff I've done over this year, does anyone actually think I value my life?

_**Even one such as I dare not venture into that place… It is foolish to even consider it…**_

I laughed. "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread." I quoted. "And the angels are all in heaven, but few of the fools are dead." I turned to everyone else. "I'm about to charge headfirst into this death trap." I announced. "Who's stupid enough to come with me?"

* * *

Aigis, Koromaru and Shinji came with me. Everyone else wanted to, but I wanted someone to heal us after Fuuka hauls us out of here if worst came to the worst.

I have a feeling it might. The second I stepped through the door I fell to my knees, simply due to the insane air pressure. It took a few seconds for us to get used to it, but it was clear that even without super-powered enemies, training here would physically improve us immensely; like training underwater with weights or something.

We walked around for a few minutes without any sign of anything spectacular. The cases there were full of cash and somas, and the Shadows there were amazingly powerful, but it was nothing we couldn't handle.

Oh how wrong I was when I thought that.

After a few minutes, we stumbled across one particular cluster of Shadows, which Shinji promptly crushed to release the Shadow's within.

Shinji went flying.

Where the cluster was now stood a completely black humanoid shadow with a Justice mask. It had silver lines all over its body, almost like a Demonic Seal…

Crap.

The Shadow blurred, and kicked Koromaru up against the ceiling, knocking him out severely, and I gave the order.

"ABORT!!"

This isn't running away here. This is making damned sure this thing does kill us.

How did it get to me so fa-

* * *

I woke up on the floor, coughing my guts out. Figuratively, but it's a pretty accurate metaphor. Everyone was fine, but looking at the door to Monad in fear. I got up and looked there to find the doors wide open, and that Shadow from before was staring at us.

"That thing got here shortly after we teleported you out of there." Mitsuru explained. "It's just been standing there."

"I don't think it can leave through that door." Fuuka added. "But we're going to have to face it."

I rubbed my neck. "And why can't we just leave?"

"Check it out." Junpei groaned, thumbing towards the exit.

It was blocked off.

"It got like that when you came here." Yukari said. "I think that thing wants to fight you."

"What gives you that idea?" I asked, turning to face the Shadow again.

It raised its hand's and gave the universal sign for 'Come on if you think you're hard enough'.

I set off towards the door, shrugging off my jacket and pulling off my tie. "Wait, you aren't gonna fight that thing by yourse-" Kenjamin stopped himself. "Of course you are." He sighed. "Can you at least magic us some popcorn before you go?"

"What do I look like, some sorta magician?" I asked him, summoning a Bauer Bar and tossing it to him. "Eat this if you're hungry."

I summoned one of those for myself too. 24 hours of explosive energy you know.

* * *

The Shadow graciously allowed me to walk into Monad and get myself ready before we started. It then drew a laser pistol from somewhere, and I think it might just be the pilot of the Arcana Justice.

Can't say for sure though, but I don't intend to find out. I summoned the two cards into each hand and clenched my fists. "Tsukuyomi! Amaterasu!"

Tsukuyomi took the form of a young man in dark-blue samurai robes, holding a sheathed nodachi. His white hair looked like a shaggier version of my old haircut, so only his left eye was visible.

His sister, Amaterasu, took the form of a woman in a very loose white kimono that had slipped off her shoulders and miraculously stayed in position to show off her cleavage. Her black hair was a lot like Mitsuru's only less curly, and as such only her right eye was visible.

The two godly siblings rushed the Shadow in blazes of fire and ice respectively. The Shadow deflected both of them with little difficulty, but as such it wasn't ready for Susano-o's attack.

Susano-o had long red hair that completely covered his face apart from his evil smile. He wore ragged black shorts that were torn at the knees, exposing the tribal tattoos covering his chest and limbs. He charged forward with a Big Freakin' Sword, slashing sideways as the Shadow ducked under it and punched the storm god in the gut.

Susano-o dissipated, laughing as the Shadow was forcibly reminded why he was the god of the storm.

I braced myself as water surged from behind me, flooding the narrow corridors with cold brine, rushing down with enough force to knock the Shadow off its feet and get washed away in the tides. After a few seconds, the waves subsided and the water only went half-way up my shins, so I got a Persona card ready and began hunting the Shadow.

That's right. This thing is far stronger than I am, and I am hunting it.

* * *

I found it coughing up water in one of the room, which was surprising since I didn't think it had lungs.

However, by the time it noticed me, I was ready with a new fusion spell.

Tsukuyomi and Izanagi. "Tsukiyo!" I shouted, shoving the fact that this little trick shouldn't be possible in reality to the back of my mind, just in case the universe realised that and proved me right.

Miraculously, it did work, and the Shadow fell to its knees screaming while clutching its eyes. Thanks Masashi Kishimoto, you've saved my arse yet again.

The logical step now would be to see how far I can take this insanity. I summoned Amaterasu and Izanagi and shouted "Amatsu!", and the Shadow was engulfed in white flames.

There. That killed it.

However, it also attracted the attention of several other beasties. "Fuuka?" I asked. "How's about pulling me out of here?"

_~ Hold on a minute, I'm having a little difficulty locking onto you. ~_

I can last that long. I summoned Shiva and Ananta, surrounding myself with an impenetrable bubble which withstood the attacks of the castle-sword-knight-thingies long enough for Fuuka to warp me out of there.

With that done, we headed home. Monad was a scary place.

* * *

Next day at work, I made a point of going to see Miu. I made up a story about Ryoji dying, which she seemed noticeably distraught about, which was pretty understandable. One-off or not, he was still the father of her child. I also made up a lie about him being my younger brother, which makes sense she's not one of the few who knows me as Minato Arisoto, and I offered to pay the child support, but she declined, telling me that she'd rather raise the child on her own.

I'm just concerned it'll grow up to be… well… me I suppose. I'm a freaking sociopath with demonic powers; if there was two of me then the oceans would probably boil or something.

* * *

Monday was Coming-Of-Age day, so there was no school.

What there was, however, was an interview with our Minister Of Defence concerning his 'religious' beliefs, and Mitsuru happened to have four tickets, so she brought Fuuka, me and Shinji.

Shinji was physically restraining himself from leaping onto the stage and smashing the sly scumbag's face in, so he's matured.

Me? I'm morbidly interested in how he's going to sell himself here.

* * *

First thing I noticed was that I could sense his Persona now. Morpheus of the Fortune Arcana. Now, it turned out that he hadn't gotten a proper haircut, he was just wearing a ponytail and a shirt.

The interview began rather normally, but I could tell that he was lying his arse off about the schools he went to, about his friends, his life experiences, but he told the truth as to what got him into politics.

"A while back, I met a particular young man who acted very irresponsibly in his own selfish interests." Takaya explained. "He told me that he did what he wanted to simply because he could." Takaya chuckled. "It opened my eyes. If that young man could change his own world through his own beliefs, then why couldn't I change Japan with my own?"

Yep. Takaya rising to power is all my fault. Yay me.

* * *

Shinji elbowed me to wake me up during the interview, and I realised that they were discussing Nyx.

"Mankind is currently imprisoned by the sins of hate and anger." Takaya told the host. "But soon, a saviour will descend upon this world to break the chains that bind us, and lift us to new heights. This great being is Nyx." He explained. "I have beheld her glory, and she has blessed me with power beyond belief. In Nyx there is no pain… no suffering…"

"So, you… _believe_… that this… _Nyx-sama_… has granted you the power to change this world?" The interviewer asked cautiously. Justice. He clearly didn't believe a word of it.

Shinji smiled. "That idiot." He sneered. "He's on live TV and he's just been completely put on the spot."

Wait, we're live?

I saw Takaya grin.

Buggery.

"Would you like me to show you?"

Mitsuru grabbed my hand and pushed it down before I could raise my Bolt Pistol. "Sorry, I'm out of ammo for my smaller guns." I hissed.

"You can't just shoot a politician in broad daylight!" She hissed back.

"If I don't, he's gonna summon his Persona!" I hissed in return. "Look, he's got a gun aimed to his chin!"

Mitsuru's eyes widened, then she turned back to face the stage.

**BLAM**

A dark-skinned man in a black trenchcoat and cool shades appeared above Takaya. _– I am Morpheus… the master of thy dreams… -_

Takaya grinned. "I assure you that this is no hoax…" He announced as his persona vanished, before standing up and looking into the crowd. "And I'm sure you'll agree, heretics."

"Now can I shoot him?" I hissed, keeping my head low.

"Excuse me, Sakaki-san?" The host asked. "You say that Nyx granted you this ability… that's not true is it?"

Takaya smiled and turned to him. "And may I ask what gives you that idea?" He replied.

"Well, for a start, I have never met nor have any affiliation with this… _Nyx._" He replied. "But the fact of the matter is, I am personally capable of summoning several Personae, although not many are as powerful as your own."

Takaya's head snapped back to face the interviewer. "Who the bloody hell is that guy?" I hissed.

"His name is Hidehiko Uesugi…" Fuuka explained. "He's a popular TV host nicknamed 'Brown'."

Shinji nodded. "His ego's almost as big as yours."

Oh really?

Takaya recovered well. "Then, you too have been blessed by Nyx-sama unknowingly, like several other people."

Brown shook his head. "Nah, I got mine from a dude called Philemon." He explained. "We all promised not to tell anyone about them, but I guess that the jig is up now." Brown grinned as he summoned a card into his hand. "TYR!"

An armoured man with an arm missing and a lance in the other appeared above Brown, he grinned hilariously as if this was all some big joke.

Takaya smirked. "I see… so you are like those heretics…" Takaya sighed, before turning to face the crowd. "There are those who do not understand this truth, even though they have also been blessed by her. They have acquired the same power as I; yet they abuse it, using it for their own personal gain. These miscreants are the ones to blame for the recent tragedies that have been plaguing our streets!"

"Wait, is he talking about us?" Shinji hissed.

"Brothers and sisters, I shall go forth to make preparations for Nyx-sama's arrival!" Takaya declared. "But, do not fear those evildoers who desecrate their gifts." He said. "Nyx shall right their wrongs. May your hearts be filled with peace as you await your salvation. Blessed are those who take joy in the coming of Nyx." He raised his arms into the sky. "The revolution is here!"

"Hey, Mitsuru." I hissed to her as the crowd cheered. "I have some experience in this area. Can I give a counter-speech?"

She held her head in her hands. "Go for it…" She sighed. "Just don't start a riot."

"I'll try not to." I replied, before jumping onto the seat and shouting. "DAMN RIGHT THE REVOLUTION IS HERE!"

I ignored everyone's attempts to remind me that I was supposed to be drawing support _away_ from Takaya, I continued my impromptu speech. "YOU KNOW WHY THERE'S NO SUFFERING IN NYX? BECAUSE SHE'S COMING DOWN TO KILL US ALL!"

"Death as salvation…" I said in my indoor voice now that I had everyone's attention. "That is Takaya's ideology." I stepped off the chair and left the aisle, heading down the stairs to the stage. "That has been the way he has thought ever since his life was shortened through drug abuse." I ruffled my hair to make it look wilder than normal, then jumped onto the stage. "Nyx is coming because she is mistaken." I explained. "She… _believes_ that humanity has sunk so deep into despair that every human heart is crying out for the sweet release of death, because life is just that unbearable."

"But is this not so?" Takaya asked. "All humans in this world are suffering, surely it is not wrong to desire respite from that pain?"

"Yes." I replied. "It is. Suffering is what humans do best.  
"Everything in this world exists to bring you down." I explained. "But if we fall a ninety-nine times, what do we do?" I asked rhetorically. "We stand up a hundred times." I explained. "Life sucks. Deal with it. If you don't like it, do something about it to make life better for yourself. Don't just throw your hands in the air and shout DO OVER!" I shouted for impact.

Takaya chuckled. "The coming of Nyx is inevitable." He countered. "You know this to be true. You cannot stop it."

"See, that's just the thing." I replied, shoving my hands into my pocket and pacing around the studio. "See, everyone I've spoken to has said that it's impossible to stop Nyx, but it has also been said that it'd be impossible for a man to… oh, I don't know… flood an entire TV studio with a wave of his hands?"

"Oh, I'm not going to." I replied, laughing at Takaya's flinch. "But you know damned well that I could if I wanted to." I shrugged. "See, I'm the kind of guy who likes a challenge. And over the years, I've gotten good at them. The difficult has gotten… frankly easy for me. Now, doing something impossible…" I whistled. "That'll be fun."

"So, you intend to stand against Nyx?" Brown asked me. "In fact, aren't you now declaring yourself in direct opposition to the Minister of Defence's religious beliefs?"

"Well, I know for a fact that Nyx actually wants to fight alongside me here, but a demon's gotta do what a demon's gotta do." I shrugged. "For the record, Nyx's Avatar has asked me on several occasions to kill it in order to delay Nyx's coming, but I thought it'd deal with her sooner rather than later."

"You are indeed a foolish child…" Takaya sighed. "You have no idea of humanity's limits…"

"That's the best part." I replied. "Where are humanity's limits exactly? We're constantly evolving… growing stronger than we were a minute ago, ever changing and adapting with every step we take forward. It's when things get in our way that we push those obstacles aside and start _running._" I smiled. "And that's when things get _interesting._" I told him. "Because when we start running… well… do you run often Takaya?"

Takaya was befuddled. "This metaphor of yours is becoming rather strained, is it not?"

"Not at all." I answered. "But there's two main types of running. Running from, and running towards." I turned to the audience. "In your life, which are you doing? Are you running from your problems, your responsibilities, your past, future, regrets and decisions, or are you charging head first for them, without any hesitation, never looking back with anything other than a smiling glance?"

"Such naivety…" Takaya mocked. "How selfish it is to live in such a way, shunning all responsibility and refusing to accept the truth… is there a greater cowardice?"

"Depends which direction you're running while doing it." I replied. "And either way, the biggest cowardice is not daring to give it a shot."

"Such impudence." Takaya sighed, pulling out a Bolt Pistol from his jacket and handing it to me. "But if that is how you feel, then please, feel free to remove me from your path." He offered himself with widespread arms. "Do not hesitate."

I tossed the gun aside. "What's this?" Takaya asked. "Have you not the resolve to fulfil your own teachings?"

"You're asking me to kill you with a Bolt Pistol." I replied, noting his surprise at the name I had given it. "You deserve a bigger gun."

He started to laugh, but then he saw the Storm Bolter I'd pulled from under my jacket. "Like this one." I said, showing him the weapon. It's a double-barrelled Bolter and as such will break your arm if you pull the trigger.

I handed it to him. "I am going to stop Nyx." I told him. "This is not a bluff, because I know how I will do it. I will face against her on the Promised Day and I will overpower her with sheer human resolve." I glared at him. "You know that I'm going to do it, and I expect to see you there for our last battle, where you will die." I turned away and headed for the door. "Until then, enjoy your little godplay."

**DAKKA!!** "AARRGGHH!!!"

I stopped walking and laughed. "You are thick." I said, turning around to see Takaya on his knees clutching his right arm. "You must've used the smaller version before, you know the recoil on that. So you can expect that a bigger weapon's recoil way bigger. _So why did you try to shoot me in the back with a weapon you couldn't aim"_

I left him there clutching his broken arm. "Honestly…" I sighed. "Who'd place their faith in some hypnotist like you?"

* * *

We did some training in Monad that night. The place was insane. We left after two five-minute runs in there.

The next day, it was time to go back to school. Much high-fives were given unto me for my sheer awesome. I got a call from Baofu telling me that he'd been hired by the SPF to try and dig up some dirt on Takaya, and the Government were seriously starting to question whether or not he was fit for office after all. Even better, Brown had then shown off some 'Nanjo revolutionary holographic technology' that he would be discussing with Kei Nanjo next Monday, so all that Persona stuff got brushed over.

I am awesome.

"HERETIC!!"

I dodged to the left as a Katana rushed past me, right through where my back should have been. That's right, I'm also the poster boy for 'Anti-Nyxists', so a few assassination attempts are only to be expected.

I slapped the sword down out of the kid's hands and grabbed him as the blade rattled against the ground. "That was a bit thick." I told him, lifting him into the air. "Surprise attacks don't work when you declare them."

The guy grabbed my hands and flailed angrily. "HOW DARE YOU INSULT NYX-SAMA!?"

I slammed him against the concrete lightly, making only a small crater in the pavement. Admittedly, it did crack his head open, so I quickly patched that up and called an ambulance for him, leaving a note saying that he attacked me from behind with the Katana, which I left where it was after cornering the area off with the 'Warning; hole!' signs.

Hopefully people have realised that there's a hole there by now.

"Hey!" Junpei shouted, running after me. "Wait UUUuuuuuuuuup..!"

SPLASH

Junpei doesn't count.

* * *

I was late for school, since I spent ages helping Junpei out of that hole, then just missing the train to Port Island, so we dropped by Bookworms for a chat and for Junpei to dry off, which didn't take long since, you know. Junpei.

Anyhoo, after school, Mitsuru kidnapped me again. Apparently Port Island cinema had just received the tapes for Book of Eli, and she'd pulled some strings to get us an illegally early screening.

Hey, I'm up for some criminal activity.

* * *

Maybe my life is just that insane, but the film seemed tame compared to the insane stuff I get up to.

Which reminds me. If I go high up in Tartarus and flood the place, will the lower floors get wet?

It's worth investigating.

"I've been wanting to see that movie for a long time." Mitsuru commented. "It was very entertaining… Even though it was a typical action movie, the way the characters expressed their emotions was great."

I kinda switched off while Mitsuru gave her review, but switched back on when my name came up. "Hey, Arisoto… Have you ever thought about going to a place like that… Somewhere far away, where no one knows who you are?"

"Did that in April." I replied. "You were there, remember?"

She smiled. "That's not really what I meant." She replied. "After all… you did have the dorm waiting for you."

"Ah, should've said." I replied. "All the time."

"Really?" She asked. "I'm surprised to hear that… I didn't know you felt that way."

"You were listening to my 'Running' speech yesterday, right?"

Mitsuru chuckled. "Of course." She replied. "You really are a strong person…" She remembered herself. "Don't misunderstand me; I don't yearn to leave everything behind…" Mitsuru explained. "It's just that, sometimes, it's easy to become bound by the things that are important to you." She said. "The future of the company… All my responsibilities… I wish I didn't have so much to worry about. Sometimes I feel shackled by my family name… However… I know that kind of thinking is not permitted…"

She did her best Shinji impression. "Tch, I've become so undisciplined, constantly complaining…" Mitsuru laughed. "I must bore you with all my griping."

**SMASH**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Empress Arcana…_

"There's something I want to ask you…" Mitsuru said. "Now, hypothetically, what would you think if I told you that I am interested in someone… and even though I can never be with him, I can't stop thinking about him… Would that be… wrong?" Mitsuru asked. "…Hypothetically?"

"Your line of thinking is definitely wrong." I replied. "If there's something you want, you take it. If there's something stopping you from taking it, tear that wall down. If there's no way for you to take it, make one. Even if it's the burning sun you're after, you reach out with both hands and endure the pain. Suffer anything for the sake of your happiness." I smiled. "Besides, it's better to say 'That was stupid of me' rather than 'I wish I'd tried that'."

I stopped myself. "Have I lost the ability to give someone advice without going into an epic speech?" I asked.

Mitsuru sighed. "Arisoto…"

"There you are! Mitsuru!"

I turned to the right to see President Shibuya walking over to us. Emperor Arcana. "I've been looking for you." He told us. "I didn't expect to find you here. We're leaving. Let's go."

I'm sorry, what? "Wait a minute. I didn't make any plans with you for today." Mitsuru replied.

"Well, my business meeting for this evening was cancelled." He explained. I think I cancelled that actually… "I'm a very busy man. You're just going to have to adjust your schedule to mine."

"I can't…" Mitsuru protested. "I've already made plans."

"Well, you can break them." Shibuya shrugged. "I don't think you have anything more important to do than spend time with me."

Must… not… punch… Mitsuru's… fiancé…

"Don't look so sullen." Shibuya told her. "You know this benefits you as well, don't you?" He asked. "I thought you understood our arrangement. Now, you are to be my wife, and you are to be obedient."

Mitsuru? Obedient?

Shibuya sighed. "Why must you and your family always be so difficult?" He asked rhetorically. "Well, at least your father is no longer alive. I am relieved of that." Dude, you just don't say that! "I imagine you feel the same." Shibuya added.

"How can you say that?" Mitsuru snarled at him.

I sighed. This guy didn't deserve a mere beating. "I am very disappointed." I sighed.

"Who the hell are you!?" Shibuya barked at me. I look very different without a comb, glasses and suit.

"Arisoto…" Mitsuru gasped.

I am going to break this guy so hard that worms will have to kneel just so they can spit on him.

"This is none of your business." Shibuya told me. "Get lost! Listen, Mitsuru…" He added, turning to her. "Corporate management is not child's play." Uh, yeah, it is. "No matter how smart you are, you're still going to need my knowledge and experience." No she does not. "And, the Kirijo Group still needs the cooperation of my company, does it not?"

Mitsuru looked down. "Yes…" No, it doesn't.

"Good girl, Mitsuru." Shibuya smiled. "I knew you would listen to reason… Now, let's go. I've made reservations for us at a luxurious restaurant!"

"Very well…" Mitsuru admitted before turning to me. "I wish you hadn't seen that, Arisoto." She said sadly. "Well, thank you. I had a lot of fun today. And… I'm sorry…" She added, before turning to leave with Shibuya. "Please excuse me."

And now it is time for me to work my magic. I quickly stepped forward, grabbing Shibuya by the back of the head and smashing his skull through the drinks machine.

"Arisoto!?" Mitsuru gasped.

Shibuya forced himself out. "Unhand me, you barbarian!" He roared, grabbing his bleeding head. "That is assault! If I have been injured in any way, Mitsuru is the one who will be forced to pay the price!"

I Spartan kicked him in the chest, so he decided to pull a gun on me. "By the way, you!" He growled. "What business do you have with her?" He asked. "You should know your place in society. An ordinary person like you is not fit to interact with people like Mitsuru and myself. Don't you understand?" He sneered, putting the gun away. "You're just a nuisance…" He turned to Mitsuru. "Hmph, I can't believe this. If you continue to befriend derelicts such as this, Mitsuru…"

"That's enough." Mitsuru intervened.

"Mitsuru?" Shibuya asked.

"I said that's enough!" She shouted. "I won't let you insult him!"

"Why are you getting so angry!?" He asked.

"If you insult him, you insult me!" Mitsuru warned him. "How dare you say he should know his place!? You can't even compare to him! He lives life on his own terms…" She said. "And he has taught me not to fear the future. I-I want to… be with him… Now… and forever!"

Ah crap I did it again. Yukari's not gonna like this.

"Y-You want to be with HIM?" Shibuya shouted in disbelief. "Now and forever? What on earth are you talking about!?" He yelled. "You're my fiancé! You think I am inferior to this hooligan!?" He composed himself. "I suggest you retract that statement, Mitsuru…" He threatened. "I will only forgive you if you apologize to me this instance! Think about the future of your company!"

"I WILL NOT APOLOGIZE!" Mitsuru roared. "I want to be with him. You don't care about me or how I feel… The Kirijo Group can stand on its own." Mitsuru declared. "We don't need any help from a person like you. From today, you and I are strangers. And if you try to do anything malicious, I will use the power of the Group to destroy you." Mitsuru turned and began to walk away. "Get out of here, you snob!" She warned. "I don't want to see your face ever again!"

Then she started blushing like hell and ran for it. "You…" Shibuya grunted, reaching for his gun again and turning towards me. "This is your fault!"

WHU-SNAP!

Once his knuckles were all rendered inert, I quickly hand-combed my hair and donned the glasses, and you should have seen the look on his face as I squatted opposite him and sighed. "I'm very disappointed in you Shibuya-kun." I told him. "You do remember me, don't you?" I asked him.

"M-Mochizuki-sama…"

I nodded. "Good." I told him. "Do you remember that back in May, it was my decision to put you in charge of the company your father had ruined, on the condition that should the company fail then it is your personal responsibility to pay the entire debt?" I asked him. "Well, I am calling in that debt." I stood up. "If the entire three-hundred, ninety-four Billion yen amount is not paid to me in full by the end of the month, then I shall be in contact with the debt collectors."

"T-that's completely unreasonable!" He shouted, forcing himself up while I made a phone call. "We've only just managed to recover from the losses my father made!"

I hushed him as my secretary picked up the phone. (Yes, I have a secretary. Her name is Eri and she's dating one of the more handsome big-wigs in the office.) "Eri-san?" I asked her. "Would you please sell my three-million yen share in the Shibuya Corporation for ten yen?" I asked her. "Yes, I know that that seems a very stupid thing to do, but trust me, that is all that share in that particular business will be worth by the end of the week. Actually, I would advise that you give everyone around the office ten minutes notice before you do that just so they can sell their shares now before the prices plummet."

_\_ "Alright sir. I assume that you would like to publicise the fact that you think so little of that company?" _\_

"You read my mind." I smiled. "See you on Sunday as usual."

I hung up and let her get back to work. "Now, I know that you might say that what I just did was unreasonable, but let me put this into perspective." I glared at him. "I had given you the perfect opportunity, and you repay me by taking the strongest woman I know and look up to and break her into becoming your trophy?" I ruffled my hair again. "Mitsuru's a much kinder person than I am." I told him, turning away as I took my glasses of. "I don't do second chances."

_**YEEEEEEEAAAAAHHH!!!!**_

* * *

Mitsuru wasn't anywhere at the dorm that evening, but Shinji announced that Junpei was taking us to ramen since he lost the bet in Yakushima. It took him six months to get Junpei to accept that, though Shinji also failed to pull Aigis, Junpei failed harder than he did and Akihiko's disqualified from the whole thing.

Turns out, he had to get Aigis to tell Junpei that Shinjiro's approach was much more impressive, and was marginally more likely to attract a woman. Because of that, Aigis got to come along, but since she doesn't eat, Yukari came too.

It was pretty damned awkward not talking about what happened with me and Mitsuru earlier that day, but I am proud to say that I have finally learnt how to keep a secret from Yukari! YAY!

Yeah. I feel as guilty as I sound. But I made up for it by flashing my Gourmet Licence and ordering everyone Dan Dan Dan Noodles.

* * *

We had a night off from Tartarus that night, one that we seriously deserved.

Since I hadn't been spending nearly enough time with my girlfriend as of late, we took the train to school together. However, we did have the minor problem of her being pissed off beyond words.

"Anything I can help with?" I asked her.

"It's fine." She grunted, lying through her teeth. Alright, switch to Cybele, mind probe mode.

"There's some rumour you caught wind of that involves you hiding a pregnancy since April, and the Trip to England was a cover-up for you to have birth to the kid and ship him off to one of our relatives?" I asked.

"Daughter actually." Yukari sighed. "It's fine."

"You do realise that when Shadow's power starts running wild across the world, then rumours turn real?" I asked.

She paled. "You're kidding, right?"

I shook my head. "That's what I meant by 'Fighting Zombie Hitler'."

"Wait, that happened?" Yukari asked in shock.

"His Persona was Nyarlathotep." I added. "Point is, I doubt that anything will happening from this, but do you really want a call from Chie telling you how your daughter is doing?"

She sighed. "Knowing you, you're going to beat the crap out of someone."

I tried my best to look offended. "Me? Lay a fist on another person?"

Yukari elbowed me in the arm. "Fine, fine." I laughed. "I promise not to lay a hand on anyone."

"Don't hurt anyone." Yukari corrected. "Mentally or physically."

I sighed. "Fine…"

She still left a hell of a lot of loopholes.

* * *

During lunch, I rammed into class 3-E. "ATTENTION EVERYONE!" I shouted. "Since it's all out in the open, I'll just admit it! Yukari and I have had a beautiful little girl and we're getting married in March!"

"NOOOOOOOO!!!" One guy shouted, jumping from his seat while clutching chopsticks to his head. "IT'S! NOT! POSI-!!"

"THERE HE IS!" I shouted as Kaz, Kenji and Junpei burst into the room. "GERREM!"

* * *

I wasn't allowed to inflict any physical or mental damage on the guy, so we carried him up to the roof, hog-tied him to the fence and de-kegged him. That's _Emotional_ damage.

Now, I have no evidence that the guy started the rumour. In fact, he probably didn't. however, now it's clear that the rumour isn't true since I just used it to lure out whoever started it, and frankly, I've wanted to take that guy down since day one. Plus, I've always wanted to do that to someone.

**CRACK**

_**Thou hast taken the Chariot Arcana up to eleven… transcending the impossible to achieve thy goals…**_

Apparently Kazushi always wanted to do that too.

* * *

After school, however, guilt took over and I went up to the roof to let the guy go. Aigis came too, and she's definitely becoming more human.

Anyway, once I cut the guy loose and he'd run away, I noticed that Aigis was looking through the fence. "I like this place." She said. "I can see the entire town from here…" I walked over to stand next to her. "The Moonlight Bridge is to the right, and over there is Paulownia Mall. Oh, and did you know you can also see our dorm from here?" Aigis asked. "The ocean waters at Yakushima, where I had been sleeping, were clearer than these… But I prefer the view here."

"Before I came here, things such as liking or disliking the scenery never entered my mind…" Aigis continued, before turning to face me. "What about you, Minato-san?" She asked. "Do you… like this town?"

"I love this city." I replied. "It's _my_ city." Mind you, by the looks of things, Arisojack will become my city pretty soon.

"I'm glad to hear that!" Aigis replied happily. "Feeling the same way, as we view the same scenery… It feels nice." She laughed. "Many feelings towards various things I had not recognized before are making themselves clear now… It's a little scary at times… but if I can change by being with you…" Aigis smiled. "I want to hold onto this feeling."

**SMASH**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Aeon Arcana…_

"Oh… I'm sorry to have gone on for so long…" Aigis apologised. "It's still January, so I imagine that you are quite cold. It would be awful if you caught a chill."

* * *

On the way home, Aigis and I met a pack of wild dogs. Aigis thought it'd be a good idea to blow their brains out, confirming my beliefs that she couldn't speak dog anymore. I ended up having to create Saurr, the Dog-king, and translating for Aigis for once.

**SMASH**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Aeon Arcana…_

Hey, whatever works.

* * *

We went to Monad that night, and managed to make our way to the second floor before retreating. Slowly but surely, we were getting stronger.

* * *

Junpei woke me up during Composition the next day, the bastard.

"Dude, student council needs you." He hissed. "Get out there fast."

I shot up and was out of there as fast as I could.

* * *

"I don't think anyone will find us up here." Mitsuru explained after dragging me up to the rooftop after kidnapping me again. "I used my authority as Student Council President to make sure of it. This is the first time I've ever done anything like this, you know…" She said. "But, I don't care about that right now… What I want to say is… Th-The thing is… I need to apologize to you… I'm so sorry about what happened the other day."

"Eh, don't worry about it." I shrugged.

"I see… Thank you." Mitsuru said. "I need to apologize to you for all the trouble my ex-fiancé caused you… but first, I want to apologize for my behaviour last time."

Hm? "The other day… I ran away after saying all those things to you." Mitsuru explained, not looking me in the eye. "I can't believe I did that… I'm so sorry… I had been planning to tell you how I felt… I just can't believe I said it in front of so many people… But, that's not all… You've opened up a whole new world to me… A world full of happiness and surprises… I… I can't stop thinking about you. Arisoto… I like you…"

Fraaaag…

"I feel like I'm going to die of embarrassment." Mitsuru laughed. "But, I had to tell you how I feel… I couldn't hide it from you any longer. Phew…" She wheezed. "I feel so free now. You're very special to me. Of course, because of my situation, I can't let anyone know about this." She smiled.

**SMASH**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Empress Arcana…_

I need to sort this out before things get out of hand. Again. "Listen, Mitsuru…"

"I know about you and Takeba." She said. "And I understand. That's what I was asking about, not because of my fiancé." She smiled.

I leaned against the railing. "Well, my advice stays the same." I told her.

Mitsuru smiled. "So, you're asking me to become your mistress?"

… lolwhut?

"I'm kidding." Mitsuru replied with a laugh. "That would be extremely selfish of me." She smiled. "Minato… From now on, I'll only call you by your first name when we're together. It may feel a little awkward, but that's what I want to do." She leaned back and stretched. "Well, I no longer feel shackled by my family name… I met you because of who I am… Minato… T-Take good care of me…"

Hold the Frag, is this actually happening?

"Stay with me…" Mitsuru asked, moving somewhat closer to me. "Just a little while longer."

My mind. It has been blown.

* * *

We managed to get to the third floor of Monad that night, but just barely. Much sleeping was needed for us before going again.

Anyhow, next day was Friday, but we got fourth period off to check out the Solar Eclipse. It wasn't that impressive. Seen one eclipse, you've seen them all.

Anyway, after school Aigis dragged me around town to find a lost cat. Interesting, she's scared of dogs but likes cats.

She began to give up after a few hours. "There's no trace of her…" Aigis reported sadly. "I can sense hostile reactions, such as Shadows, but this… I'm useless… aren't I?"

"No, you're not." I told her. "Don't ever say that. **Ever.**"

"I'm sorry, I was the one who began this search…" Aigis admitted sadly. "It's not working out after all… How could a machine like myself have feelings like a normal person..?"

"Aigis, I'd really appreciate it if you'd stop hating yourself like this and just be happy about yourself for once." I told her.

"It's getting dark." Aigis pointed out, ignoring me. "We should return to the dorm for today. Thank you very much, Minato-san. It makes me happy that you took the time to indulge me in this."

**SMASH**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Aeon Arcana..._

"I'll be going back alone today…" Aigis told me. "I need some time to think. I'm sorry… and after you invited me out, too…"

Didn't you drag me out here?

* * *

Next day was Junpei's birthday, so Aigis and I snuck out of school early to find the stuff needed for the bash, when we found the missing cat. Several scratches on my arm later, we managed to capture it and return him to the old lady, when Aigis became rather philosophical.

"It seems that 'living' is something that can't be done alone…" Aigis commented.

"You may be right." I nodded.

"Yes." Aigis nodded. "It's important to keep someone in your thoughts, and to know that you are in theirs… to be able to contact them any time… And… to touch them…" There's some beauty melancholy there on her face. "But I do understand one thing. I feel happy when I'm together with you, Minato-san…"

**SMASH**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Aeon Arcana..._

"However, I am still curious…" Aigis commented. "If to live means to be able to connect with other people… How close to that goal can I come with a body like mine..?  
"Just kidding." She lied. "I have been exceedingly timid lately. Is there something wrong with me, I wonder?" She shook her head. "We should start heading back."

* * *

And because of that, we forgot to get the stuff for Junpei's birthday, which arguably made the whole thing more fun. A good time was had regardless, and we partied all the way through the Dark Hour.

* * *

Which, it turns out, was a bad thing, since I was pretty tired that day for work. Tanaka called me into his office to chew me out for ruining a perfectly good company and demanded an explanation. I told him it was for petty revenge.

**CRACK**

_**Thou hast taken the Devil Arcana up to eleven… transcending the impossible to achieve thy goals…**_

Then the dragon appeared outside his window.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

Yes. I just left you on that epic cliffhanger. Next chapter will start off resembling Die Hard with demons.

Pfft. Yeah. As if Minato, Naoya and Aleph combined would let a singe Nyxist inside the building.

And Hands up who saw that coming with the Empress social link? I think no-one did.

And that guy is back! Yay!

Now, announcement. Everybody, go and look up a game called 'Epic Mickey'. It's still in production, it's gonna be about Mickey Mouse, it'll be on the Wii, and it'll be epic. **Seriously.**_The main purpose of the game is to traumatise anyone who plays it._

Warren Spector is running it with strict instruction to do to Mickey what The Dark Knight did to Batman. That is all.


	94. Chapter 94

Hey, back again. This story had now breached the 400,000 word barrier, making this one bigass story.

Now, an important announcement. Patcheresu has made a page for this story on TV Tropes, so I'M FINALLY ON TV TROPES! YAY!

Now, the reason why this chapter is so late is because I went to go see DiamondHead the other night. Europe also happened to be there, and they were AWESOME.  
Anyways, I'm not sure whether I've mentioned this or not, but I get my best ideas when listening to music, and thanks to Europe's gig, I got epical ideas for the Promised Day. DUUUUDE.  
So, yeah. Thank those Swedish lads for the incredible epic.

Now, reviews. Viktor Mayrin, it'd be funnier if you said "Intelligence = Epic. Charm = Epic. Courage = Crazy Awesome."

I Started The Fire, Monad is an incredibly scary place. You never grow used to it like you do the other Tartarus blocks. First time you go in, the Shadows are 10-20 levels above you, and even when you reach 99, they can kill you easily if they get you from behind. However, you level up crazy fast in there, and the weapons are second only to the strongest fusion weapons.  
Your kegs are your undies. That's all I'm saying.  
I have my own plan for Takaya, and you will enjoy it. I have no current plans for Mitsuru, other than the immediate, epic plans for this chapter.

Forgotten Memories, Minato will go "Whoa, did I just get laid?"

DHP, Bauer Bars exist as a restorative item in Port Island, like Dr. Salt. You buy it in one of the vending machines at Iwatodai Strip mall for 120 yens.

TanithMagnus, coming right up. So much you may wish to lynch me. As for the watermelon gag, it's a Sora No Otoshimono reference, probably the funniest manga out at the moment.

Vajrini, You need to be crazy enough to kill the Reaper on your first play-through, or wait for the New Game+.

Sour, of course he did.

Minato Shiki, stay away from Time Paradox until you get that work done. Trust me, it's for your own good.

Slackerman, six words. _**Kill the Mouse… Take his House…  
**_That is all.

Tenshi Reike, Mitsuru resolves back in Inaba. Minato just wasn't there for it.

RTO, I am not going to use the Rasengan or the Chidori. No chance.  
I have nothing planned at all for Ryoji's kid, nor any intention of introducing him into the story later on or the lad ever meeting Minato. Sorry. And thanks for pointing out the typo. Tanaka, Takaya, very easy names to mix up while typing.  
And I'm not that predictable, so don't pretend that you have any idea how the final battle is going to go down, nor how the Nyxists will go down, or that there is only one Nyxist attacking Tanaka's Mega Corp.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

I did the first thing that came to my head and tackled Tanaka as a fireball melted through the windows, incinerating his office. I looked up to see the guy smash a Persona card. "Bheitheir!" He shouted, causing the dragon to burn the place again.

I shielded Tanaka again. Now when did those Strega guys learn how to use cards?

Once the flames settled, I did the only rational thing and jump out of the window to superman punch the guy in the head as hard as I could. He started hurtling down the fifty-storey drop, and I frankly had no sympathy.

I have my own problems to deal with.

I hurtled across the gap and kicked my way through a window of the opposite building, skidded across the carpet as people screamed, then ran back to the window and leapt out the window, back into Tanaka's building. While jumping, I saw several guys with weapons storm through the entrance of our place, and one guy torching the remains of dragon man.

I crash-landed through the thirtieth floor, so I just survived two ten-storey jumps. Yep, definitely stronger thanks to Monad.

Actually, I'm still the only one able to open it, so that gives us an advantage over Takaya.

Back on topic. The hole in the opposite building is only a couple of floors above the one I just entered, so I may have just made a seventeen storey drop and come out unscathed. I'm fairly impressed with that.

"Mochizuki-san!" A suit told me urgently. "We need to evacuate the building!"

And Takaya's goons are coming up the stairs with guns… "STOP THE EVACUATION!" I shouted.

It was too late. Screams and gunshots could be heard from below. Dammit Takaya, you've thought this one through. "Get Toudou and Hijiri and tell them that we're under attack." I ordered. "Everyone else, take cover and send someone to get Tanaka from his office!" I jumped up and stomped through the ground there, crashing down until I saw Nyxists fighting against the office guys who brought swords to work.

I summoned a Katana and a Desert Eagle and charged into the fray. Chainsword and Bolter strategy, but far less destructive. It worked too, until the Nyxists remembered that they had Persona.

"RED CAP!"  
"SLEIPNIR!"  
"GERMAN!"

It began to hail frozen blood as a wave of horses made of water charged up the stairs, Lord Of The Rings style. I made the only sensible counter and fusion summoned Susano-o and Izanagi to perform Stormbringer, flooding the lower floors hard. Thankfully, everything's backed up on a separate location, as per good business sense, so the only things I had to worry about was property damage.

And human life I suppose. Limbs grow back after a week, right?

"NIX!"

I almost crapped myself, but Nix was only some water-demon taking the form of a woman who tried to drag me down the stairs. I sliced my way through her and fired bullets down the stairs as the waters began to empty.

"KRAKEN!"

Crap. I jumped out of the way as tentacles burst into the hallway. Golden flames burst from the stairs above, incinerating it as Naoya rushed down the stairs with a shortsword in one hand and a Bolter in the other.

"Found it in your office." He explained, lifting the weapon up. "Hope you don't mind."

"I got plenty." I replied, summoning up a Devil Round and handing it to him. "Put this in, you'll have infinite ammo."

"Nice!" Naoya said, taking the clip from his bolter and replacing it. "Hijiri should be here soon." He explained. "They've got hostages downstairs though."

"I think I might've drowned them…" I gulped.

Naoya shook his head. "Nah, some would've splashed out the sides, but barely any water would leave the stair case."

"MONOPOD!" One guy shouted, summoning a one-footed dwarf to hop up the stairs. It was hilarious. We let it get all the way to the top before pushing it down.

Then I felt a spear poke against my back. "Heh. Lord Takaya's gonna be happy to see you."

I turned around and aimed a Bolter at his face. There were twelve of them. "I've fought while missing a ribcage." I warned. "Just try me."

"Yeah right!" One of his mates laughed. "Like that's pos-"

He got his head sliced through by Aleph, who gave us the distraction we needed to finish the rest of them, at which point I sealed off the stairs and summoned Skynet.

"There's no-one above us except for the guys we sent up there." I reported. "Lifts are down, I've blocked all communications and I've sealed off all the stair cases."

"How?" Naoya asked.

"Magic." I replied. "Fine Hollow Arcana if we're being pedantic." I added to their rolling eyes. "Thing is, all we need to do is work our way down at our own pace and wipe them out floor by floor."

"Do we need to kill them all?" Naoya asked.

"Those stupid enough to not surrender." I answered. "We can't let any escape to the lower floors in case they panic and decide to kill some hostages."

They didn't like it, but they agreed that it was the most likely scenario.

Then there was a crashing sound, and an ape-wolf thing burst through the barricade. "A Wendigo…" Aleph growled, readying his sword again.

I grabbed a handgun from the floor and put it to my head. "SATAN!"

**BLAM!**

Black meteors fell from around the place and pulverised the Persona into, well, pulp.

Aleph grabbed me from behind. "YOU SUMMONED SATAN!?" He shouted, shaking me frantically. "ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR DAMN MIND!?"

I shrugged him off. "He's a Persona." I told him. "Facet of my soul."

"I never saw anyone with a Persona like that." Naoya countered. "But what the hell. Here you go Hijiri." He said, tossing the Bolter to Aleph. "Can I have another one?"

* * *

A quick trip to the armoury later and we were ready to go. Naoya and Aleph went together through the hole made by the Wendigo, while I cut through the lift, skidding down the walls down to the ground floor, so I could fight my way up.

And who did I find there but Revolver Jesus?

He'd lost the clean-shaven politician look, going back to the old him with one major difference.

The old him didn't have power armour strapped around his right arm, which held the Storm Bolter I'd given him last week.

Craap.

"You carried yourself remarkable well the other day." Takaya complimented. "Were it not for Jin testifying against me this morning in High Court, then all our efforts would have been for naught."

Wait what? "Jin wouldn't sell you out…" I commented. "You cut yourself from this operation so Jin could continue screwing the government without raising suspicion."

"Correct." Takaya smirked. "And I must thank you. Were it not for your intervention, I would never have had the means, nor the technology to move this freely while maintaining my control over this country." He bowed sardonically. "It isn't every day that one gets such… freedom with their power."

"Now you know how I feel every day of my life." I commented. "Now how about you withdraw before people die?"

Takaya smirked. "You are indeed inebriated with the wine of victories past." He said. "But even you must realise that you cannot wipe out a force of a hundred faithful servants of Nyx while saving those 'innocent' bystanders."

"The two men upstairs can." I said. "Both have incredible experience fighting Personae and Demons, and both have the power to overcome gods." It was my turn to smirk. "I'm just here to give them back up."

"Your silly little games are useless here, child." Takaya sighed, beginning to pace. "Even you must realise the futility of attempting to trick one such as I."

"Fair enough." I shrugged, before charging with my sword. He blocked with his armoured elbow, then swung his left fist into my face. I gritted myself against the blow, then butted him in the head, knocking him back enough for me to step in and ram my shoulder into his chest. He staggered back and I rushed in with a Kung-Fu trick I'd picked up called Raigeki Denpi.

What happens is that I allow myself to fall forward, then at the last second I step forward, pushing all my weight onto my front foot, then I rebound from the ground, pushing myself into a world-class uppercut to Takaya's jaw that sent him flying.

Surprisingly, that didn't knock him out, since he was able to summon his Persona Morpheus to rush me, so I countered by summoning Beelzebub to tackle it as I rushed ahead, pulling my Evoker out of my pocket, summoning Uriel to charge at him in flames, smacking Takaya against the ground as I charged my fists with energy and rammed my hands into his chest, ripping his ribcage apart.

He vanished, and he was behind me, laughing.

"You truly are foolish." He said. "You know that my Persona has mastery over dreams, and you never considered that I could not trap you within waking dreams?"

"Fraaag…" I moaned, before snickering.

"And what do you find so amusing?" He asked.

"Just that you never considered that I couldn't see through this whole dreamland of yours." I laughed, summoning Skynet. "You can fool me, but not the security cameras." I explained. "I specifically created a Persona just for doing that." I told him as I picked up my Bolter and aimed it forty degrees left to where Takaya was standing. "Remember?"

He paled, and I fired just as the real Takaya jumped out of the way. See Ichigo? This is how you fight a guy who controls your senses. Use a third party that they can't control.

Takaya did the sensible thing and shot down the decoy security cameras. As you can imagine, Tanaka's a pretty paranoid guy, so the security cameras are hidden around the walls and ceiling, so I just closed my eyes and unleashed MOAR DAKKA!!!

Before too long, his body was absolutely riddled with holes, and he rippled ominously as he fell. Through the camera's I saw Takaya shapeshift into Hideo. Remember Hideo, from the Kendo team? The guy who does Japan's best Mr. T impression?

Well, apparently he was a Nyxist with the power to mimic Takaya's appearance and abilities. And I just killed him.

…

No time for remorse, I need to get up the stairs and kill some more people.

* * *

Some of the more sensible Nyxists survived. They were the ones who kneeled down with their hands behind their heads when they saw that our guns exploded more torso than a shotgun. Also, our demons were stronger than theirs and we had more ammo.

Turns out that Hideo's Persona was Doppelganger, which let him physically transform into other people, mimicking their abilities. That makes sense for him. He was always looking over his shoulder at Kazushi and me, seeing what we were doing and copying us.

Still…

We called the police as per protocol, and arrests were made. About forty of the several hundred workers in the building died, and they were mostly the ones who'd been fighting against the Nyxists, who had a much larger body count. Naturally, we'd hidden the Bolters, but I'd planted some grenade launchers in the building that'll make much sense to the coppers.

I was a bit concerned of returning to the dorm covered in other people's blood, but since I was coming early, Mitsuru was the only one in the lounge. She immediately dragged me to her bedroom and told me to use her private shower while she grabbed a change of clothes from my room.

"I know what you want to say." Mitsuru explained as I took in her very large bedroom. "Our maid staff helped me move here… so that's why it looks like this. It reminds you of a lounge, doesn't it?" She laughed. "That's what Yukari always says…"

Oh yeah. They've become a lot closer too.

* * *

After I'd washed and dressed, I had to explain to Mitsuru about what happened at work. She took it well.

"Oh, I almost forgot." She added afterwards, passing me some keys. "Here… It's the key to my motorcycle… I'm not going to run from the future anymore." Mitsuru smiled to herself. "There's no need for me to. I don't have to think of my motorcycle as a means to escape from my feelings. I feel bad that I haven't ridden it in such a long time, though… I want to ride with you." She said. "But, you'll have to sit on the back until you get your license. When we're done fighting, I'll teach you how to operate it… I can't wait until then."

"Already got one." I replied, passing her my motorbike licence. "I kept the colours within the lines and everything."

"'_Warning, Minato Arisoto is licensed to operate anything from an artillery turret to a zebra, he is that awesome'." _Mitsuru read, before smirking. "Very well. But, please be careful."

"Will do." I saluted smartly. Am I trying to cover any Post-traumatic stress I may or may not have by acting like a child? Probably, but it's working.

"Minato…" Mitsuru said. "It still sounds a little awkward… But, when we're alone, no one else can hear me. Your name is special to me." She told me. "If I was in danger, it would be the first word I'd scream out…  
"Um… Minato… I-I want to be with you a little bit longer tonight… C-Can you stay with me..?"

**SMASH**

_Thou art I… And I am thou…_

_The bond thou hast nurtured hath finally matured… _

_The innermost power of the Empress Arcana hath been set free…_

_We bestow upon thee the ability to create Alilat, the ultimate form of the Empress Arcana…_

_This bond shall never be broken… Even as thou breakest each others hearts…_

Well, that certainly isn't ominous… when did Mitsuru start kissing me?

I did the decent thing and pulled away. "Wait, what?" I asked her.

She grabbed me. "Please…" She begged, holding me hard. "Just… this once…"

Come to think of it, everyone and anyone she's become close to has died since her mom. Akihiko, Her dad, add on everything she's going to have to deal with later…

Then there was the advice I gave her. _If there's something you want, you take it. If there's something stopping you from taking it, tear that wall down. If there's no way for you to take it, make one. Even if it's the burning sun you're after, you reach out with both hands and endure the pain. Suffer anything for the sake of your happiness._

I pulled her close and kissed her. Man, I am going to feel seriously guilty about this later.

* * *

Guess what? I did.

**CRACK**

_**Thou hast taken the Empress Arcana up to Eleven… Transcending the impossible to achieve thy goals… **_

Know what else? I never actually use Empress Personae, so I had no real reason to sleep with her other than the fact that she needed that… closeness that she'd never felt elsewhere in her life.

If Yukari finds out I am a dead man.

…

Still worth it.

* * *

I swung out of Mitsuru's window at around four in the morning to ninja my way into Akihiko's room, who I was pretty confident never bothered locking his window when he was alive, so breaking in was easy enough.

"So where've you been?" Shinji asked.

I almost crapped myself, then saw Shinji sitting at Akihiko's desk, staring straight at my door. "How long have you been there?" I asked.

"Since Yukari went to bed." He replied. "You know how worried she's been about you?" He asked. "Why haven't you been answering your phone?"

"Don't answer that." He ordered, denying me a chance to explain that my phone was destroyed in the carnage. "All I know is that you came in earlier and Mitsuru rushed you upstairs, and no-one's been able to contact either of you since. Oh, I didn't tell anyone that." Shinji growled. "But apparently you were involved with that Nyxist attack downtown, and Yukari's been worried sick while you were shacking up with Mitsuru."

Craaaaap.

"I'll keep quiet about this." Shinji sighed. "But I expect you to fess up to her and to talk to her about this _after_ we kill Nyx."

"Why after?" I asked him.

"Because I don't want this team tearing lumps out of each other when we're this close." He replied. "Mitsuru and I can keep a secret, and we all know damn well that you're a fortress, so you're going to keep both of them happy until the time is right to tell them, you understand that?"

I sighed. "Mitsuru knows about me and Yukari." I told him. "She made it quite clear that she only wanted a one-off." I leaned back against the remains of Akihiko's wardrobe. "Do you want me to explain myself?"

"I'd probably kill you if you tried." Shinji grunted, heading out of the room. "Don't do anything so idiotic again."

I'll try not to.

* * *

Next morning I got a desperate hug from Yukari, followed by a beating from her. It sickened me to lie to her, saying that I was tracking down Takaya, but he escaped during the Dark Hour, but I actually doubt that I could've told her even if I'd wanted to.

I ended up walking to school with her and Aigis that day, and we saw something interesting on the way. Remember the cat lady? Well, turns out her grandson goes to our school. Also, he's a douchebag.

An interesting douche, apparently, since Aigis wanted to talk to him before he caught the train.

"Kiyoshi-san, please wait." Aigis asked him.

"Geez! Don't friggin' call me that-- H-huh? A-Aigis-senpai?" He asked. "A-and Yukari-senpai!?"

Yukari and I caught up with Aigis, who asked "Do you know me?"

"Well, doy…" He replied. "You're famous! I-I'm Kiyoshi Sakuma… A frosh. Everyone calls me Joe, so if you could just—"

"I would like to ask you something, Kiyoshi-san." Aigis replied, and Yukari winced at the epic pownage. "Is that alright?"

"Uh, sure…" Kiyoshi replied. Star.

"Kiyoshi-san… Do you feel lonely when you are by yourself?" Aigis asked him.

"Huh? What?"

"Your grandmother said that she is lonely, because she has nobody else." Aigis explained.

"What is this, a lecture?" Kiyoshi replied angrily.

"No, I… simply wish to know." Aigis answered. "Why don't you visit your grandmother more often? Her loneliness… If you are her relative, you may have the power to alleviate it."

"Nah, I'm just her grandson…" Kiyoshi answered. That's kinda defined as her relative. "But I know a lecture when I hear it!" He shouted. "Stay outta stuff that doesn't concern you, okay?"

"Kiyoshi-san, have you ever considered what it means to live?" Aigis asked regardless.

"To live?" Yukari asked.

"Personally… I think the bonds between people are what's most important." Aigis explained to her before turning back to Kiyoshi. "That is what your grandmother is slowly losing."

"'To live'…" Kiyoshi repeated. "Are you kidding?" He asked. "No one seriously talks like that. What more do you need outta life than to have a blast?"

"Having a bigger blast." I hissed to Yukari. "Ain't he never seen Dragonball?"

"_Having a blast_…" Aigis repeated at Yukari snickered.

"I mean, you're happy when you're having fun, right?" Kiyoshi asked, clearly annoyed at our little joke. "So hell yeah!" He shouted. "We're alive to be happy!"

"To be happy…" Aigis nodded.

"So whaddya say, Aigis-senpai?" He asked hopefully. "If you got time, why don't we—"

"Thank you, Kiyoshi-san." Aigis told him, before turning back to us. "Let's go."

"Huh!? What's up with that!?" Kiyoshi asked, before turning to Yukari. "How 'bout you, Yukari-senpai?"

"I thought you just borrowed some money for a date tomorrow?" Yukari asked him, clearly enjoying bringing the douchebag down.

"So you were just trying to make a fool outta me, huh!?" He spat. "Then screw you!"

He started to walk away with composure, then ran like a little girl.

"I can't understand Kiyoshi-san's feelings…" Aigis commented. "And worse yet, I have angered him… Did I do something wrong?"

"Don't worry about guys like him." Yukari grunted. "Scum like him aren't worth the bother."

"I wouldn't go as far as calling him scum," I added, "He's really more of a douche."

"Yeah, that's right." Yukari nodded. "You okay Aigis?"

"I… Ever since I decided to live… I've been using words like 'why' and 'how' more frequently." She explained, shaking her head then turning to me. "The more time I spend with you, the more things I discover that I cannot understand… But the reason why I am not alive… It remains a stumbling block… Is this… 'frustration'..?"

Aigis smiled. "But at the same time, I feel fortunate." She said. "Although I'm not human, I enjoy a few privileges others do not… After all, I am able to be near you, the one most precious to me… It's strange how two conflicting feelings can co-exist…"

**SMASH**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Aeon Arcana…_

"To be honest… My feelings toward Kiyoshi-san are… unusually harsh." Aigis admitted to us. "Kiyoshi-san has warm, soft hands he can use to feel those precious to him… And yet, he…" Aigis looked down, clenching a fist close to her chest. "What is this ugly feeling?"

I turned away. "It's envy." I explained, looking up to see the train pull into the station. "One of humanities less admirable qualities."

Aigis shook her head. "Let's stop this… It isn't right." She said. "Yes. I'll stop right here. Shall we get going, then?" She asked, gesturing to the train.

* * *

"Hey…" Yukari asked me, leaning into my ear. "Those social links… Aigis is one of them, isn't she?"

"One of my stronger ones." I told her. "She's also the only one I've got left to complete."

That surprised her. "So, you've finished mine then?"

I nodded. "Remember when I jumped out of the plane?"

Yukari nodded in realisation. "That… makes sense."

I smiled. "I'm going to be spending a lot of time with Aigis so I can finish this." I told her, keeping an eye on Aigis, who was keeping to herself several feet down the train, several bodies between us. "Sorry about that, but I really want to kill Nyx."

Yukari smirked. "Alright, but you owe me one."

I owe you more than that.

Man, I really am a scumbag.

* * *

I got a curse cast on me by Mr. Edogawa for saying that Io was a Greek witch. I honestly don't care at this point; sleep is more important than curses.

Although, maybe there's something to that, because I ended up getting my hand superglued to a random table by some guy. We couldn't budge it, so I had to write left handed for the rest of the day.

That conviced Aigis that I was cursed, and she dragged me to the shrine, where who did we meet other than "Ah… You're Kiyoshi-san's grandmother, correct?" Aigis asked her. "Greetings." I personally think it's just Karma for last night.

"Oh, you're those nice students from before." The old lady replied. "Hello! You have great timing, I was just thinking about seeing you two again." She admitted. "If you want the truth… Mewlie has disappeared again."

"Again?" Aigis asked. "Well, don't worry. At least this time, we have an idea of where she may have gone."

"No… That's all right." She replied. "I believe that this time… Mewlie went in search of something."

"In search of something?" Aigis queried.

"Yes, for a place to die." The old lady replied. "When cats perceive that their life is nearly over… they leave on their own to wait for the end. Mewlie even came to say goodbye to me before she left. And so…" The old lady chuckled almost bitterly. "I don't think I'll need you to find her anymore. I just wanted to thank you for letting us see each other one last time before the end."

"Mewlie-san… died..?" Aigis asked in shock.

"Well, tootle-do." The old lady replied, getting up and walking away, but Aigis stopped her.

"Um… You're, um… You're not alone!" Aigis told her. "I'm certain of it!"

"Well, of course I'm not alone…" She replied. "As long as there are people left in the world, no one can truly be alone. I'm fine as long as there are people like you around!"

"Miss…" Aigis replied bitter-sweetly.

"Bless you, dear girl, for your kindness to an old lady." The old lady told her, before setting off for reals. "Toodle-oo."

As she left, Aigis turned to me. "Kiyoshi-san said that people live to be happy… Was Mewlie-san happy?" She asked.

"I don't know." I replied honestly.

"Was Mewlie-san… grateful to have been born?"

"I don't know."

"For what purpose… was Mewlie-san born..?"

"I don't know." I answered. I can't give easy answers in this place. Reminds me too much of Akinari.

"Life…" Aigis pondered. "Where does it originate?" I don't know. "Where does it go?" Forward. "What reason does life have to exist?" To grow. "To live is to be connected to people, but life eventually ends… Parting seems to be a natural and inevitable aspect of life… An unavoidable end… Life… is cruel…"

That is why nature's true colour is red, not green.

"I wonder… will the day come when I must part with you forever, too?" Aigis asked. "I do want to live, but that's not all… That is to say… I don't want to merely become close to human, I want to… With you!" Aigis declared. "What… What is this feeling!?" She asked. "What… do I want to do..?"

**SMASH**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Aeon Arcana… _

"I'm sorry for getting upset so suddenly…" Aigis apologised, starting to walk away. "I'll be heading back."

I moved over to Akinari's bench and sat down. I had a few issues to work out with him.

* * *

That night, I took Shinji, Yukari and Mitsuru into Monad. There were obvious concerns that my right palm was stuck to a wooden coffee table, but I convinced everyone that I'd make do with a Bolter in my left hand.

It worked horrifyingly well, as we made it all the way to the fourth floor before we had to switch teams. We'd learnt that if one of us stays with a leg in the transporter, then the next group can come up through the portal backwards. It's a very nifty trick.

We left at on the eight floor, but I was determined to keep pushing to the tenth floor just in case there was another warp pad up there, so Koromaru and I used mad stealth skills and Stalker Silenced Rounds. There wasn't another warp pad, but there was a case of a Million yen, which was pretty damned awesome. I traded it with Kenjamin who'd found the actual Excalibur stabbed into a rock in there. True to its name, it cut through anything, specifically the accursed table that had been stuck to my hand this entire time.

I like this weapon.

And Kenjamin likes his money.

Everybody wins.

* * *

I went to the school rooftop with Aigis after school the next day. "The wind is calm today…" She commented. "I don't detect the usual scent of the sea."

She was otherwise unusually quiet. "I'm sorry about last time…" Aigis said. "Perhaps my heart is becoming more and more like that of a human… But as a result… I have realised something." Aigis learned into the fence. "The heart and body are inseparable… A human heart can only function normally within a human body…"

I walked over to the fence and stood next to her. "Um… Have you ever come here alone with a female on any occasion before, Minato-san?" She asked. "Perhaps you gazed out at the view and spoke quietly… Oh, I didn't mean to pry…" She apologised. "I was just curious…"

"I'm doing it right now." I told her.

"Huh..?" Aigis asked, surprised. "Um… I'm only shaped like a female, and besides… I'm a machine." She said. "Actually… I was becoming a little worried. At school, I am seen as a human female… I was concerned that if I stayed with Minato-san too much, it could cause a misunderstanding… If that is the case, please tell me right away! I wouldn't want to act as a barrier to you becoming close to female humans…"

"You're lying your backside off." I told her. "Why this all of a sudden?"

"The view from this rooftop is wonderful…" Aigis replied, though she didn't seem to be changing the subject. "That must be why when I come here after school… sometimes I find a couple alone here. They might be leaning against one another, or embracing… I never gave it a second thought before, but lately… It pains me to see them…" She said. "I have probably come to realise that this is a sort of connection I can never attain…"  
She threw her arms up briefly, in a rather unlike-her action. "The closer my heart becomes to that of a human, the more I realise how much it sets us apart!" She shouted. "Just because my heart is developing doesn't mean I can actually become human… I have known this from the beginning, of course. But… only recently have I realised something." Aigis said. "I have another wish, one just as precious as my desire to live… My realisation is that this second wish can never be granted…"

Aigis started to run away, then stopped herself. "I'm sorry… I lost control of myself again…" She apologised. "But this feeling that you are precious to me will never change… No matter what happens…"

**SMASH**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Aeon Arcana…_

"No… that's not right." Aigis told me. "Until now, I have always referred to you as something precious to me. But that is not the correct way to express this feeling. However… If I were to use the proper words… I know it would never come true, and I…"

"If there's something you want, you take it." I told her. "If there's something stopping you from taking it, tear that wall down. If there's no way for you to take it, make one. Even if it's the burning sun you're after, you reach out with both hands and endure the pain." I turned to face her back. "Suffer anything for the sake of your happiness."

I realise that I'm repeating what I told Mitsuru, but it's a good lesson that both of them need to learn. Aigis, however, just ducked her head and ran.

I really shouldn't re-use lines from one girl to another.

* * *

Next day, after school, I dragged Aigis to the rooftop for once. "Isn't it interesting how the sunlight on a clear winter day seems stronger than it is during the summer?" She asked once the silence was sufficiently awkward. "Perhaps it's because the sun is lower in the sky, and you don't have to look up to see it." She leaned into the fence. "I've gotten used to this view… but it's never exactly the same. The same could be said of one's daily routine. Or of life itself…" I walked up to stand next to her, facing the ocean through the fence. "The fated day is fast approaching… January thirty-first…"

"You're right." I told her.

"I come here in order to think. 'I can't let this end… I must protect it.' Thoughts like that…" Aigis told me. "Since last time… I have calmed myself by thinking things through. I thought about the old lady and Mewlie-san… as well as Kiyoshi-san… I wonder if Mewlie-san was alone until the moment of her death…" Aigis pondered. "Someplace no one could find her… I think… the old lady wanted to be there for her at the end."  
"To live means to be connected to other people, but life is finite, and farewells are inevitable." Aigis considered. "It's hard to consider, but you and I must part one day as well… And then… I'll never be able to see you again…  
"There's so much in life that cannot be understood… It's filled with pain…" Aigis realised. "You meet others, forge relationships, and spend time with them… then they are gone, leaving you behind. Leaving you alone…" She looked upwards. "When I consider that, I can no longer hold back my feelings… But I understand now. That's just how it is. No two viewings are alike. No two days are alike. It is natural for everything to disappear, return, and remain in a constant state of change…" She looked ahead again. "Life is finite and ephemeral." She said. "That is precisely what makes it precious to use, showing us that we shouldn't waste it… It is a miracle for any two like-minded people to meet within the chaotic flux… That's why forging bonds and relationships is a source of happiness." She smiled. "That is the root cause of… the joys of being alive… It's not a cold, but a warm kind of sorrow… Shining more brightly as a result of its limits… If I think of it that way, there's no time to falter or hesitate."

"I need to tell you… Even if my wishes are unfulfilled, I have to share my true feelings…" Aigis told me, turning away. "Minato-san… I… I love you…" She confessed. "I know that I'm a machine. I know… that I can't be touched. But I don't know why… All I can see or think about is you, Minato-san…" She sobbed almost. "I love you so much… that I feel I may break down somehow…"

**SMASH**

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Aeon Arcana…_

I reached over her shoulders and hugged her from behind. She broke off after a few seconds in surprise. "I-I'm sorry." She said. "I can't… think of anything to say… I wonder if something really has broken inside of me… I feel… So happy…" She said. "Um… W-We should go back. I-I'll go ahead, I… I can't look at you now. Um… S-See you later…"

She ran off, and I just stood there, then leant back against the fence. You know, that was the first time I actually made an active push in a romantic relationship since Yukari.

…

Let's go fuse some Personae.

* * *

First I made some weapons, specifically the Lord of the Flies. It is quite possibly one of the strongest weapons I have ever seen, and it can kick some serious arse. It's not that heavy, but it can crush the hell out of things and when I hold it, rocks move. I shudder to think what Shinji could do with this.

Actually, I'll give it to him as a peace offering. We could do with one.

* * *

We ran through Monad that night too. We didn't make it to the top floor this time, but we're getting stronger and stronger each time.

Next day, during lunch, something happened that, quite frankly, blew my mind.

* * *

"I'm sorry to ask so suddenly but… can you come with me?" Mitsuru asked. "There's… something we need to discuss."

"Uhh, you want all of us, or just him?" Junpei asked.

"Just him for now." Mitsuru replied. "Come with me to the student council room."

"Oooh, she wants it hard and she wants it now!" Kenji laughed, earning himself an quick flight to the chalkboard. My friends give my super-strength, which I use to throw my friends into things. I'm a very circular person.

* * *

"There's something you have to know." Mitsuru told me as she locked the door behind her. "Do you remember the girl named Chidori, who was with Strega?"

"Red hair, knife in her head, not that pro-active with her life?" I asked. It's sad that I include someone's mental weaknesses in their description? "She died bringing Junpei back, right?"

Mitsuru nodded. "I don't mean to alarm you, but… The fact is… There's a chance that she may wake up today."

…

"That may take the prize for the craziest thing to happen so far." I replied. Let me check… Nope, jumping out of a plane to have a dogfight with two fighter jets while riding a dragon wins.

"yes, we did see her die in front of our eyes." Mitsuru said, changing the subject. "However, her body began to undergo transmogrification a few days after the incident. For the past few weeks, she's been in a state that is neither living nor dead."

"Like a zombie?" I asked. "Or a vampire?"

"It may be related to her persona abilities, but that's mere speculation." Mitsuru sighed. "But what i wanted to talk to you about… is your opinion on how to break the news to Iori. You see, she's probably—"

PiPiPiPiPiPiPiPiPiPiPiPiPi

Mitsuru picked up her phone. "Mitsuru here…" She said. "I see… Yes, I understand." She hung up. "That was the hospital." She explained. "They say she's just awakened. It's unbelievable… but although we had confirmed her death, it seems Chidori has come back to life—"

The door glowed red and then exploded, Junpei bursting in. "WHAT THE HELL!?" He shouted. "D-Did I hear that right!? Chidori is..? Huh..? Is this a joke?" He asked. "Some kinda trick..?"

"No… It's not a joke, or a trick." Mitsuru told him. "She is currently recovering in the same hospital as before. But… Iori… she probably…"

"Chidori…" Junpei gasped. "Chidori's… alive..?"

I pulled the mop from his hands. "GO!" I shouted.

He didn't need to be told twice. When Junpei catches fire, he moves _fast_.

"Uh, hey, Junpei!" Yukari shouted. "What about your cleanup duty!?"

"I'll do it." I told her. "I somehow feel that it's my turn to do it anyways."

"Geez…" Yukari sighed. "What's up his butt?"

"Chidori's come back to life and is waking up today."

Yukari's jaw dropped. "You serious!?"

I nodded. "You go, tell me about it later."

She didn't need to be told twice.

* * *

Since the dorm was empty, Aigis dragged me into her room that afternoon. It looked like something out of Star Trek, but with more ammo. "Oh, um… Please don't worry." Aigis told me as I bent down to examine a blank. "The shells on the floor are only blanks. There is no gunpowder in them…"

"I was actually considering getting you some of my Devil Rounds." I told her, standing up. "Infinite ammo in a single clip."

She nodded. "S-So, what do you think of my room?" She asked. "Are you surprised? To be honest… I was hesitant to invite you here. I have no heart-warming or pleasant decorations…" Well, neither do I. "It's hard to believe that I once thought this room was normal… But that's why I wanted to show it to you." Aigis told me, taking her black school jacket off. "As you can see from the decor, I'm a machine… I'm not like human women, such as Yukari-san or Mitsuru-san. That used to make me sad… But I figured something out." She told me. "It's something only I can say because I an unable to die."

"What is it?" I asked, becoming noticeable aware that she was taking her clothes off.

"I… will never leave you." She told me, starting to unbutton her blouse. "No matter how or when your life comes to an end… At that moment, I will be at your side. You will… remain in my heart."

"O-Oh yes… Umm… Minato-san… Will you accept this?" Aigis asked me, pulling a charred screw out of her breast pocket and handing it to me. "It is… one of the parts that had to be replaced after I collapsed at the Moonlight Bridge." She explained. "I asked Mitsuru-san to have it sent here. I have… changed, since then." I've noticed. "I'm not afraid, and I won't give up… I'll get back on my feet as many times as it takes… I'll fight by your side and protect you… This is the proof…" She said. "I wanted you to hold onto it. It's… a part of me. If to live means to spend time with people you've forged relationships with… Then… I want me relationship with you to be the strongest of all. My connection to you is my reason for living… The thing that's most precious to me… is to be at your side."

**SMASH**

_Thou art I… And I art thou…_

_The bond thou hast nurtured hath finally matured…_

_The innermost power of the Aeon Arcana hath been set free… _

_We bestow upon thee the ability to create Hito-Shura, the ultimate form of the Aeon Arcana…_

_This bond shall never be broken through all eternity…_

That's the most simple and foreboding rank ten message I have ever received.

"Minato-san… I… um… actually have one more favour to ask…"

I pocketed the screw. "Shoot." I said.

"At the base of my neck, behind the knot of the ribbon… My most important component is located there. The source of the artificial psyche what makes me who I am… My emotional engine… the 'Papillion Heart'." She explained. "It's extremely delicate, so I am forbidden to expose it outside of the laboratory's clean room… I… want you to touch it. If exposed to your skin oils and cells, your genetic information will most likely be burnt into it. Even so… I want you to do this."

Wait, what?

"I want to leave indelible proof in this body of the understanding that you and I have reached…" Aigis said. "Not as a memory that can be erased, but as something permanent… Something irrevocable."

So, basically robo-sex?

I nodded and held her hand.

"Ah… I'm so happy…" Aigis replied. "Well then…" She sat down on her epic chair. "Oh, um… Since you'll be coming into direct contact with me heart, I… I apologise in advance if I say something off, or make unusual noises…" She said. "As a precaution, I will cut off motor functions to my arms and legs."

Yep, definitely robo-sex.

"Well then, umm…" Aigis looked downwards shyly. "Will you… untie my ribbon?"

* * *

Junpei was in a fantastic mood when he got home that evening. Chidori has lost her Persona and her memories, but her 'heart' remembered Junpei somehow… ever seen 50 First Dates? Or that time in Kingdom Hearts II when Sora started crying when leaving Roxas's mates in Twilight Town? I guess it was kinda like that.

Aigis was exhausted from the 'imprinting', so we didn't go to Tartarus that night, which meant that I was paying attention in Ms. Miyahara's maths class for once.

"It's been restless out there lately." She said. "Have you seen all those flyers at the station? But none of that stuff has any credibility. There's no certainty in what they say. That's right… It's a matter of probability! Hey, don't give me those looks." She told us, waving her triangle threateningly. "The end of the world… Let's discuss this with respect to probability."

You'd think that you'd need some detailed knowledge of geography, astronomy and meterology to do that, but apparently mathematics rule the universe.

_Look out the window_

Huh, what?

_**Look out the window NOW!!**_

Okay, okay. I sneakily got up and looked out of the window while the teacher was having her usual number-gasm at the blackboard, and what did I see?

Tanks.

Three tanks in a row, and about fifty soldiers following them, flanked by Special Police Force cars.

Skynet, what are they doing here?

_Take control over Gekkoukan High School, secure the surrender of Minato Arisoto through use of hostages. Kill hostages if target fails to comply. Do not engage the target directly, nor attempt to subdue him or take him by force, he is a lethal and ruthless leader of the terrorist organisation known as Strega, going by the handle of 'Jin'. _

I really need to stop cheating on my girlfriend. My life wouldn't suck so bad then.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

Naru-chan, I think that cliff hanger made you fall off your seat.

So, Minato has now taken every social link up to ten with over a week to spare, and only seven links left to take to eleven. What's going to happen in the remaining time?

I don't know, but it'll be epic.

Also, yes, there's an actual demon called German. It's a Slavic fertility god that's assosiated with hail.


	95. Chapter 95

Alright everyone, new chapta time.

ISTF, I'll burn that bridge when I come to it. I've no plan for any Mitsuru pairings, probably won't, or introduce her to someone we don't know. Yes, Max Aeon Persona is Hito-Shura, and I has an epic plan for these tanks, as you may have guessed.

RTO, I'm trying to find that limit. Chidori probably will appear in the future sequel.

JRS74, thanks for pointing that out for me. Fixed it.

Mr. Thumbs up, it'll be a while until you get here, but whoot! The TVTropes page only started very recently, but it's growing pretty fast.

Heraklinos, I was actually torn between Hito-Shura or Dante, but I decided to make it the Demi-Fiend just cos.

Vajrini, The money is actually at the top of Monad. Why do you think Minato unlocked him just before this particular event?  
The table was a Shout Out to a very funny anime called Baka To Test To Shoukanjuu.

Mr. Thumbsup, the Armageddon pact was already in existence. Minato just joined it.

Dragon's Shadow, yay!  
I'll give you some pointers later. Much of it boils down to knowing how fights actually happen and amping them up to crazy.  
Takaya's interview was shrugged off due to being blamed on CGI. Jin is an actual name, so it's not surprising for someone named Jin to call a mission to take out someone who uses the codename Jin.  
I do realise that I did kind of screw up the whole Minato and Yukari thing. That was my fault. It doesn't affect the whole group dynamic much simply because, while everyone pretty much knows, no one really cares. As for the later thing, he has been subconsciously distancing himself from her, due to past experiences with girlfriends (Who as we all know, he's yet to have a decent romantic relationship that doesn't screw up).  
He was pretty reluctant with Mitsuru, and he pretty much only saw that as still Social Linking, same with Aigis. He'd never have considered doing that earlier in the story, but Minato's pretty messed by this point in the story. To be fair, the whole Mitsuru thing was meant to be classed as a What The Hell, Hero? In the first place, which is why Shinji called him out on it.  
The tanks comment earlier are why tanks are here now, but I was going to do this for a while now. Originally, Ekoda was going to be teaching at the time, but this works better.

And now, all hell breaks loose. From now on, nothing will be the same.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

"What the hell are the army doing here!?" Kazushi asked, the class well-and-truly disrupted.

"Nonsense!" Our teacher snapped. "The mathematical probability of any military force appearing outside of this school is next to zero! If we all return to our seats I will show you all why this is the case."

"The chance of the army appearing outside of the school, Ms. Miyahara," I told her, "Is actually one hundred percent, due to the fact that it has already happened."

"Nonsense." She replied, just before the PA went PING!

_\_ _"The military have called upon the school in response to a tip-off of a terrorist organisation infiltrating the student body."_ _\_ The announcer said. _\_ _"Please cooperate with them in order to assuage any suspicions they may have against the school."_ _\_

"What?" Miyahara asked. "But that's patently ridiculous! The terrorists are statistically almost always over the age of nineteen, so there's little chance of finding one amongst the students."

Man this woman is crazy.

We were all told to remain in our seats, so I thought frantically as to what I should do. See, if I stayed, I'd get arrested, but if I tried to escape or fight back, people would die, and not just the people I'd want to kill.

However, if I comply with them, I can either prove my innocence, or escape and sign my death warrant. Dammit, I really should have seen this coming.

Fuuka sent us all messages telling us what was going on, but also saying that she couldn't find me at all. I sent her a message back, telling her I was sat where I always was, so she suggested that one of my Personae was jamming her psychic signals.

That's good to know. I really should've thought about that earlier.

The two classroom doors opened and a dozen or so soldiers in full combat gear filed into the room. Fuuka explained that there were over a hundred soldiers in the building, not counting the ones outside and in the tanks.

The soldiers got into position, aiming their battle rifles around the room to cover all the bases as a man in a suit walked in. Justice, Ehud. "Minato Arisoto." He called. "You are hereby under arrest under the terrorism act for conspiring against the country of Japan. Surrender yourself at once."

"What?" Miyahara shouted alongside the rest of the class. "I am afraid that you are gravely mistaken! Arisoto-kun is one of my best students."

"His mathematical prowess is unrelated to this matter." The boss man told her, before turning back to me. "Surrender yourself at once."

"And if I don't?" I asked, ignoring my teachers rant about the divinity of mathematics.

The guy, who is probably a Nyxist, pulled out a gun and placed it on Ms. Miyahara's forehead, silencing her instantly.

"Y-you wouldn't…" Yukari gasped.

**BLAM**

He did.

"S-sir!?" One of the soldiers asked as my teacher's corpse collapsed.

"We have our mission, and we are going to fulfil it." Ehud told the soldier, before turning back to me. "What is your answer, boy?"

Ehud. Biblical assassin. Made a shortsword and smuggled it into the king's palace, telling him he had a secret message from god. The king sent his servants away, then Ehud stabbed the sword into the king's belly so deep that the king's fat closed the wound after he died. Ehud then escaped Assassins Creed style. Book of Judges.

"Get a student." Ehud ordered one of the soldiers.

What? "There are thirty students in this classroom." He explained as one of the guys grabbed a girl from the front row, Kaoru, the one who had a crush on Kihei. "Six classrooms in this year, and three years so that's what, seven hundred and twenty kids?" Ehud deducted as he put the gun to her head as she sobbed desperately. "We will only ask seven hundred and nineteen more times, Arisoto."

"You're making a mistake." I told him. "I am not Jin, nor am I a member of any terrorist organisation, especially not Strega." I got to my feet. "I will give you one warning. Leave now or-"

**BLAM**

Ehud tossed her body into the corner alongside Ms. Miyahara's. "Seven hundred and nineteen kids left." Ehud sighed. "Bring the next one."

Aigis then tackled me, smacking my head against Junpei's desk. "THIS IS YOUR FAULT!!" She shouted, now on her feet. "JUST GIVE UP BEFORE WE ALL DIE!!"

I rubbed my head and noticed it was bleeding. Cracking my head on Junpei's desk wouldn't scratch me, not the way I am now.

Aigis just saved my backside. –{ Thanks. }- I told her.

A soldier grabbed her by the arms and dragged her to the front, where Ehud put a gun to her head. "Surrender now." Ehud warned.

I got to my feet. "For the last time, I'm not Jin."

**BLAM**

I grabbed the bullet just as it left the chamber, millimetres from Aigis's face. "**I Am He Who Fights Monsters.**" I snarled, before throwing the bullet into his face. His persona was summoned, and it was a man in a beige cloak, Ehud, but I didn't care. I just span my leg around and knocked his head clean off with a single kick.

I landed as the guy's headless corpse collapsed to the floor. "No second chances." I growled, summoning two Bolters. "**That's The Kind Of Man I am.**"

Normally, I'm more reserved about taking human life. However, these guys were soldiers. They were paid to die from the second they put on the uniform.

Since all the students who were still alive were still sitting down and all the soldiers were standing, I just riddled everything at head height with bolts. Some of them went through the walls, but I trust that everyone is still sitting down in the other rooms.

I stopped firing and a soldier leapt from the ground to fire at me. I dodged the bullets and rammed his head through the wall.

At least, I intended to. Monad made me stronger than I thought.

My momentum carried into class 2-E, where everyone was cowering from the Nyxist at the front, who had his Persona summoned, presumably by me. Midas of the Emperor Arcana. He turned things into gold by touching them.

I can confirm this because as soon as the plaster-board touched him, it turned yellow, so I quickly dodged him. I wonder how his suit isn't gold, but I guess he's wearing some kind of body suit under it.

He gestured to the golden figure of Mr. Takenozuka, my physics teacher. "Surrender yourself." The guy with Midas ordered me, "And I will undo this."

"You know you can't control it." I told him, gesturing to his golden gloves. "So what'll you do? Poke me?"

He sighed. "Kill them." He ordered the soldiers.

They were forced back by Fuuka's Persona, Juno, who created a barrier which blocked all the bullets from the students behind her.

"RRARGH!" Kaz shouted from behind me, ramming a sword through the guy's head in a surprise attack. "YUKO!" He shouted.

"She's fine." I explained as the soldiers turned around to do the sensible thing and shoot at us.

The front one got an axe embedded into his forehead as Kenji jumped through the holes in the wall. Being at the back of the class had its advantages. "MUSASHI!" Kazushi shouted, smashing a card as an unarmoured-samurai of a Persona charged forward and cut through the remaining soldiers.

Now where the hell did he get a Persona?

Stupid question. Kenji obviously shoved him into the TV. I wonder why he didn't bring it up before now?

**CRACK**

_**Thou hast taken the Strength Arcana up to Eleven… Transcending the impossible to achieve thy goals… **_

Now why can't all Arcana level ups be like that?

First off, time to test my Persona's skillage. I summoned Dionysus and asked him to undo the damage done to Mr. Takenozuka, who told me to wash him in some river in Greece. I replied by summoning Poseidon and getting him to create a storm around the golden statue, which did the job just as well.

While he coughed up the water from his lungs, I summoned Skynet and got to work declaring war.

_\_ _"Attention all soldiers." _ _\_ My voice blared from the speakers. _\_ _"You have all been sent here on a suicide mission."_ _\_

_\_ _"Take over the school, use hostages to get some kid to come quietly? Easiest mission ever, we won't even have to kill anyone."_ _\_ I asked rhetorically. _\_ _"Wrong. So far, one girl and one teacher have died, and that's only the ones I know about. On the other hand, two of your squads have already been obliterated by me. I am not the leader of some terrorist group or whatever."_ _\__  
__\_ "_**I Am Death Incarnate.**__" __\_

_\_ _"And now you have a choice."_ _\_ I said. _\_ _"By involving non-combatants, you have broken international peace laws, so I am therefore authorised to retaliate in formal warfare. This means that it is legal for me to slaughter every last one of you who isn't stupid enough to surrender. But that won't happen, will it?" __\_ I asked. _\_ _"Because there is no way that a trained soldier would ever surrender to a schoolboy, so if you do, you're obviously trying to trick me, which leaves you two choices. Run like the cowards you are and wait for me hunt you down, or die here doing the job you were sent to do." __\_

I cut the feed and walked out of the classroom. "Hey, hold on a sec!" someone shouted. "You're not seriously going to take on the army, are you?"

I glanced behind me. "Don't get the wrong idea." I told her. "The army is taking me on."

I stepped into the corridor and was welcomed with guns aimed for my chest. They fired.

I happened to have Atavaka at the time, so the bullets melted inside my body and healed my wounds. "What the…" One soldier gasped.

I grabbed one rifle and rammed it through his skull, before bringing across into another soldier's face, before kicking one of the rifles in front of me up into the guy's face, making him blow his own brains out as I stepped forward, ramming a fourth soldier into a wall, gunning down the rest of them and stamping down through the throat of the guy behind me.

This isn't war. This is murder. But they started it. I will finish it.

I summoned Skynet to hack into the schools security cameras to see how the other soldiers were holding up. Mitsuru and Shinji were taking on a load of soldiers each, and the persona users from my class were bursting out of the corridor, splitting up into the rooms on this floor. Now, I can either go upstairs and help Mitsuru, or go downstairs to the currently peaceful first-year corridor and unleash hell.

Then Hidetoshi got shot by a stay bullet.

UPSTAIRS.

* * *

When I got there, Keisuke was trying to sort out the wound amongst the chaos, so I ran to him and told him to get back while I started using Dia.

Then I saw the problem. The bullet had sliced through Hidetoshi's kidney, and Dia doesn't work on organs.

Normally.

"Keisuke, I need your help." I told him. "Are you experienced in medicine to treat a punctured kidney?" I asked him. "Assuming you have the tools and magic stitching powers."

"Huh?" He asked. "Well, I suppose…"

I grabbed his hands and placed them onto Hidetoshi's bleeding abdomen. "Do it with your mind, I'll feed you the power." I told him. "I don't have enough control to fix organs, so I need you to do it for me."

Keisuke hesitated, then nodded. He took a deep breath and I started channelling the healing energy into him as he directed it to Hidetoshi's wounded kidney. Amazingly, it worked.

**CRACK**

_**Thou hast taken the Fortune Arcana up to Eleven… Transcending the impossible to achieve thy goals… **_

That was only to be expected. "Get him out of here." I ordered. "In fact, I need you to organise the entire exodus into an evacuation."

"That's my job." Hidetoshi groaned, getting up. "I don't know what the hell's going on, but I trust you can sort it out."

I nodded. "You do your job, I'll do mine."

**CRACK**

_**Thou hast taken the Emperor Arcana up to Eleven… Transcending the impossible to achieve thy goals… **_

We broke off from each other, Him into the corridor and me into the melee, ripping heads off left right and centre.

"Ya know, I never thought this'd happen." Shinji told me as he hurled a boulder through several soldiers, nursing his bloody shoulder. "How's about some healing over here?"

I healed in, then took in the situation. Students were dead and dying, but soldiers were dying faster. Unfortunately, the ones downstairs were starting to get restless.

"Later." I told Shinji as I punched through the ground, falling through the hole I just made before spinning myself around to smash through the second floor in time to smash a guy in the head just before he started shooting.

My fist went straight through him like paper. "COME ON THEN!!" I shouted, leaping at some more soldiers. They fired, I didn't care. I just kept killing and killing, not caring that these guys were just doing their job. Not caring that these guys had wives, kids, brothers, sisters, parents and friends. Not caring that they were people.

They didn't even have to die. I could have let them go.

I should have let them go. I should let them live.

But I won't. Not this time.

They will die.

Skynet then warned me that the remaining Nyxists were headed for the teachers lounge, so I sent a message to Fuuka, telling her to send Naoki down here to take care of the remaining soldiers while I went to finish this, then I sent an Email to Toriumi.

-{ It's alright. Everything's going to be okay. Tatsu. }-

She opened it just as the door was opened by a guy whose Persona was Heracles. I fired a Bolt through his chest, then gunned down the rest of them.

**CRACK**

_**Thou hast taken the Hermit Arcana up to Eleven… Transcending the impossible to achieve thy goals… **_

Back to work.

* * *

I ran back into the lobby just as a tank rammed through the front door. Now, this'll be interesting.

No, wait, it won't. I raised my hand to the tank and it stopped dead. I then flicked my fingers to the right, and the tanks turret rotated behind it and fired on one of the other two tanks. Skynet controls all machines, and I control Skynet.

The third tank fired on the one inside the hall, assuming it had turned traitor, so I ran through the flames and punched the tank as hard as I could, since I couldn't make it destroy itself.

I'd clearly grown stronger since summer, since I tore through the metal armour with a respectable amount of difficult, but it did little more than make my knuckles bleed. I then put my second arm inside the hole and tore the tank open as a panicking soldier shot me in the face.

Thanatos swooped inside and reduced the soldiers operating it into meat. My work here is done.

No, wait, there's still a load of soldiers outside.

Only, when I went to look, they weren't. They'd run like hell.

_~ It's over! Th-there all gone! ~_

-{ Thanks Fuuka. }- I replied. –{ How many students died? }-

…

-{ Fuuka? }-

_~ N-Ninety-six. ~_ She replied. _~ Ninety-three students and three teachers… ~_

* * *

This is my fault.

This situation is not my fault. However, if I had gone along with Jin's plan, there would have been far less casualties on either side. I was arrogant, tried to _win._

We rise in glory as we sink into pride.

No, no this is not pride's fault. This is my own damned self-righteousness that did this.

I always did what I felt was right, no matter who was hurt. Yet in this case, if I did what I felt was _In_justice, I would have saved everyone here. Instead, hundreds of people died in this school because _I_ would not humble myself and set aside my pride _just once_.

I did not do what I had to do. I could have let them take me away. But I didn't.

I wouldn't.

I couldn't.

They knew I couldn't.

They knew that I would not go with them, which is why they didn't hesitate to kill.

They weren't allowed to touch me. The whole thing was a suicide mission to taunt me into killing them.

To take from me the moral high ground. So they can say that they tried to be peaceful, but I would not accept that.

Jin knew that I would not accept that. He saw that I would not let an injustice lie without correcting it.

I always righted the wrong, no matter who I hurt, never thinking about the consequences. I honestly thought that I'd save everyone today.

Instead, almost a hundred innocent kids were killed by me simply because I didn't allow something wrong to happen for the greater good.

I walked right into that one.

Yukari offered me a cup of coffee. We were back at the dorm recovering from the morning's bloodbath. Everyone who died, I barely knew most of them. But Kittan died.

Ekoda too, he got stabbed. None of the soldiers had edged weapons, so a kid came to him in the chaos and murdered him. The man was a bastard, but he didn't deserve that.

None of them did. Hell, the kid who killed him probably survived too.

…

Dammit…

* * *

Eventually, Fuuka ran down the stairs in a panic. "EVERYONE! WE'RE IN TROUBLE!!"

I looked up. I've been monitoring all electronic communications, so there's no chance that the army or police are here.

I slid open the curtain and saw a mob approaching. No torches and pitchforks, but swords, axes, guns and petrol bombs flying at the window. I caught one as it flew through the window and put the flame out, then turned around to see Mitsuru open the armoury. "What're you doing!?" I asked her.

"We're preparing for battle." She explained.

"No." I replied. "No we are not."

"As you can see, Arisoto, we are under attack." She replied.

"As you can see, Kirijo, they are civilians." I replied. "Not a single one is a trained fighter or a Persona user."

That stopped her. "These are ordinary people who are angry that their kids are dead." I continued. "I'll talk to them."

With that, I walked to the door, and took a deep breath before opening it. If I'm gonna get lynched, then I'm gonna do it in style.

I opened the door, stepped out confidently and smiled. "Good evening." I told them. "You must be the mob."

I quickly raised a hand to catch the rock thrown at me. "Thank you, I've been looking for one of these for my collection."

That temporarily stopped their anger. Now I need to quickly defuse this situation.

I sat down on the steps. "I'm sorry for what happened." I told them. "But please, none of this is my fault!"

"TO HELL IT IS!" One guy shouted, running to the front of the class. "MY DAUGHTER IS _DEAD_ Because YOU let her get SHOT!"

"I know…" I replied. "But I didn't do anything! I have no idea what was going on!"

"Stop lying."

Satoshi from the Kendo club walked to the front of the mob. "He's a monster." He explained. "I saw it. He caught a bullet, kicked a guy's head clean off, and didn't die even when he was shot fifteen fucking times in the chest." He snarled. "He ain't human."

"Satoshi…" I replied. "Look, I have no idea-"

"BULLSHIT!" Kihei shouted. "HE GOT SHOT IN THE HEAD AND A MONSTER CAME OUT!!"

"That's ridiculous!" I shouted at him. "If I got shot in the head, I'd be dead!!"

"Let's just test that theory."

I turned to see some guy pull out a gun. "My brother was sent to that school." He said. "Since you killed them all, I have every right to kill you even if you don't have magic powers."

"Hey, revenge achieves no-"

**BLAM**

I fell to the ground atop of the Pixie I just summoned behind my back. She vanished instantly, and I have now just successfully faked my death.

"Let's burn the place." One guy suggested. "BURN THE PLACE!!"

"BURN THE PLACE!" The mob shouted. "BURN THE PLACE!"

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that."

Everyone was silenced as I got to my feet. "I was going to let you all go, but I will not let you turn my friends into murderers."

"Holy…" The gun guy shouted, before emptying his bullets into my torso.

They never got that far, instead choosing to ricochet off my shirt.

Violently. And accurately.

I created the cards for Tsukuyomi and Izanagi. "Tsukiyo." I said, summoning both and forcing them all into a temporary mass hypnosis before summoning a sleep grenade and lobbing it into the crowd, rushing back inside as the knockout gas spread.

See, Tsukiyo only lasts a few seconds in real life, even though it can make people think it lasts for hours. Knockout gas, however, lasts for hours.

I stormed towards the stairs. "I need to leave here." I explained to everyone. "Because I've fallen right into Jin's trap."

"What, making you kill all those soldiers?" Yukari asked.

"No, that was the trap." I replied. "Now I'm the most hated man in Japan, a mass-murderer, terrorist, and a complete monster. If I want you guys to live, I need to leave."

"Wait, you can't go!" Fuuka protested. "We need you!"

"No, you don't." I replied. "The world needs me on January thirty-first. Until then, I need to disappear."

"I'm coming with you." Aigis announced.

"No you are not." I replied, stopping outside my room. "Someone needs to lead the party until I get back, and it's gonna be you."

"And where will you go?" Mitsuru asked.

"I can't tell you." I replied. "Because if I did and they polygraphed you, then you'd lie for me and become an enemy of the state too. So right now, I am going to get changed, steal Mitsuru's bike, and get the hell out of here until next Sunday." I opened my door. "Until then, _Live._"

* * *

The Jakkai had given me a lighter version of my battle armour. It was much more like biking gear, only much stronger. I took my clothes off, then put the pants, shirt, boots and gloves on, then put on some biking goggles.

I then walked into Akihiko's room and borrowed his red scarf, then handed his old gloves to Kenjamin. "Look after them." I told him. "Don't try to contact me, and if anyone asks, say I'm evil. Give me sixty seconds to get out of here and then call the police." I started giving hugs. "Thanks."

**CRACK**

_**Thou hast taken the Judgement Arcana up to Eleven… Transcending the impossible to achieve thy goals… **_

I smiled to myself, then pulled Aigis close. "Don't let me down." I told her.

She hugged me tight. "Don't die."

**CRACK**

_**Thou hast taken the Aeon Arcana up to Eleven… Transcending the impossible to achieve thy goals… **_

That's all of them except for World. "See you all later." I said, running for the door.

* * *

All roads out of the city were completely blocked off, so I went to the Velvet Room in Paulownia mall. I used the Hollow Arcana to alter Mitsuru's bike, turning it into a longer, black machine, so it'll be harder to track down.

Once in there, Elizabeth grabbed me. "I have a request for you before you go and see the master." She said. "Tonight… could you perform a duet with him?"

What.

"If you do this for me, I will award you with something you will desperately need for your journey ahead."

Alright then. "Hey, Igor." I shouted. "How's about a song?"

Igor chuckled. "Very well then."

He walked onto the stage and started playing the piano as I jumped up and grabbed a guitar.

"_And I would do anything for love…_" Igor sang. "_I'd run right into hell and back._" Damn, he can sing. "_I would do anything for love, I'll never lie to you and that's a fact._"

"_But I'll never forget the way you feel right now, oh no._" Igor sang. _ "No way. And I would do anything for love, But I won't do that."_

My turn. "_No I won't do that."_

* * *

Afterwards, Igor and I sat down. "Things certainly have changed for you, haven't they?" He asked me. "In just one day, your entire world has collapsed around you."

"You could say that I'm in the Tower of my life." I replied. "But it has also opened up many opportunities for me."

"Indeed." Igor nodded. "In fact it appears that you have discovered each of the social links, and formed strong bonds with them all." He said. "In order to have gotten on so well with so many different people… you must have worn many different faces…" He chuckled. "Perhaps you will find this useful, since you seem to be able to adopt any sort of face."

"A cipher like you…" He said, clicking his fingers. "Should have this." Edward then came to the table and handed me a black visor-like mask. "With it, you'll be able to summon…" Igor chuckled. "_That_ Persona…"

Hm? "I'm interested to see what kind of Persona results from this." Igor confessed. "I'll be looking forward to it, but for now, I mustn't let your other victories go ignored." He smiled. "Surpassing even my highest expectations of you, you have played fate like a fiddle, allowing yourself to reach closer into the hearts of your fellow men than even the fates could have foreseen. The only suitable way to award this kind of achievement is the standard prize for having exceeded the skills of mortal men." I clicked his fingers again, and Edward came and handed me a golden fiddle. "I trust you will be able to use it."

"What is this crap?" I asked him, slamming them against the table. "I MADE PEOPLE DIE DUE TO MY OWN IDIOCY, AND I GET REWARDED!?"

"I have told you before, whatever path you choose, we shall support you." Igor told me. "Think back to the night where you signed our contract." He said. "The contract you signed with Pharos was only the second contract you made that night."

Hm? "What was the first one?" I asked him.

Igor chuckled. "Think back to the butterfly." He said. "That night, my master made you an offer."

Now I remember. "Time never waits." I told him. "It delivers us all to the same end. You, who wish to safeguard the future, however limited it may be, you will be given one year. Go forth, never falter, with your heart as your guide…"

"Correct. Well done." Igor complimented. "As long as you do what you feel to be right, you shall not fail in your endeavours. Perhaps this experience has changed your heart into one of greater strength and fortitude, but in order for you to succeed, you must not doubt yourself."

"I disagree." I told him. "To succeed in life you must doubt everything. Doubt your enemies, doubt your friends, doubt yourself. Then, to fill that doubt, you seek to learn more about them. Trust is merely the point where you give up trying to learn and hope for the best. That was my mistake."

"If that is how you feel, then it must be your own personal truth." Igor replied. "Tell me, what is in your heart right now?"

"I want a Waaagh!." I confessed.

Igor chuckled. "Da Waaagh! is sacred" Igor told me. "It is not something warriors to waste. Da Waaagh! is only to be done when and only when the world needs turning back into what is right and proper. You fight some one, you kill someone. But you don't call Da Waaagh! without a warboss." Igor explained. "And you don't have a warboss until you have a war, do you understand me?"

"When one call a Waaagh!, expect there to be nothing left." Igor continued. "You will slaughter the enemy until nothing remains, you will take all that they own, you will destroy all they have built until none can remember where they once lived, you will unleash your forces and your forces will not stop until the other side is all right and proper and yours." Igor focused on me. "That is Da Waaagh!." He said. "Do you understand?"

I nodded. "I'm gonna be the warboss then." I decided. "Any objections?"

Igor chuckled. "No, not at all." He replied. "I wholeheartedly support your decision."

* * *

After making some Personae, Elizabeth followed me outside the Velvet Room once I decided to leave, then gave me white key with a skull on it. "Here's your reward." She told me. "With that key, you can open the gates of pandemonium, which will take you to Tartarus at any time."

"Even outside of the Dark Hour?" I asked her.

"If you enter outside the Dark Hour, then time passes normally inside its walls until you enter the Dark Hour." She explained. "At this point, leave, wait for the Dark Hour to end, and then return to make full use of its benefits."

"All this for a Duet?" I asked, pocketing the grim key. "Thanks."

"Of course, there is one more thing I must ask of you." She asked. "I desire for you to overcome the Reaper alone."

I nodded. "I have things to do before using this key, but sure."

She nodded. "So, if I may be so bold, where do you intend to go now?"

"I'm going to pay a visit to my granddad, just to let him know what's going on and put my sister at ease." I told her. "Then I'm going to Tokyo to destroy parliament."

"Really?" She asked.

I nodded. "If I'm going to be labelled a terrorist, then I'm going to damned well deserve it."

Elizabeth chuckled. "A certain demon once said words to that effect." She said. "He then went to kill his brother."

"I'm not going to do that." I told her, creating the skeleton of a bike helmet then clipped the Cipher Mask to it before putting it on my head. "See you later." I told her, heading for my- Mitsuru's bike.

* * *

I rode towards the edge of the city, where a police blockade was in place. I instead accelerated, then swerved into my shoulder and span under the police van, righting myself at the last second and speeding out towards the countryside. It hurt, but my shoulder didn't take any damage, so I'm assuming this armour is just made of awesome.

Now then… which way to Inaba?

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

Dun, Dun, Duuun!

Some may notice Igor's speech as a direct ripoff from the Waaagh! explanation in the first chapter of Shinji And Warhammer 40k. I prefer the term 'Shout Out'.

Yes, I do appreciate that I killed a lot of characters in this chapter. However, I also killed a lot of non-characters in favour of actual characters. Kazushi was going to take several bullets for Yuko in an earlier draft of this story, but I like this version better.

Now, be beta asked me to outdo the final scenes of V for Vendetta, but considering Minato just fused Helel...


	96. Chapter 96

Hey everyone, time for a new chapter.

First, I may need to explain just what a Waaagh! actually is. First off, say it out loud. Notice it sounds like War? That's because they're very similar. See, the word is Orkish in origin, and Orks have a different viewpoint to war than humans. Orkish culture is that there is nothing better to life than a good scrap, so when they rampage the universe, pillaging and destroying everything in site, they don't consider that war. They consider that to be all good fun. That's why Orks will always leave survivors. Not to scare them, but so they can say "See you next year!" And head off to the next planet.  
Waaagh! is different. That's when they get serious. When a Waaagh! is called, expect there to be nothing left.

Now consider Minato. He likes nothing better than a good scrap, other than good music, a good run, good food, okay, he likes a lot of things, but right up there near the top is a good scrap. But he takes war very seriously. However, this is the first time he has ever called a Waaagh!, hence Igor's surprise at Minato's decision. You don't just call a Waaagh! because someone pushed you too far. You don't call a Waaagh! for something personal. Waaagh!'s are for when someone crossed the Moral Event Horizon and not even Mother Theresa could forgive them.

You don't call a Waaagh! against someone who burns down an orphanage. You call a Waaagh! against someone who burns planets just to hear the screams of a species he just slaughtered into extinction. War is war, but Waaagh!'s exist to right the universe.

Also, Waaagh! is spelt with the exclamation mark. It's classed as a letter. Word doesn't like that, but it eventually gets the idea.

Now you've had that quick morality lesson, let's read some reviews.

Slicerness, Helel is the Hebrew name for Lucifer. In SMT, he's the max Star Arcana and is used to perform Armageddon with Satan.

Greifen, Oh yes.  
The voices have been appearing less and less as Minato's gotten used to them and has started balancing his soul more. Other than that, all in good time.

Naru-chan, I'd tell my fans that this isn't over. Not by a long shot.  
After that chapter, I plan to do this chapter. Wait…  
As for how I come up with this stuff, I got picked on at school a lot. I mean a lot. As in I got pinned to the wall as some guy kicked me in the balls about a dozen times in the middle of registration, and _I_ was the one who got detention for throwing a chair at him as he walked away. Apparently I was supposed to keep my hand up and wait patiently for the teacher to notice that I was screaming in pain. My life sucked for a good eight years.  
Anyhoo, because of that, I ended up retreating into my own little world a lot. Eventually I got bored, so I made things more interesting. Nowadays, life's a hell of a lot better, but I still retreat into my own little world while walking, listening to music and so on, and because of all the practice I've had, well…  
Look, you know that to become a master at something, you need to practice for two hours every day for fourteen years? Ten hours of thinking a day for Eight years is how I got this good. Power born of madness indeed.

ThumbsUp, Bang Out Of Order is all in good fun. Waaagh! is not.  
I don't intend to hand out any more Personae for a while, and Japanese Parliament is a lot like the White House, only blockier and presumably smaller, I'm not sure about the size. And if anyone has any suggestions for new Personae, I'm all ears.

JRS74, I'm sorry you feel that way, but Waaagh! has a certain heaviness to me personally.

Patcheresu, I just downloaded that song after reading your review, and it is indeed an epic fight theme. However, for me, Heartful Cry

ISTF, It said 'Colourless Mask' in Japanese. English it's just the Cipher Mask. Dunno what level the Persona Hito-Shura is, but it's lower than 90.  
As for what I'm planning, after this chapter, I honestly have no idea until the 31st. Doesn't it drive you mad?

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

The police, as you can imagine, started chasing me since I was clearly suspicious and worth chasing. Unfortunately for them, Mitsuru's bike is 'Special', so not only does it drive in the Dark Hour, I do not see any fuel gauge on it anywhere.

So, the chase went pretty much as you'd expect it would until midnight, when suddenly, thanks to the dark hour, I gained around a hundred and forty miles between me and the law instantly. Da Law can't keep me down bitches.

Now, the reason I'm headed to Inaba is that I'm pretty damned sure that they can't track me down there. I'm using Skynet to keep me invisible to electronic eyes, but the only connections I could have to Inaba is that I went on a school trip there once. Granddad erased and tampered with any and all details pertaining to his past to the point where even if Naoto did become a greater detective than Sherlock himself, she still wouldn't be able to link the Shirogane's to the Kuzunoha family.

Trust me on this. Skynet has checked.

While I was hacking into the government database, I erased any and all data concerning me. If I somehow manage to fix this, I'll put it back. If not, then I'll stay like this. A Cipher.

He heh. Scyther. That was a cool Pokémon. Unlike Seifer, who just plain sucked, even if he did kill Odin.

Man, why does my mind drift like this while I'm on the run?

* * *

I got to Inaba around half past midnight, slowing down to keep the bike quiet. I parked outside the Shirogane mansion, then used the Eye of Terror to send the bike to the Armoury. It'll probably take a full minute to bring back, but hopefully I'll be able to find somewhere quiet to do that if I'll need to.

Once that was done, I took my mask off and scaled the wall. I'm invisible to all the security measures the have barring dogs and guardsmen, but I want my family to recognise me if there's any chance of them letting me stay the night.

"Hello brother."

I almost jumped out of my skin. "Hey Natalie." I replied. "Listen, you will not believe-"

"You got yourself involved in something illegal but most likely moral, the army came to arrest you, you fought back, people died, and now you're on the run?" She deduced. "Grandpa suggested that this might be the case."

"Almost." I answered. "The army were ordered to kill a hostage each time I refused to come quietly, other than that they weren't allowed to touch me."

That raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?" She asked. "Why?"

"So I'd kill them and become public enemy number one." I replied. "I'm kinda playing the bastard game against the Secretary of Defence and walked right into a trap."

"People died." She reminded me.

"I know." I sighed. "People I knew."

Natalie sighed. "Were you followed?" She asked.

I shook my head. "I lost them shortly after leaving the city. Trains are wonderful inventions."

Natalie groaned. "Alright, come on inside." She said. "Grandpa wants to interrogate you alone."

"I'm sure he does." I sighed, walking with her. "Thanks."

She smiled. "Anytime. We're siblings after all, right?"

"Yeah." I nodded, following her.

* * *

I ended up telling granddad about the current situation with Nyx, as well as with Jin being in power. He was not a happy grandpappy.

He did spare me the lecture that I really needed to do without though. What he did say, however, was worse.

"Now do you see why I didn't want Natalie to get involved with you?" He asked.

"In my defence, this probably wouldn't have happened if you'd taken me in and trained me instead of sending me to England and hoping for the best."

"Yes, I suppose I did drop the ball there…" He sighed. "We cannot harbour you for long, but-"

"Can you give me a bed to sleep in until the thirtieth, so long as I leave the house before dawn each day for training in the demonic world, returning just before midnight each night?" I asked hopefully. "No-one will ever know I'm here."

"I was actually going to let you stay unconditionally, so long as Natalie does not discover about the existence of the Demonata." He replied. "So yes, of course you can."

I nodded. "And what are the odds of Natalie having bugged this room so she can retrieve the recording at a later time?"

Granddad chuckled. "None. That's the only rule I have with her detective training, that she must respect my privacy."

"Well, she mustn't respect it that much." I told him. "Because there's a hidden mic there, there, there, there, and right here under your desk."

Indeed, there were those bugs. "Don't panic, I've jammed the signal." I told him. "I can screw with machines now."

"Well saved." He sighed. "I really am getting old, aren't I?"

"Or maybe just Naoto's a better detective than you trained Natalie to be." I reasoned. "Oh, about that TV appearance…"

"It's fine." Granddad sighed. "Since you weren't stupid enough to summon anything, they put it all down as a hoax. Happens all the time. You know that show in America called Lost?"

"The smoke monster's actually a demon, isn't it?" I asked.

"Nah, that's all CGI." Granddad corrected me. "The real demon is O'Quinn."

… "Who's he again?" I asked.

"Locke." Granddad groaned.

…

"John Locke!?" I asked. "Locke's an actual demon!?"

"That's why they keep killing off characters." Granddad said. "Whenever one of them comes close to figuring it out, Boom, polar bear."

"I'm not sure that Polar Bear actually killed anyone…"

"Shouldn't have been on a tropical island in the first place." He grumbled. "And smoke monsters live in the ocean, every idiot knows that."

* * *

You know, I should stay at granddad's house more often. It was actually pretty decent staying over.

I got up around ten, since after yesterday and before today, I deserve some sleep. I'm not sure if I deserve this, but breakfast in bed prepared and delivered by real life maids. This is the life.

Anyhow, once I was up and dressed and Natalie was off to school, Granddad took me down to the batcave. Seriously, waaay too many bats in the underground cave. While there was no bat mobile, there was a spooky tunnel that apparently opened up to a mile or so out of town, so that was good for my ends.

I donned the armour and mask, but granddad insisted that I took the family cape, pistol and Katana. I took the cape, but had to turn down the Katana, as I'd be using Force as a sword.

Yep, decided on a name for the weapon my uncle gave me. Force. As in 'Using Force to achieve your ends.'

Yeah, it's a sucky name. I like it. It's fitting.

…

You know what? I'll call it Oblivion. There, happy?

So, armour and helmet on, trading in Akihiko's scarf for the Kuzunoha cloak, Strapped Oblivion to my belt, holstered the pistol, summoned Mitsuru's bike- You know what? After all the stuff I've done to it, I'm gonna call this thing Force. I'm going to call something Force, simply because, so it might as well be this bike.

Anyway, once I was geared up, I headed to Tokyo.

* * *

I got there after about three hours of driving sensibly. Once I was in the city, I decided to drive like a maniac.

_Rolling around at the speed of sound, Got places to go, gotta follow my rainbow._

I swerved through the jam-packed traffic at speeds that would be impossible for a lesser human.

_Can't stick around, have to keep moving on, Guess what lies ahead, only one way to find out!_

The police noticed my driving, and sirens blared as police bikers started chasing me.

_Must keep on moving ahead, No time for guessing, follow my plan instead._

I grinned behind the mask and accelerated, twisting through the cars as the police took the direct route.

_Trusting in what you can't see, Take my lead I'll set you free._

Then I swerved off the road and down the stairs.

_Follow me, set me free, Trust me and we will escape from the city._

I then swerved onto the road I was approaching, which was somewhat less congested, but it meant that police cars were now following me.

_I'll make it through, follow me._

Once the roads were clear and I was surrounded by police cars, I pulled a sharp U-turn and sped through the cars.

_Follow me, set me free, Trust me and we will escape from the city._

I then headed for the mono-rail, speeding up to match with the train that was fast approaching from behind.

_I'll make it through prove it to you._

I then jumped from the bike, sent it to the armoury and landed atop the speeding train.

_Follow me!_

I don't show up._ I_ _Arrive._

* * *

I got off near the National Diet building before getting back on my bike and driving slowly and sensibly again.

I parked the bike and de-helmeted when I saw a familiar face. "Good afternoon, Arisoto-kun." Jun Kurosu told me, handing me a purple flower.

I took it. "Thank you." I told him. "Tatsuya tells me that there's a language behind flowers, but it's not one I'm fluent in."

Jun smiled. "Monkshood." He explained. "Chivalry, Beware, A deadly foe is near."

I laughed. "Yeah, me." I replied. "You saw what they did to my school."

He shook his head. "Leave." He warned me. "Blood should stay on bloodstained hands."

"I'm making sure of that." I told him. "I'm going to end this."

"Funny." Jun replied sombrely. "That is my intention too."

Hm? "I once took many lives under the guise of Joker." Jun explained. "I wasn't in control of myself at the time, but their blood still cries out for justice. This is my chance to redeem myself, since I am the only one who can defeat Jin."

"And why is that?" I asked him.

"Because our Personae's skills are the same." He said. "I am of the magician, and he is the Hermit, but we both have the Persona Chronos, and we both have the same power. We can control the flow of time within our own personal space. Anything you would try to do would have no affect on one such as him."

"Thanks for the help then." I told him as police started to discreetly surround us. "I'm Cipher by the way."

He chuckled as the police shouted their warnings. "Joker." He said, holding a rose to his face. "Nice to meet you."

I drew the Oblivion. "Say, how do you fight with roses anyway?"

"I did tell you." He sighed, stepping forward as the police fired. Huge trunks of thorned branches burst from the ground, writhing in the air as they rushed for the human barricade. Remember Sleeping Beauty? Just like that, only less evil.

Now, you're probably thinking that bullets will mash through plants easily. But he saw every single bullet coming towards him in slow motion, and it was child's play to make sure that he was were the bullets weren't.

I'm glad he's on my side. I went for the less flashy approach of slicing bullets in mid-air.

"SATAN!!"

I looked up to see a black dragon fly over our heads, so I responded by summoning a Satan of my own to rush into the air and rip it apart. Realising that Jun had already broken the masquerade quite effectively, that pretty much gives me the A-OK to really let loose, especially since this whole thing is invisible to security.

But, alas, this is going to result in civilian causalities, I can tell. "THANATOS! ALICE!" I shouted, summoning two cards and swinging Oblivion through them. "DIE FOR ME!!"

The two Death gods ran through the crowd, spreading the black smoke which made ever single police officer fall to the ground.

I looked at Jun and clipped the Helmet back on as he donned a somewhat spooky white mask. "Let's go." I told him.

"After you." He gestured, showing me the way to the front door.

* * *

Once inside, we unleashed hell. Know what's more effective than killer frenzy plants of death?

_Burning_ killer frenzy plants of death.

"Tell me, do you have a Throne who can use Agidyne?" Jun asked me as some guards started summoning Personae.

"Yeah, you have a Fusion Raid in mind?" I asked back.

Jun smiled behind his mask. "Let the games begin." He said, summoning Chronos.

I summoned Throne, and thanks to the magic of fusion raids, I knew just how to make this work.

"**MEGALOFIRE**"

* * *

Once the blazes settled, everyone in the room other than us two was out cold. The building was still on fire, but I'd disabled the fire alarms. "We gonna let these guys live?" I asked Jun.

"I suppose we really should, since they aren't our actual target." Jun sighed. "Have you any skills for transporting people from one place to another?"

I nodded, summoning Tsukuru Izanagi to open the Eye of Terror, moving them through Arisojack and into various locations in the outskirts of Tokyo. "Alright, let's keep heading for where Jin is." I announced.

"You aren't going anywhere."

Jun and I turned around slowly to see a brown-haired guy aiming guns at our chests. Hierophant. Gaia.

Wait, Gaia? Isn't that one of the Old Ones?

Craaaaaap.

"You are both under arrest for-" He leapt back from Jun's spike attack, and responded by launching boulders at him, which did more damage than it should ha-

Ah, He's weak against Earth attacks. Figures.

"Run." I told the guy with Gaia, summoning a card I made recently and smashing it as the Demi-Fiend appeared. He wasn't like Naoki; his fangs were much more pronounced, he had sharp ridges coming out of his spine, he had a reptilian tail, claws and blood red eyes.

This is what he would have become as a True Demon. "Let's go." I told him, readying Oblivion and charging.

This guy knew what he was doing with his Persona. He didn't rely on it like most Nyxists, and in fact, he was a decent fighter full stop, since he was fending both me and Hito-Shura off with enough difficulty to make it an even match. I pulled back to experiment, and my Persona got obliterated.

That means I need a new plan. I tried channelling the Hito-Shura, and dull silver lines started forming on my black armour, and I felt _light_. I bounced on my feet, and charged for him. Too fast.

He dodged at the last second, just before I span around went for him again, this time with more control. He blocked my sword swing, using his gun as a tonfa, a move that destroyed his weapon but saved his life. He then palm-thrust me back as he readied a his other hand, collecting dark orange energy in his palm before launching his hand into my torso. _Damn_ that hurt.

If this guy can do this, then what can Jin do?

I dropped the Oblivion and focused on deflecting his punches with my arms and blocking his kicks with my knees while I surveyed the damage. By left ribs were definitely broken, but they were starting to heal, so all was well.

Now why does Japanese Jason Bourne have a Persona this powerful?

Think man. Persona comes from determination. Most of the people who become Nyxists and get them are weak minded and fed up with the world, so their Personae are weak. Since our Personae are powerful, we've been slaughtering them easily.

This guy, however, has one hell of a strong mind. Judging from the ring on his very fast hand, I'd say he was married. His movements, while being a lot like Krav Maga, have a certain feel of individuality to them, so this guy trained religiously before joining the government. His tight jaw and focused eyes don't show any signs of doubt, hesitation or distraction; this guy knows that he is in the right, despite the fact that he is not.

"So why did you join the Nyxists?" I asked him, ducking back and to the right, out of his way.

He didn't fall for the conversation tactic, deciding instead to focus on pummelling me, so I dodged back quickly and took of my helmet, sending it to the Armoury for safe keeping. "I mean, someone like you shouldn't want the world to end." I reasoned. "You've got no reason to, you're a pretty well adjusted person." He kicked me in the ribs, knocking me flying. Dammit, focus on fighting, not on talking, look, I've even de-powered the seal.

I got up and re-activated the seal, letting the healing process begin. "Fine then." I said. "At least tell me your name, for honours sake."

His lip twitched. Honour, that's this guy's button. "Yosuke Kuroda." He said, getting back into a stance.

No-one I know then. I mean, Hanamura mentioned that he had a son named Yosuke, and that kids gonna get involved in the future Fool, but I doubt that it's this guy.

I charged for him, something he didn't exactly expect, but he recovered in time to block the knee I launched into his chin, then pushing me down so he could block the overhead chop I just launched, then only just stopped my aerial kick to his head with his arm, which broke under my force. YES!

Course, he quickly countered with a force blast, then started healing his arm. I hate it when they heal, but since I spam healing spells myself so much I'm in no room to complain.

_You know, there's more to my power than just the demonic seal._

That's not Naoki's voice.

_Of course not. I am the source of his demonic strength, Marogareh._

Well then, Maro, what would you suggest, because this guy's almost healed.

_Focus my power, not his._

Well, okay then. I did just this, and the white markings withdrew. Instead, the world flashed red, and dude.

This was a lot more like when I fused with Pharos back in the day, only much more. I can see this guy's weakness, Hama and Zio, and my limbs felt… sharper.

_There is no weakness we cannot see… no defence we cannot pierce…_

Kuroda charged his arms with the orange energy as Jun stumbled back to his feet and healed himself. I charged for Kuroda, then sidestepped at the last second, letting his powerful attack miss completely as I rammed my hand into his back, pulling out a Kidney.

_Kill him._

I let him fall to the ground and checked his pulse. He needed medical attention, so I cauterised the wound and sent him straight to the nearest hospital.

_Why did you not destroy him?_

Because I'm not a demon. I'm here to help people.

_You have a funny way of showing it._

Don't we all? I grabbed Oblivion and sheathed it "On we go." I told Jun, who decided to discard his broken mask and walk with me.

* * *

Using Skynet and Marogareh, working our way through the building was easy. Security had cottoned onto the fact that they were under attack, so they made do without electronics. In return, I locked down the building both electronically and with a Sekai Rei.

Jun did most of the fighting as we travelled, letting me focus on tracking down Jin. He'd switched tactics from earlier, now spreading pollen wildly then making them grow rapidly to trap and disable anyone who got in our way, and restrict the movements of those who stepped aside.

"MINOTAUR!"

I turned to see the half-man-half-bull charge down the corridor, but Jun scythed it down without a moment's hesitation before launching a floral spear at its summoner, impaling him between the eyes despite the fact that he'd gun summoned.

Never mess with a florist.

* * *

I kicked down the door to Jin's office to find a high-backed chair facing the wall. "So, mister Arisoto." Jin said, turning his chair to face us. "We meet again."

"You are one sick, twisted man, you know that?" I snarled. "You sent those men to kill those kids knowing FULL WELL that they were going to DIE!!"

"A week tomorrow and we're all dead anyways." Jin replied. "What does dying a little sooner change other than beating the rush?"

"So you really are a Nyxist…" Jun nodded. "Tell me, since your Chronos repels all flames, how did you get that magnificent burn on your face?"

Jin scowled briefly. "That's none of your business." He replied. "Fact is, you're both completely at my mercy."

"Junpei has a very powerful fire Persona." I told Jun hurriedly, before turning back to Jin and drew the pistol from under my cloak. "And you're awfully confident."

Jin laughed. "You're dumber than I thought." He said. "I thought that you'd figured out that my Persona's resolved since we last met?"

"So you can control time, big whoop." I said. "All I gotta do is kill you before you use it."

"To late for that, moron." Jin pointed out, before dropping Napalm onto the rug, revealing the black mystical clock runes on the floor. "You've already fallen into my trap."

Jun sighed. "I came here thinking that you would be able to match my abilities… how disappointing."

I fired my gun, then found myself at the receiving end of the bullets. I then found myself at the opposite end of the office as the bullets hit the wall harmlessly.

"The Hell!?" Jin shouted, before realising the mess he was in.

"While we both carry the Persona Chronos, it appears that their abilities differ somewhat." Jun sighed. "While I can manipulate the flow of time, your Persona only allows you to turn back time in your little bubble and change events, like rewinding a video and recording over it." Jun flicked his fringe. "For one who controls the natural flow of time like myself, you are terribly outmatched, even without Arisoto-kun having to lift a finger."

Aah... so they both stopped time and dragged me to different places to either kill me or save me... Gotcha.

Jin sneered. "So what? You bitches can't touch me if you don't come into my bubble."

"There's more than one way to break a man." I pointed out. "Breaking his body is simply the easiest and kindest method, but I really want you to suffer." I glanced at Jun. "Do you have any objections?" I asked him.

"By all means, it was your classmates who were killed." Jun replied, leaving Jin very angry that he wasn't being taken seriously.

"Thank you." I nodded to him. "I'm going to take this son of a bitch down to the depths of hell, you coming?"

Jun smiled. "A man after my own heart." He said. "I assume you're being literal."

I grinned as I blocked Jin's napalm-punch. "Oh yes."

Then the walls turned to hellfire, burning the immediate world into a demonic Hellevator. All around us was fire and brimstone, red walls of stone and flesh, with demons torturing each other for no purpose other than their own enjoyment.

"Oh, don't get squeamish just yet." I told Jin. "This is only the first layer."

* * *

It wasn't long before Jin decided on the coward's way out and rammed a grenade into his own mouth. "Oh, you don't get out that easily." I told him, before clicking my fingers as hell melted around us.

See, we'd never even left the office. While I mind-raped Jin with Tsukiyomi, Jun bound his hands and feet together with his mad foliage skills, leaving Jin trapped with no way to unsee the things I'd just shown him.

"Now then, how's about we go there for real?" I asked him as Jin shivered in fear.

The sad thing was, I'd been to hell. I'd been to heaven. I've been to Valhalla, Asgard, Nirvana, Eden, I've had to have meetings in all the highest and lowest parts of the Warp, and I'd seen it all.

It was disturbing, but I could handle it. Jin, on the other hand, despite the whole 'big man' act he'd put up, was just another lost little human who was following the lead of Takaya.

"I can't remove that memory." I told him. "But I can make the pain go away. But why should I?" I asked him. "All you've done is make my life hell. An eye for an eye, right?" I asked him.

"P-please…" Jin begged, sobbing. "I-I'll do anything… issue a pardon, give you Japan, I-I'll even give you names of all the Nyxists with Personae… JUST PLEASE MAKE IT STOP!!"

"Not so tough now, are you?" I asked him. "Thing is, I don't want a pardon." I told him. "As I am now, I'm free from the law, so I've got nothing holding me down. I don't want Japan, every human in the world is mine for the taking. As for the Nyxists with Personae, well…" I smiled. "I've got better things to do that clean up your mess."

I checked the pistol. One bullet left.

I burned the vines trapping Jin and handed him the pistol. "I won't kill you." I told him, knowing that was I was doing was just as bad. "I'm not a demon."

With that, I left the office with Jun. it wasn't long before we heard a gunshot, and I sighed to myself.

Then a fireball hit me from behind.

I rolled with it, then twisted to see Jin standing there with his Evoker. "You bitches really are pompous, aren't you?" He asked. "You think that's hell?" He laughed. "I've seen worse."

"You were just playing along until you escaped the illusion…" I realised. Dammit.

Jin laughed. "Kill the sons of bitches."

Jun and I turned around to see all the trapped employees break out of their plant-prisons with fire, ice, or even just raw strength.

Every single one of them was an Artificial Persona user; the kind I can't detect. I mean, now that Jin and Takaya have resolves, I can detect them, but the ones who were forced to awaken through drugs or whatever like Strega were at first, I can't tell them apart from regular people.

Damn.

Wait a second… a load of these people are the ones who backed out of our way earlier… Waay earlier, right back from just after we'd forced into the building. "Every single person who works in this building is a Nyxist…" I realised. Damn, I'd really walked into this one.

"This Takaya must be as persuasive as everyone makes him out to be…" Jun commented. "Any ideas?"

I started using Marogareh's scanning skill, and I realised just how much crap I was in. Every single person here had different resistances. For every weakness one person's Persona had, five people repelled that. No-one absorbed any elements, it was all Repel, Weak or normal resistance.

Almost everyone had instant knockout skills too, or special abilities that were just as bad. A fair few even had Almighty and Nuclear skills. As soon as we take half of them out, the other half will have killed us forty times over.

"You didn't send those soldiers just to get killed by me." I realised. "Your goal wasn't to turn me into a fugitive, it was to get me here alone."

"See, you people say that if people work together, they can do anything." Jin boasted. "And you're right, but because you're such a damn hypocrite, you're gonna die here. And don't bother trying to teleport outta here." He warned. "Persephone will make damned sure you won't leave this place alive."

Just as he said, there's a Sekai Rei covering the building just outside mine. I let mine down to conserve the energy I'll need to get out of this one alive.

"Just give up." Jin mocked as everyone got their evokers, cards or handguns ready. "There's no way you can get out of here alive."

"Jun." I hissed. "I've got a way to get out of here, but I need you to rapidly restore my spiritual power for it to work." I said. "So we're gonna break through the floor and run while you recharge me, okay?"

Jun nodded, decaying the ground below us as I punched down through it. We landed on the floor below, then ran like hell.

* * *

The flaw in this plan, of course, was that it involved me doing nothing while I restored my SP while Jun did nothing other than speeding up my regeneration, meaning neither of us could fight against the many, many Nyxists who were out to get us, so I did the sensible thing and summoned a couple of Bolters. They normally solve all of my problems, except that it turns out that Devil Rounds do use ammo: My SP.

I never noticed before now since I had so freaking much of it, but now that I needed to recharge to 100% for this one attack, it's not really that much of an option. Of course, since I'd been relying on Bolters with bottomless clips all this time, that meant that my other guns didn't last as long nor have that much of an effect.

In essence, we've got this amazing trick that'll save our arses, but we can only use it if we don't fight at all, since all my enhanced strength, speed, endurance, reflexes, heck, even my armour is draining a minimal amount of spiritual energy, so unless we get some kinda Deus Ex Machina to bring me back to full power, we're boned.

* * *

Is that a Deus Ex Machina I see before me?

* * *

That's right. Some very nice person had brought a Precious Egg to work today. Unlike regular eggs, Precious Eggs were rare restorative items found very rarely in Tartarus that'll give someone more spiritual energy than a squirrel on caffeinated Kool-Aid.

I downed it in one gulp just as Jin and his cronies surrounded us on the ground floor underneath the central block.

"Get behind me Jun." I ordered him, grinning as I crossed my arms across my chest, hands by each opposite shoulder, card in each hand.

I crushed them. "SATAN!!" I roared. "HELEL!!"

"**ARMAGEDDON!!**"

* * *

I stepped out of the rubble with Jun as the smoke cleared. Amazingly, I was still standing after unleashing the full fury of heaven and hell upon the place, and corpses littered the place amongst the broken stone and plaster.

Jin burst out of the remains, gasping for breath as Jun grabbed his face, much like Junpei did once.

"No one can escape time." He told Jin. "It delivers us all to the same end."

With that, Jin's face rapidly aged until he was reduced to a skeletal corpse.

That was when I became aware of the people surrounding us outside of the cloud of dust and smoke, and I used Skynet to screw with all of the cameras and recording equipment of pure instinct.

Then everything turned dark.

* * *

I woke up in a hotel room somewhere. "Some trick." Jun said. "We were lucky I had enough power to slow time enough to get us out of here before anyone could identify us."

"Thanks." I coughed, sitting up and grabbing a convenient glass of water. "Where did you hear that?" I asked him.

He looked at me in confusion. "Hear what?" He asked.

"No one can escape time." I clarified. "It delivers us all to the same end."

Jun sat down on the bed opposite mine. "I was once possessed by Nyarlathotep." He explained. "Chronos helped me remove all the traces of his influence when the resolved from Hermes, and that was what he told me when I learnt to control time."

I sighed. "Death told me that on my first night in Japan." I told him. "I thought that it was a bit of a coincidence that you'd say that too."

Jun smiled. "To be honest, I just wanted to say something poetic before I killed him." He said.

"That's what turns it from an execution to murder." I replied.

"I suppose you could say that too." Jun sighed. "Well, I'm going back Iwatodai to explain the situation to Tatsuya." He announced. "What're you going to do?"

"I'm staying with relatives." I replied. "And thanks for today." I offered him my hand to shake.

He took it. "You're welcome." He told me. "Good luck."

* * *

Before he left, Jun left me with some interesting facts. Minato means Port, while Arisoto is derived from Arisato, meaning Lily, so my name translates to a Port of Lilies.

Lilies are often used at funerals, so I'd always associated them with death, but apparently the white lily symbolised virgin purity, while the orange lily represent hatred. Who knew?

He then gave me a shrubbery and left. I got on my bike and headed back to Granddad's.

* * *

"So, now you actually have committed Treason." Granddad pointed out when I returned to the Raidou cave.

"It's only treason if it's against my country." I countered, taking off the helmet. "I'm English, so its terrorism and what makes you say that what happened in Tokyo was me?"

"Who else would it have been?" Granddad asked. "The fact that you know what I'm on about only increases the chance off-"

"Yeah, I confess." I sighed. "And as it happens, turns out all the workers in the Diet were guilty of Sedition. Not sure about the Diet themselves though, since they weren't in the building at the time."

"Most of them are too set in their ways to convert to Nyxism." Granddad said, comforting me somewhat. "And I see you brought back a Spirea."

I handed him the shrubbery. "I was aided and abetted by a florist." I explained. "Any particular meaning behind this particular kind of plant?" I asked.

"Victory, conceit." Granddad replied. "This florist knows you well."

"Barely know the guy actually." I chuckled, dismounting my bike.

Granddad set down the plant. "And how many lives have you taken today?"

I stopped, then sighed. "Enough." I replied. "I don't intend to take anymore if I can help it."

Granddad nodded. "You've still got your humanity then." He said. "Let me give you some advice. Taking lives should never be easy. The moment it you stop feeling that guilt is the moment you become a monster."

"You get used to it though." I replied. "But you're right about it not getting any lighter."

* * *

Considering the lives I managed to not take today, I think I did rather well.

…

Who am I kidding; I walked right into another trap. If Jun hadn't been there, I'd be dead and all of humanity would've lost their last hope at survival.

Thankfully, that didn't happen. Real Men Wear Pink.

"Hey, Nii-san." Natalie called in Japanese. "Dinners ready."

Man, I need to start paying more attention to the here and now.

* * *

Next morning, I used the key Elizabeth gave me to get into Tartarus. I immediately went to Adamah and waited for the Reaper to show.

_**You called?**_

"There you are." I told him, standing up. "Been looking for you."

_**As have I. I was concerned when your allies entered here last night without you. **_

Oh yeah, they're still training without me. "Remember when we first met?" I asked him. "Back in May, you chased me halfway across Thebel."

_**You have truly grown in power and pride since then.**_

I smiled to myself. "Back then, I made my teammates a promise." I told him. "I told them that by the end of the year, we would be stronger than we could have believed. I promised that we'd be strong enough to bring you down and force you to make us all sandwiches." I summoned a Chainsword and a Bolter. "I'm here to finish the second half of that promise."

The Reaper… chuckled?

_**Then shall this be our final battle to decide the ultimate?**_

I nodded. "There can only be one." I replied. "No allies, no tricks, no traps. Just man and eldritch monster, pitting power against power with their pride on the line."

_**I have been looking forward to this day… **_

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

Haven't we all?

So, yeah. Jin is dead, and a gay florist enters the ranks of Fairly English Story's greatest badasses, along with Minato, Shinji, Kenjamin, Kenji, Naoki, Junpei, Hanged Man Shadow, and so on. That solves the mystery of how they've stayed in office for so long, how Jin and Jun had the same Persona, and ARMAGEDDON!!

Everybody, Vote on whether Minato should use Armageddon against the Reaper and get right to training in Monad, or have an epic battle to the end instead? Voice your opinion in your review, I'm too lazy to make a poll that most of you will ignore since the next chapter will probably be up in a couple of days, so hey.


	97. Chapter 97

**WOOT!!! 800 REVIEWS EVERYBODY!!**

**Let's try for 1,000!**

Also, I've decided to do an epic battle. YAY!

Great to have you back AthanMortis. Glad you've enjoyed it. And you too Derek Barona.

Patcheresu, Viktor Mayrin, the problem with those strategies is that Minato can only use Armageddon when he's got 100% SP. He can't end a battle with it because not enough SP, and he can't start a battle with it because he'll pass out.

NightmareSyndrom, not really. Demonic power is based on how much worship you've gained, then training and battle experience.

ISTF, I'm unsure of Jun's badassery in the original game, but I wanted to see just who I could take a back-to-back Badasses moment with. I always liked writing Takaya more than Jin, so I'll work something out.

DHP, Hanged Man took down the entire party while singing about how awesome his blimp was. Which reminds me, Minato's going to the Vision Quest next chapter, so everyone vote on which Arcana Shadow I should focus on. I will already go into detail in his adventures against the Magician, as well as against Emperor and Strength since he didn't get to kill those ones, but vote for your favourite Full Moon Boss of the story so far.

JRS74, Jin had tried to ram a grenade down his throat seconds previously, so Minato honestly thought that Jin would actually take it. I haven't seen League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen, so sorry.

TanithMagnus, he has gotten it on with Yukari. And Aigis is younger than him. Just wanted to point that out.

ThumbsUp, I'll try to work some of those ideas in.

Viperzero, I've already killed the Reaper half a dozen times in this story. He keeps getting better.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

We stared each other off, and I slowly came to realise the differences between the Minato now and the Minato eight months ago. Before, I was afraid. Before, I was weak. Not only that, but before I could barely breath with the Reaper in the same room as me. Those chains once sent shivers down my spine. Now I breath easy and those chains give me the advantage of sound.

_**You have a skill that could destroy me in a single blow**_

"I'm not using it." I told him. "Using it would deprive me of the energy I'm gonna need to train in Monad after I kick your arse."

_**So you aren't handicapping yourself. Good. Let us begin**_

I charged, blocking his foremost gun with my Chainsword as I fired the Bolter. He dodged, firing his own gun which I dodged. The Reaper's guns don't fire bullets, so I can't use them to summon. If they hit me in the head I'm dead.

I dropped the Chainsword and summoned another Bolter, deflecting his gun's aim and firing while he used the same tactic. However, this kind of thing had become second nature to me, so that left me free to focus on using the Hollow Arcana to raise a platform under my feet so I gradually ascended to the Reaper's eye level.

_**Your aptitude in the power I lent you is indeed impressive**_

"You're not planning on taking it back are you?" I asked him as I blocked his gun and fired. "Because I kinda need every trick I've got to beat Nyx."

_**You may keep it for yourself if you defeat me**_

That was when a sledgehammer rammed me from the wall.

**If**_** you defeat me**_

I grinned as I forced myself to my feet, my Personae already healing the broken bones. "Best focus on the now." I said, tossing both of my Bolters aside and summoning a card. "SHIVA!" I shouted, summoning the Hindu god to launch a bigass spear at the Reaper, which he dodged.

That was just a distraction. I used the Hollow Arcana to create a Nihil Spear, then fused the Persona Shiva to it, creating the incredibly powerful spear Pinaka. I then summoned Michael and fused him to a sword creating Deus Xiphos, a slightly weaker weapon that could cut through anything.

Then I fused the two weapons together to create the strongest warscythe. "Lance of Longinus." I named it, after the spear that stabbed Jesus and that weapon from Evangelion, which was also probably named after the one that stabbed Jesus.

_**Finished?**_

"Thanks." I replied, charging for him as he started shooting again. I focused Marogareh, using the Lance to block or evade the shots until I was close enough to slice straight through one of the guns.

I then kicked off him to jump back just as he launched a Heat Wave to send me back. Then I scanned him.

Resist Pierce. Resist Slash. Resist Strike. Resist Fire. Resist Ice. Resist Electricity. Resist Wind. Null Light. Null Dark.

I need a Persona with that kind of resistance.

The Reaper then fired into the air, launching a Megidolaon at me. I summoned Vishnu and Ananta and cast Infinity: a safer way of granting a more temporary invincibility than Valhalla, with a much smaller cost in both SP and life force to boot.

Unfortunately, I forgot that Megidolaon destroys floors so I fell down. I managed to right myself just in time to land without injuring myself, then leapt out of the way before the Reaper launched another one. I then stabbed the spear into the ground, which was rather stupid in hindsight since it pierces anything, even the floor, so now it's gone forever until I make a new one.

Oh well. I got to work at summoning Gunginr, a spear that never misses its target. I waited for the Reaper to float down the hole after me, then launched the spear down the barrel of its gun, ripping it apart easily.

"You're disarmed." I told him, summoning the Bolters from upstairs. "Do I win yet?"

_**Not a chance**_

I grinned. "Good."

**DAKKADAKKADAKKA!!!!**

The Reaper charged through my attack, getting torn to pieces by the combined onslaught of shrapnel and huge Bolts, but he charged nonetheless, managing to grab onto my face.

I bit down on his thumb, bringing his arm down for me to grab and rest my guns on top of. "My win." I spat.

**DAKKA!!**

* * *

As the reaper vanished, I sat down, panting for breath.

"Very impressive."

I turned around to see a tanned old man in a black trench coat. His white beard and long hair were wild and ragged, and his golden eyes focused on me intensely. He carried a silver oar made of chains swung over his huge shoulders; ready to knock my head clean off with those powerful arms of his.

"You are the first to make me take this form in a long while." He complimented, walking up to me. "My true name is Charon, ferryman for the dead into Tartarus."

I stood up, drawing the Oblivion from my waist. "So, this fight still on?"

Charon nodded. "Still on."

Right then. I charged, sword held wide and ready to swing. I ducked under the wide arc of his oar, and got a knee to the face as I slashed his chest. They were both lighter wounds than we had intended to give, so while he charged again, I summoned the cards for Shiva and Parvati. "ARDHANARI!" I shouted, slashing through them to unleash a stream of glorious hellfire upon the undead ferryman.

I marched through it and punched me in the mouth, sending me flying. "You're gonna have to do better than that, laddie!" He shouted, his previously polite tone morphing into a coarser, sailors tongue. "Yez can do better than that!"

Damn right I can. I used the Hollow Arcana to launch a flurry of spikes at him, but he countered by creating a web of chains to catch each shot and crush it, giving him freedom to move.

That's right, he can use the Hollow Arcana too. I remember when he blocked me off from Akihiko, Shinji and Mitsuru back in summer just before that game of British Bulldogs…

Well, screw that then, I'm not having an alchemy match against a master. I charged for him, swinging my sword as Charon- the Reaper blocked with his oar, so I bounced back and stabbed, but he deflected the blow as I threw an elbow strike for his neck, an attack he easily blocked but left him wide open for me to drop my sword and ram my knee into his rock-hard abs as hard as I could. It didn't wind him, but got my close enough to get between him and his oar, making it useless. He dropped the weapon and grabbed my shoulders, headbutting me hard as I grabbed the back of his head and rammed as many knees into his gut as hard as I could while he wrestled me to the ground.

I twisted out of his pin, kicking him in the jaw before slamming my hand against the floor to launch a spike through his skull. I then crawled out from under him and ran to grab my Bolters just as he pulled himself out of it and stood up.

**DAKKADAKKADAKKA!!**

It didn't kill him, but it wounded him badly enough for me to charge again and ram my hands into his chest and grab his heart.

He sighed. "Pulling that out won't kill me lad." He warned, grabbing me by the throat and started to choke me. "You'll have to do better than that!"

I grinned despite the air I was rapidly losing, and cast Morning Star down my hands, unleashing all the force of creation inside his ribcage.

It was a very pretty explosion.

* * *

I stood up and wiped the blood from my face. "Ham and cheese, lightly toasted, crusts cut off and piled on a silver platter with a note saying _'Minato won the bet, Love Reaper.'_"

_**Go on then lad**_

"Also, why do you talk posh sometimes and like a sailor other times?" I asked.

_**I only talk like this to those who earn it boy. Consider yourself honoured.**_

I do. "Thank you." I said, picking up the Blood Button from the mess all over the walls.

_**Anytime lad. It was a good scrap.**_

* * *

Once I caught my breath, I went to the Velvet Room and paid a little visit to Elizabeth.

"I see you've obtained a Bloody Button…" She commented once I handed her the item in question. "So, you've defeated The Reaper, have you?"

"Yeah." I nodded.

"Most impressive." Elizabeth complimented. "You are approaching the level of strength I hoped you'd achieve… I have waited so very long, in this room where time has no meaning… You may be the one to help me answer the question that has confounded me…"

"Hm?"

"Please, accept your reward." Elizabeth told me, handing me a briefcase filled with money. A hell of a lot of money. "Now, I have another request I must ask of you."

"Alright then." I told her. "What is it?"

"I wish for you to climb through Monad alone and defeat the ultimate opponent there." She said. "Of course, I would feel more at ease if you were to prepare fully before hand."

"I'd say." I told her. "I'll take the job. IGOR! Let's get fusing!"

* * *

I made five very important Personae on that particular trip.

First, I fused a Metatron that inherited the skills Repel Dark, Repel Wind, Repel Pierce and Repel Slash. It learnt Repel Ice, Fire and Electricity naturally, and it automatically repels all Light attacks and it resists strike. Of course, to do that I had to re-fuse Raphael, Gabriel, Michael and Uriel so they could pass those skills across. I then used an incense card to erase Megidolaon for Repel Strike, so for as long as I keep focused on this Persona, it'd take an Almighty skill to even scratch me. Or a Nuclear skill. Or a Water or Earth skill.

It'll be helpful when walking through Monad, at any rate.

Second Persona I made was Lucifer. Yes, _that_ Lucifer. He's weak to Ice.

Third, I made Dante. Yes, _That_ Dante. I have no idea how summoning him will work out, but I'm sure that it can only be good.

Then I fused Orpheus and Thanatos to create Messiah. No, not that one. This Messiah looked a lot like me, only in white, riding on a hanglider of some sort while carrying Thanatos's coffin bling. Some reverse fusing to Orpheus and I had a Messiah that new Hama Boost, Mudo Boost, Samsara and Die For Me!. Salvation, Enduring Soul, Regenerate 3 and Invigorate 3 and I've something fantastic for slaughtering mooks, although not that good for fighting this Ultimate Opponent of Elizabeth's.

So, I made the Persona that having the Cipher Mask would allow me to create. It was an incredible Persona.

First, I had to gather all the fusion materials for this thing.

Orpheus. Black Jack. Skynet. Metatron. Dante. Khorne. Thanatos. Tzeentch. Hito-Shura. Lucifer. Trumpeter. Tsukuru Izanagi. Messiah.

_**THOU ART I… AND I ART THOU…**_

_**FROM THE SEA OF THY SOUL, I RISETH…**_

_**I AM ORPHEUS VICTORIOUS… HERALD OF THE BATTLE HYMN OF THE SOUL…**_

Oh. Hell. Yes.

* * *

Orpheus Victorious was a man's Persona. Seriously, I cannot stress this enough.

He wore black armour with gold trimmings of the edge of the plating. An amplifier was embedded into his chest, and his pale white face was hidden under his black fringe. A black scarf covered the lower half of his face, and a large, powerful Lyre was carried on his back.

It resisted everything. No immunities, unfortunately, but nothing could do any serious damage to it. The only ability it learnt naturally was Victory cry, but it inherited Piercer from Hito-Shura, which let my hands bypass all my opponents defences, Sons Oath from Dante, halving the cost of all skills, War Cry from Khorne, which weakened my enemies so much it wasn't even funny, Song of Fate from Tzeentch, which lets me do insane damage of the element of my choice, Holy Melody and Evil Melody from Trumpeter, one which healed the most injured teammate completely and the other killing the most injured enemy instantly, both of which using hardly any spiritual power, and then Black God from Black Jack. I have no idea what that'll do, but it can only be good.

So, I spent a lot of money repurchasing the Personae I used to fuse this bad boy, gathered my rewards for the various tasks I'd completed lately, decked myself out with some decent gear, and then went home to sleep.

One epic battle is enough for one day, thank you very much.

* * *

"Morning Nii-san…" Natalie yawned as she passed me in the corridor on the way to breakfast.

That's right… I got up at six in the morning, got dressed, had breakfast, went to Tartarus, waited around for a bit, fought the Reaper, spent a few hours in the Velvet Room, where time doesn't move much, so it's still Sunday morning…

Man, this feels weird. I mean, I'd planned to spend all day in Tartarus, but being able to come and go as I please feels weird. Not a bad kind of weird, but I'm certainly not used to it. Usually we only get fifty minutes or so a night every other night.

_I can take breaks and come back later…_

This is weird.

"Hey, Nii-san, you doing anything today?" Natalie asked me.

"Erm, apparently not." I replied. "So, when'd you start calling me brother all of a sudden?"

"Am I not allowed to?" She asked.

"No, it just feels weird." I replied. "Well, more like, you know."

"Kinda." Natalie sighed. "You did come somewhat out of nowhere."

"Yeah…" I nodded. "Did you ever read that detective book, I forget its name, but the detective thinks he's solved the case, gets the suspects together, does his thing, but the guy he deducted did it was innocent?" I asked. "Turned out it was someone the detective had never met before, but was the victim's mistress or something. _That_ came out of nowhere."

"That sounded like a Scooby Doo episode I saw when I was younger at first." Natalie sighed. "But I haven't read such a book."

"Probably doesn't exist." I shrugged. "It would be the biggest detective anti-climax ever."

Natalie nodded. "Even worse than when it was the butler _yet_ again." She added. "So, you're free today?"

"Got something in mind?" I asked her.

* * *

Once we were outside of the mansion, Natalie was Naoto. She was very adamant on that rule, and it's one I can respect.

"Hey, did you hear about that terrorist Minato Arisoto?" A passing housewife told her friend.

"He's not a terrorist, he's a vigilante!" Her friend countered. "Didn't you hear about all those files they found in underneath the rubble of the Diet building? The whole place was run by a cult!"

"Really?" The first one responded. "Whatever is this world coming to?"

My name is Minato Shirogane and I am enjoying this steak skewer with my younger brother Naoto. Honest.

Now, as it happens, I hadn't touched those files, nor been aware of their existence, but I had been smart enough to block any data about me from spreading in any electronic manner, so word of mouth was the only way to go, and it appears to by working better than I expected it to for once.

Hooray for Hollywood hacking, because normal computers don't do that.

* * *

My day with my sister went surprisingly without incident until I saw some guys harassing Chie and, specifically, Yukiko.

Thankfully, I held back.

"GALACTIC PUNT!" I shouted, kicking one guy clean across the Samegawa river.

He landed with all his bones in the right place and no internal bleeding. His mates ran like hell.

For me, that's holding back. Not in my actions, obviously, but it was hard not to go through him like mincemeat what with my strength.

And Chie is gazing upon me in wonderment and delight. It was a very impressive kick, after all.

* * *

We went back to the mansion once it got dark, and when the Dark Hour arrived, I decided to experiment and used my magic Tartarus key to get in there.

And yes, there was an actual silver platter piled high with ham-and-cheese toasties right there in the middle of the lobby. Awesome.

"Minato!?"

I turned just in time to get simultaneously glomped by Yukari and Aigis. For a half-second, I didn't budge, but then I fell to the ground. I'm sure I've mentioned this before, but my Personae grow stronger every time I kill a Shadow or another Persona user. Well, when I say kill a Persona user, beating them down within an inch of their life also counts if I make them accept defeat with every fibre of their being.

Considering how many people I did that to yesterday, it's no surprise I've got this ridiculously powerful physically.

* * *

So, after a brief catch-up, I explained my current mission. They all said I was crazy for even thinking I could do Monad alone, let alone fight some Ultimate Opponent, but Fuuka pointed out that I was far more powerful than I was a couple of days ago, so she said that I could probably do it.

And so, I entered into Monad alone. Pretty much nothing could touch me while I kept focused on Metatron, but those Void Giants were still an absolute pain to kill. Nonetheless, I managed to get through Monad with little difficulty.

And you'll never believe who I found at the top.

"We have been waiting for you." Elizabeth told me. "The adversary I asked you to defeat is now standing before you. Yes… I am referring to my brother and I."

Brother? I glanced behind me to see Edward with a katana. "I have long sought an understanding of who I am…" Elizabeth continued. "Just as you and my master have done."

"Those who set foot in the Velvet Room are all destined to embark on this search for identity." Edward explained. "We have come to know power in many forms… If we face one whose power exceeds our own, then we may discover an answer to our question…"

"The truth of our existence." Elizabeth finished. "You may be able to give us that answer… Will you do me the honour of fighting us?"

"At the same time?" I asked, switching out to Orpheus Victorious because I have a feeling that if I use a Persona with too many immunities then I'm gonna get slaughtered. "Sure."

Elizabeth smiled and nodded. "You have my thanks." She said, getting into a stance with her book. "Now, shall we begin?"

I drew my standard opening weapon of a Chainsword and Bolter. I was still in my combat armour, which compensated for the weight of the weapons, and I stood between Elizabeth and her much quieter brother Edward.

_~ Who are they..? ~_ Fuuka asked me._ ~ Ummm… Is it just me, or does it seem like they want to fight..? What!? ~ _

"What is it Fuuka?" I asked.

_~ Their power is unbelievable!! ~_ Fuuka screamed in panic._ ~ …Who ARE they!?_

"I make my living as a waitress, but…" Elizabeth chuckled. "I know several effective ways of inflicting pain. Don't worry, I'm not as fragile as I look. Try to kill me…" She warned, flicking open a book and pulling a card from it. "If you can."

Surtr then appeared and unleashed hellfire around the place. I quickly dodged just in time to see Edward battojutsu the flaming pillar, something that would have easily killed me.

I put my gun forward and fired rapidly. Ed deflected the rounds by rapidly cutting through the ones headed for him and his sister, and Elizabeth summoned another card and summoned Jack Frost to cast MaBufudyne.

I smashed through the ice forming around me as Edward charged and started slashing for me. I parried his sword blows for as long as I could, but magical Katana is stronger than whirring chainsaw blades and my Chainsword shattered just as Elizabeth summoned Thor to cast MaZiodyne on me.

I gritted through it, then pushed Edward back with my bolter and cast Holy Melody on myself just in time for Elizabeth to summon Cu Chulainn to unleash MaGarudyne on me.

Right, I can't take both of these guys on alone. "DANTE!" I shouted, summoning him with enough force to keep him going.

"Hey, some party." He joked. "So I'm guessing I'm a Persona now, right?"

"You take Edward, the girl's mine!" I declared, charging for Elizabeth. Sword Vs Sword and Wild Card Vs Wild Card.

"Hey, I'm not dancing with some dude." Dante joked, drawing Rebellion and locking blades with Edward. I charged at her as she summoned Metatron to cast MaHamaon which I easily dodged as I summoned a warscythe and stabbed for her. She dodged, smacking me in the head with her book and summoning Alice to cast MaMudoon.

Why not 'Die for Me!'?

I jumped back from her as she summoned Nebiros to make an Eerie Sound, then do a Sexy Dance. What?

I suddenly got a very bad feeling, so I switched to Vishnu and cast Infinity on myself as Elizabeth summoned Masakodo to unleash an insanely powerful Megidolaon twice. I then switched back to Orpheus Victorious, and she summoned Surtr again to cast MarAgidyne.

But why not Ragnarok?

Then it hit me. Well, Jack Frost's MaBufudyne that is. She's got an order to her Personae, and she can't break the pattern.

So next is Thor, so if I switch to Lucifer…

She switched to Masakodo and unleashed that Megidolaon on me. I endured the attack and switched back to Orpheus as she switched to Cu Chulainn.

"Please try not to take advantage of my limitations." She warned as I healed myself with Holy Melody. "Otherwise, this battle would be rather meaningless."

I felt Dante disperse, so I leapt out of the way as Edward lunged for me, and we both took the brunt of Elizabeth's MaGarudyne.

So, the pattern stays solid as long as it works. If I use something immune to her current Personae's attack, then she'll use that Megidolaon immediately. She'll also use it eventually, regardless of what I do, so I need to prepare to block at the right time. On top of that, since her attacks have a wide blast radius, they're almost impossible to dodge.

Best way to do this?

I threw down my warscythe and Bolter, summoning the Bloody Knuckles as Elizabeth cast MaHamaon. I ignored it, since the chance of it actually working was minimal, and then I drew my Evoker.

I don't actually need it anymore, but I always preferred shooting myself in the head to summoning cards.

I summoned Orpheus Victorious to cast War Cry, then ignored Elizabeth's MaMudoon and a Thunder elemental on her. It worked.

I then turned to Edward as he rushed me and cast the same, blasting him down. I cast the spell again, then turned back to Elizabeth as she summoned Nebiros. I switched persona quickly to Tzeentch in order to prevent any of her psychological attacks from working, but I got poisoned.

So I switched to Nurgle and breathed in the toxic air. This battle won't be won on battle experience. Edward's just here to stop me from figuring that out and to get in my way.

This is raw power versus raw power.

Elizabeth launched her Masakodo to cast Megidolaon on me, but Nurgle's flies took the brunt of the damage for me so I was okay, but I had to act fast and switch back to Orpheus Victorious before her Surtr incinerated me. I summoned Orpheus Victorious to play his song of ice to bring her to her knees.

Now, if it wasn't for the fact that I had already burnt through a third of my SP by now, I'd use Armageddon, but that's not exactly an option, so I parried Edward's sword lunge and punched him in the face, before changing Song of Fate to a fire attack and torching her once she switched to Jack Frost.

See, I can cheat and follow the rules too.

"Magnificent!" Elizabeth declared as she got to her feet. "Your power is every bit as impressive as I'd hoped… But, the curtain has just risen…" She smiled. "Show me your best performance!"

She then rushed me and shot a load of pages into me, which hurt like hell but didn't stop me from grabbing her arm and summoning Surtr to incinerate us both, healing me and causing massive damage to her.

At least it should have. I really should have considered the possibility that she'd break her pattern and switch back to Surtr. Edward took this opportunity to stab through us both, but thanks to my raw power, all I had to do was elbow him in the face then push Elizabeth off me and me off the sword impales through her gut.

She smiled and pulled it all the way through her body before tossing it back to her brother, then summoning Pixie to heal herself with Diarahan. I healed myself too, glad to have the advantage of a much more fuel efficient healing spell, then switched to Helel and cast Morning Star.

Morning Star is a weaker version of Armageddon. Naturally, it doesn't cost nearly as much to use nor does nearly as much damage, but it's good for if I want a quick nukular expiloshun.

"Elf." Elizabeth said from inside the golden flames, and an invisible arm shot out and grabbed me by the throat, lifting me about two metres into the air.

As the blast cleared, I saw a naked red-haired woman with gray horns standing next to Elizabeth, who had taken quite a lot of damage. I recognise this, it's Lucy from Elfen Lied.

I really should have made on of those myself, because I am screwed now.

Wait a sec… "Lovers…" I choked. "…Wand… Elf."

**SMASH**

Elizabeth's Persona flew back as if punched in the face, which is exactly what my Diclonius just did to hers. I fell down and charged for Elizabeth, only to get slashed across the chest by Edward. I countered with a demonic-seal powered right hook, healed myself, then cast Morning Star again.

I've got less than half my SP left now, so I'm gonna have to be more efficient. Man, why do Soma's have to have expiration dates?

Edward then rushed with his sword again, so I focused on deflecting his sword swings while I beat his body to a bloody pulp while Elizabeth launched MaGarudyne on us. Don't they care if they hurt their sibling?

Apparently not. Well, I don't have that limitation, so summoned Lucifer to cast Mind Charge then Maziodyne the place. Spell Master was such a useful ability, plus Song of Fate doesn't have much of a damage range.

Then Elizabeth cast MaBufudyne, bringing me down to the floor. Craaap…

Then Edward swung his sword down towards my neck while I was frozen to the floor. I activated the demonic seal and span out of the way just in time. I stumbled to my feet, then switched back to Orpheus Victorious. It can't do as much raw power in the current situation as some of my other Personae, but it's a much safer bet overall.

I cast Holy Melody to heal myself as Elizabeth's MaMudoon did nothing to me, then focused on fighting Edward. I was a better close fighter so once I managed to push his sword out of the way he went down quickly, but I knew he'd be back soon enough.

So I got to work focusing on Elizabeth. I withstood her MaZiodyne, and returned with a song of wind, which is a lot like casting Panta Rhei, only more musical. She changed Persona just in time to block it, and countered a MaGarudyne, which I again withstood, and responded with a song of fire, which she shrugged off and cast MaHamaon. Booring…

I fell to my knees. Oh, you have got to be kidding me…

I caught myself against the floor just before passing out, forcing myself to stay conscious. "Nnngh…" I grunted, forcing myself to my feet.

Then Edward slashed his sword into left shoulder, bringing it through my body and out near my right leg.

_~ MINATO!!! ~_

The world slipped as my torso slipped off my legs.

It hurt.

It hurt too much to scream…

* * *

_Death is not a hunter unbeknownst to its prey.  
One is always aware that it lies in wait._

_Thou life is merely a journey to the grave,  
It must not be undertaken without hope._

_Only then will a traveller's story live on,  
Treasured by those who bid him farewell._

_But alas, my guests life has now ended,  
His story left unwritten…_

* * *

The Plume of Dusk in my pocket was radiating a warm glow…

I used it.

* * *

The world exploded into black and crimson flames as my wounds healed.

I rose to my feet, feeling better than I ever had before.

A silver angelic wing burst from my right shoulder blade, a black dragon's wing burst from my left.

I strode out of the flames to see Edward and Elizabeth looking at me in horror.

I lifted my left arm, which was surprisingly bare, and then I raised my right, which was a blue demonic claw.

_When there's nothing left to lose_

"Helel." I said. "Satan." I crushed the cards.

_You win._

"**ARMAGEDDON!!**"

_Bow your head and all hail Shadow_

Gold and purple flames consumed the room, obliterating everything that wasn't me.

When the chaos cleared, I saw Elizabeth and Edward struggle to their feet, covered in burns, their clothes singed.

I laughed and raised my arms again. "You gotta love Spell Master." I told them, smashing the cards again to unleash the end of worlds again.

They screamed this time as I laughed.

"The best part isn't even OVER!!" I shouted as the wings collapsed and my arms returned to normal. There was a huge gash in my armour, which wasn't really meant to block sword swings in the first place, but I can get it fixed. "See, now that those wings are gone, I'm back to full spiritual power again." I drew my Evoker and grinned. "So I got two more of those things left."

Man, I love the looks on people faces when they realise just how much of their arse I'm about to kick. It looks goooood.

* * *

I only had to use one of them before they were completely down for the count. "I… I believed that I would find my answer when I challenged one who was stronger than me…" Elizabeth gasped, lying on the floor completely broken. "But, I was wrong… I have received no such revelation, not even in defeat."

"Wait…" She said. "I am mistaken… The answer is this: Only I can decide who I am."

That's somewhat anti-climatic. "Now, I believe congratulations are in order…" She said, getting to her feet with ease. "You have overcome the most difficult obstacle I've placed in your path." She stated, looking just as composed as ever despite the fact that she was covered in burns and wounds and her clothes and weapons reduced to ash. "You shall receive your reward the same as always… But… please accept this as well." She told me, handing me a Platinum Bookmark. "It is no reward; it is a sign of my gratitude."

I took it gingerly. "Just where were you keeping this?" I asked her.

She giggled somewhat before picking up her unconscious younger brother. "Well then, good day." She said, heading down the stairs back into Monad.

Man, those velvet people are weird.

She stopped before leaving. "Thank you for the wonderful time." She told me. "Now, please make your way to the entrance. I have some thinking to do." She bowed, still holding her unconscious brother over her shoulder. "I shall see you again in the Velvet Room."

* * *

I took the telepad down to the lobby and got attacked by concerned friends, who apparently had been watching everything on the computer monitor that Fuuka had connected too. I ended having to explain that I'd gotten the Plume of Dusk from Elizabeth earlier today for accomplishing a completely unrelated task: successfully executing the fusion spell Armageddon in battle.

Man, the irony there was delicious.

Anyways, I then had to leave since I was completely crapped out, so I left through the white door near the Velvet Door and returned to the room I was staying in at my Granddad's house.

* * *

Next morning, I popped into Arisojack to get that replacement light armour that had been made for me last night. The Heavy Armour I wore to battle back on New Years Day just took too long to get into and was too bulky for the kind of battling I do, so I prefer the lighter model I'd been wearing lately.

Once I'd done that, it was off to Tartarus and into the Velvet Room, where Elizabeth had a special prize for me. "This is the Omniscient Key." She told me. "With it, you will be able to access the Vision Quest."

"The what now?" I asked.

Elizabeth chuckled at my unknowingness. "Similar to the Depths of Monad, the Vision Quest will test the very core of your power." She said. "While you are in no danger of dying there due to the battles taking place within the confines of your mind, the enemies you shall face will be much more fearsome than I."

"Sweet." I nodded. "I can still get stronger by training in there, right?"

Elizabeth nodded. "Of course. Please, have a good day."

* * *

The door to the Vision Quest was much like the door to Monad, only silvery blue instead of gold. I stepped inside to find a desert filled with doors, and Margaret standing there.

"I have been waiting for you." She announced. "Now, are you ready to begin?"

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

**NO OMNIPOTENT ORB FOR MINATO JUST YET!!**

So, yeah. Hope you all enjoyed that everybody, because I sure as hell did. I wanted to put the theme "All Hail Shadow" there when Minato revived, but it kinda ruined it on text so I didn't, other than that tiny bit there which is just there for epic pownage.

Speaking of Epic Pownage, Chapter 98 will be all about the wonders of the Vision Quest. VOTE FOR YOUR FAVOURITE FULL MOON SHADOW FOR A BIGGER REMATCH NEXT CHAPTER!!!


	98. Chapter 98

Alright, new chapter time.

First, I'm not sure if I made myself clear last time. Minato will fight all of the Full Moon Shadows again, but I was asking for the ones who everyone wanted the most emphasis on. As it happens, the score is:

**TIED FIRST PLACE:** Hanged Man and Hermit, six votes.  
**THIRD PLACE: **Magician, four votes.**  
TIED FOURTH PLACE:** Fortune and Justice, two votes each.  
**TIED SIXTH PLACE:** Lovers and Priestess with one vote each.  
**TIED LAST PLACE:** Everything else. Hear that Chariot? I'm the only one who liked you.

Now, to answer reviews. Nightmare Syndrom, no, I don't intend to use the Full Moon Shadows of the other Arcana. That'd be silly. Minato knows vaguely what Strength looks like, only because he saw it die.

Patch, that is indeed an epic theme.

JRS74, that's a very good question, and you can find the answer up my bum on the second shelf. I'll just go get it for you and explain it after I thoroughly wash my hands.  
Okay, here we go. It has to be from a gun and fire a bullet into Minato's head and Minato has to recognise it as such. If you squirted him with a water pistol in the face, no sell. Fired a BB, no penetration so no sale. Rammed a bullet through his skull with a catapult, no sale. Cannon Ball knock his head off, no summon. A Heavy Bolter is just about the biggest thing he can use to summon without dying.

Slicerness, Sorry about that. You know what's worse? One of my favourite manga, Sensen Spike Hills, has only been scantalated up to book 2, but the story is finished and the RAW's for all seven books are online and readily available, but no-one will translate them. THAT annoys me.

ISTF, it was Rule of Cool. Also, I always imagined the Plumes of Dusk as coming from Lucifer's wings. One of the plans for defeating Nyarlathotep was for Lucifer to come along, offer Minato his help, Minato refuse, take on of his feathers in annoyance, but get full revived, but hey, I decided on Death stepping in instead.

Naru-chan, Vision Quest is a secret dungeon in P3P. And I would like to meet your grandmother, she sounds awesome.

Heraklinos, you just blew my mind.

Slackerman, I'm going to ease him into it. By making him fight them all in quick succession then all at once. Probably.  
And as for how I'm going to make Nyx hard, use your imagination. You will be wrong, because it'll be harder than that. Also, Minato's gonna take him on alone, real time, next to no healing items. Grin.

Kinoshita Kristanite, I can understand why you dropped this story earlier. I've massively improved in the past six months, as has Minato. And yes, that was a Missed Moment of Awesome, not helped by the fact that I couldn't find any scripts for the Elizabeth cutscenes.

Vajirani, I don't intend for Minato to do any teaching soon, mostly because I can't remember much of their other moves. I know Naoto shot lots of times, but Galactic Punt was the most memorable.  
Also, don't presume anything. You will be wrong. Seriously, how have you people not learnt this by now?

And something that just came to mind recently, I only put that scene with King Frost way back in the Chariot Full Moon in on a whim. Now look what it's done for the story since. Talk about a Plot Tumour, right?

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

"So, what first?" I asked Margaret.

"I would first like to test your mental fortitude." She stated. "Please, come this way."

She led me through a red door with a bleeding heart on it. "In this place, your physical prowess will be severely limited." She explained. "You will also be unable to use any of your Personae, weapons or abilities. Are you ready?"

I nodded and stepped through, and found myself in a room with a Shadow version of Yukari, Akihiko, Mitsuru and Junpei. The Yukari Shadow was closest, holding an arrow to my face, so I back-handed her mask as hard as I could.

She went flying, but was still in one piece. Akihiko-Shadow grabbed my shoulder so I elbowed his mask. I then turned around as he fell and stamped on his throat, but I got blasted in the back with an ice attack before I could finish him.

I glanced back to see Shadow-Mitsuru with an Evoker to her head, so I picked up Akihiko and threw him at her. Akihiko summoned Polydeuces, but I deflected the Persona's punch and threw him into the ground, ramming my elbow into its armpit as it fell. Mitsuru began to summon again, but I ran over to her and rammed her head into a wall as Nega-Junpei started running towards us in slow motion.

Someone healed Mitsuru, so I rammed her head into the wall a few more times until her Empress mask smashed. I then span around to duck under Akihiko's punches, dodging his flurry of attacks until I threw a low kick into the back of his leg, bringing him down in one blow.

Shadow-Junpei stopped running towards us and just stood there as I picked up Shadow-Akihiko by the tendrils coming out of his head and rammed my knee into his face repeatedly, then threw him up into the air and punched him in the chest a couple of times and kicked him into Junpei.

The Magician Shadow shaped like Junpei slashed through Akihiko's Emperor mask and charged for me. I dodged his swings a couple of times, then grabbed his sword and punched it, cracking the weapon. It tried to pry the weapon from my grip, so I punched the crack and the sword shattered and the Shadow fell to its knees.

I grabbed it by the throat and lifted it into the air before throwing him at a convenient wall. Its mask didn't break, so I ran over to finish it, grabbing a sizeable chunk of rubble to help hammer the mask to pieces.

I felt a surge of power and hurled the rock behind me, knocking the Evoker out of Shadow Yukari's hands. If she starts reviving the other Shadow's, I don't stand a chance. I ran towards her as she ran for Mitsuru's remains. I grabbed her arm in time to stop her from taking Mitsuru's Evoker, and smashed her right in the mask, then rammed my elbow there and she fell.

I kicked Mitsuru's Evoker out of her reach, then straddled atop of the Shadow as I started punching the crap out of her mask. "This fells familiar." I grunted, punching harder. The mask quickly broke, leaving me to go and finish the Junpei Shadow.

* * *

"That's quite enough."

I was back in the Desert of Doors with Margaret. "I'm sorry to say that you failed that test." She sighed. "Your actions were alarmingly similar to those of your own when you were Charmed by the Arcana Lovers."

"I know." I said. "And I don't even remember what I did then, but I stand by my actions in there."

Margaret looked surprised, so I explained myself. "Whether I was charmed or they were or whatever, I successfully neutralised my opponents or allies without taking their lives. Granted, I destroyed them as Shadows, but my allies could take the damage I dished out and survive. Admittedly, you did not ask me to defeat them, but you never told me not to fight them either." I leaned against a door and folded my arms. "I'd say that I did pass, and since this place is inside my mind, I think that whatever I say goes."

Margaret smiled slightly. "Master was right when he said that you had a way with words." She said grudgingly. "Very well, I shall now allow you fight without limits."

"That sounds great." I told her. "Because I know which door I want to check out next."

* * *

I appeared on a large iron bridge in a metal building with giant gears all over the walls. "Yo!" The Hanged Man Shadow called, walking over with its claws inside its pockets. "How's it been you pretentious bastard?"

"Pretty good." I replied, stretching my shoulder back. "You?"

"Well, I got assimilated into that Ryoji bitch, so I'd say my life sucks around as much as yours did."

"Meh." I replied, shrugging. "There comes a time in a man's life where he has to either Nut up or Shut up."

"You ain't even seen that movie." The Shadow replied.

"Don't need to, I'll just kick your arse instead." I replied. "Again."

The Shadow laughed, punching into a wall and pulling out a metal pole. "So what's all this about you going up against Ma?"

"Who, Nyx?" I asked, summoning up a couple of shortswords. "Yeah, I'm training to kick her arse this Sunday. You?"

The Shadow rammed his knee into the pipe, smashing it into half and twirling them. "You don't stand a chance. Ma's just that powerful."

I got into a low stance. "Then I'm just gonna have to get even more powerful that her." I told it, before charging.

The Shadow threw its pipes at me, making me raise my arms to block, leaving my stomach exposed for Hanged Man's suckerpunch. At least, that's what the Shadow planned, but I blocked with my knee and rammed my two shortswords into its shoulders. The Shadow screamed and I rammed my forehead into the Shadow's skull before flipping back and kicking it in the jaw. Like a boss.

I skidded on the metal flooring before stopping, then rebounded into a full-powered rocket punch that the Shadow dodged easily, so I flipped down and kicked the Shadow again in the head as its tail shot out and pulled my arms out from under me. I fell flat onto my chin and the Shadow dropped its knee into my back.

I summoned the card for Surtr and smashed it, incinerating both of us, in theory. The Hanged Man shrugged off the attack, so I switched Persona to Cthulhu and summoned that one. The elder god rose from the abyss below us and smacked the Shadow off me as I got to my feet in time to block the Shadow's flying kick with a cross block, but the Shadow then grabbed hold of my wrists with its tail and pulled me forward as it punched me in the head.

I rolled into the attack and delivered a donkey punch to the Shadow's jaw, breaking free of its tail and summoning my Evoker. Judging from my bout with Elizabeth, the Personae I summon with my Evoker are stronger than the ones I card summon, so I summoned Surtr again. This time, Ragnarok had an effect.

Hanged Man strode out of the flames, its coat ablaze and its figure shadowed in the backlight of the fire behind it. I summoned another Bolter and put them both to my jaw, summoning Susano-o and Tsukuru Izanagi to flood the place with their Fusion Spell.

I managed to hold my ground, as did the Shadow, but I only otherwise succeeded to make us both wet and to put out any flames.

Just. As. Planned.

"Take-mikazuchi!" I shouted, pulling both triggers as I initiated Thunder Call "THOR!"

Electricity shot down from the sky, turning the entire floor into an electric chair. Of course, it was made of metal in the first place, but soaking everything in brine made it more effective, except for me since Thor is immune to electricity.

Hanged Man gritted its fangs, then charged at me regardless of the pain. Now, if I change Personae to anything not immune to Electricity, I lose my advantage, so I charged and switched to Lucifer.

"BRAVE BLADE!" I shouted, blowing my brains out as I punched with the other Evoker, just in case the prince of darkness failed to slice the Shadow in half.

It didn't. The victory was mine. I roared in it, and guess what? I felt great.

Victory Cry is the best ability ever.

* * *

"Next." I told Margaret, dusting my hands clean. "Let's do the Hermit next!"

She sighed, then unlocked the door.

* * *

Of course, I realised that I'd done something stupid when the arena was atop of a galaxy and I was in the middle of space.

_**Your friends' fears and nightmares are etched into its body! Transforming light into infinite darkness! Unmatched in Heaven and Earth! One machine, equal to the GODS! CHOUGINGA… ARCANA HERMIT!! I'll make you understand the power… Of the Maternal BEING!!**_

Hermit had changed.

It wasn't afraid of me anymore. Rather, instead of being hunched over like an animal, it stood tall with pride. It was probably a foot taller than me, but it's hard to tell since it stood about half a mile away.

"HEY, HERMES!" I shouted, waving at it. "GET YOUR BACKSIDE OVER HERE SO WE CAN DO THIS!!"

_**Don't underestimate us Shadows.**_

Holy craps when did that thing get behind me?

It backhanded me across the swirling mass of dust. _**I don't care about justice or mercy or whatever crap you humans come up with to try and stop mother, I don't give a damn about that! Stand alone in the darkness of your heart and take the weight of the world alone!  
That is how humanity shall perish.**_

I got to my feet and spat the blood out of my mouth. "You've grown a pair since we last met." I told it. "I like that. Makes the fight more interesting."

I leapt out of the way of the Shadow's punch, wondering why it wasn't using the drills on its back.

_**Humans live to suffer.**_ The Shadow said, turning back to face me. _**Whatever suffering the natural world puts humans through cannot compare to the suffering their fellow men thrusts upon them, and even that is nothing to the pain one forces upon himself.  
Humans feed of pain and beget suffering. Surely the sweetness of oblivion is preferable to such an existence.**_

"You're wrong." I told it, realising why it wasn't using its drills. "For every evil in this world there is a joy. Happiness and despair are two sides of the same coin, without one you cannot know the other."

_**But man is destruction. Man's destructive hand spares nothing that lives; he kills to feed himself, he kills to clothe himself, he kills to adorn himself, he kills to attack, he kills to defend himself, he kills to instruct himself, he kills to amuse himself, he kills for the sake of killing. **_

_**Proud and terrible king, he wants everything and nothing resists him… from the lamb he tears its guts and makes his harp resound… from the wolf his most deadly tooth to polish his pretty works of art; from the elephant his tusks to make a toy for his child — his table is covered with corpses… And who in this endless carnage will exterminate him who exterminates all others? **_

_**Himself. It is man who is charged with the slaughter of man… So it is accomplished… the great law of the violent destruction of living creatures. The whole earth, perpetually steeped in blood, is nothing but a vast altar upon which all that is living must be sacrificed without end, without measure, without pause, until the consummation of things, until evil is extinct, until the death of death.**_

_**That time has finally come to pass. The time in which the darkness within man sees the evil of the light and cries 'NO MORE'. You cannot deny this to be the truth.**_

"I don't need to." I replied. "Because once again all you are doing is stealing the words of dead men. You aren't doing this for any justice or righteous cause, the fact is that you're still a scared little shadow begging a human to spare its miserable little existence."

And now the drills come out. This isn't a battle of power like last time, this is outright psychological warfare.

With drills. In space. Against eldritch abominations from the darkness within men's souls.

Lovecraft would either scream in delight or dismay. I wonder if he liked Marmite?

Probably not, but I probably should be listening to whatever this Shadow's on about now so I can form witty rebuttal when it finishes.

_OR,_ I could just yawn at complain that "You really do go on and on don't you?"

I quickly dodged the drill rush. "Yeah, that's more like it!" I shouted, summoning a drill myself out of the nearby dust and charging at the Shadow head on.

The Shadow jumped out of the way at the last second and kicked me in the back as my drill vaporised. "See!?" I shouted, rolling in the dust. "You don't even have the balls to face me head on!"

_**Can you blame me?**_

Hm?

_**We have dwell in valleys of sin and oceans of the mind. We are the whispers of dark things that want the souls of men. And never once have we encountered anything that has struck the fear into us that the gods would feel if it ever truly understood the resolve of one such as yourself.**_

"Fire and Ice and Rage and all that, right?" I sighed.

_**That was before. But you are no doctor. You are no mender of hearts. You take broken men and turn them into weapons. You take the strong, break them under your heel, and rebuild them as something greater still. **_

_**You are no monster. Monsters never wore a crown. We never wanted to rule.**_

"There's just one problem with that." I sighed. "I don't want to rule the world. I just want to save it."

_**That is the true horror of your nature. You take the sufferings and the pains of others, and sacrifice those that oppose thee for the exaltation of those who stand alongside thee.**_

"Yeah, alright, I'm working on that particular little quirk of mine." I sighed, summoning up another drill. "I'm awesome, I scare you, you should be intimidating me with the threat of eternal doom because the people I'm trying to save aren't worth saving, got anything else to say or can we just ram drills into each other until one of us explodes?"

_**So be it.**_

Finally… why is it growing to a hundred times my size and surrounding itself with epic blue flames?

_**Chou Tengen Toppa. Arcana Hermit.**_

"Here's a question." I asked, staring up at its monstrous size. "I've heard of the Chou Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, but I haven't seen that film yet since it's not coming out on DVD for another few days, so why did you choose that form?" I asked. "And in fact, why did you choose forms based on Gurren Lagann's at all? Did you just go for what you thought would intimidate me the most?"

_**I could crush you under my foot.**_

"So why don't you?" I asked. "I mean, sure, you're big, burning, and you've taken the form of something with the power to destroy the universe with ease, so why are you hesitating to kill me?"

I put my hand out infront of me. "DEATH!!" I shouted. "AND! COIN!!" I shot the card with my Evoker and the dark flames rose around me. "**TSUKURU TENGEN TOPPA, ORPHEUS THANATOS!!!**"

White armour rose around the black flames as I stood high in this Personae's throat as a humongous Bolter formed in its left hand, a sword in its right. "**YOU FEAR CHANGE, AND YOU'RE TERRIFIED OF WHAT I CAN, NO, WHAT I HAVE BECOME.** **YOU KNOW HOW SHORT THE DISTANCE IS BETWEEN THE ME RIGHT HERE AND THE ME THAT SHALL END ALL SHADOW, AND YOU CANNOT GRASP THE FACT THAT YOU ARE BUT ONE OF A FEW OBSTACLES LEFT IN MY PATH.**"

"**THAT IS YOUR LIMIT, SHADOW!**" I roared as the behemoth that was me got ready for battle. "**THAT IS WHY YOU ENDED BEFORE YOU CAME TO BE.**"

I put my arms together and my Persona brought the Bolter and Sword together, merging them into one weapon. "**RETURN FROM WHENCE YOU CAME.**" I told the Shadow. "**COWARD.**"

* * *

I staggered out of there. That was a bigass Persona I just made. "I'm going to go take a lunch break…" I gasped to Margaret. "See you later…"

* * *

Amazingly, time doesn't pass inside the Vision Quest, so I can train in there and spend no time whatsoever. Unfortunately, that also meant that any Personae I made didn't get to stay real, and I don't have the sheer energy to recreate Tsukuru Tengen Toppa Orpheus Thanatos. However, it's a Monday today so Natalie's at school so I can't hang out with her, but so what to do?

Well, it's raining, so I could spend time inside.

Although, I've also heard that the Aiya serves a Mega-Beef Bowl challenge on during rainy days, and my stomach is aching for a hell of a lot of meat.

* * *

Holy freaking crap this is a lot of meat. It's like eating a portal to the meat dimension!

Luckily, my stomach is a black hole, so I managed to consume the whole thing. The owner was completely blown off his face. Apparently, I was the first to ever manage it, so unlike at the Wild Duck Burger, there wasn't a wall of fame. That's fine by me, since I prefer anonymity to fame after last week.

So I staggered out of the restaurant and went for a stroll to walk off the excess calories, when I saw a source of demonic energy.

Thank you Marogareh and Dante, you have single handedly solved the mystery of 'Who is Izanami?'

* * *

I dragged the fish onto the shore as it flailed angrily. "Oh no you don't!" I grunted, bashing its head with my shoe repeatedly until it stopped dead. "Yeah!" I shouted, lifting the goddess above my head. "WHO'S LAUGHING NOW!?" I roared in victory.

"Sweet merciful Ameterasu, you've caught the Samegawa Guardian!" An old man shouted in amazement. Moon. "I've been trying to catch that fish for over sixty years!"

* * *

So, turns out that the source of demonic energy wasn't Izanami disguised as a bigass fish, it was just a bigass fish called the Samegawa Guardian.

Oh well. I eat tonight!

The old guy helped me gut and clean the fish on the grass so I gave him a quarter of the meat. It was a freaking large fish, it was like carrying a shark home.

I immediately got to work frying the fish meat. I don't care that I'd just eaten half a cow in ramen, it is blasphemy to eat fried fish if it's been dead for more than an hour.

Shockingly, Natalie got home just as I finished frying the first section of the fish, so I buttered her up a slice and handed it to her. "This is how we eat fish in England." I told her.

* * *

The head chef deprived me of the rest of the fish, demanding to use it for a sushi buffet for tonight's meal. My personal opinion had nothing to do with the matter, all I did was catch, kill, clean and drag it home. It's not like that makes it my property or anything.

Oh wait, yes it does. **VENGEANCE!!**

Right after this game of Cluedo with my sister. You've gotta enjoy the little things in life, right?

* * *

Anyhow, that evening I went back to Vision Quest. I could probably manage to take on the Fortune with a full stomach.

The battle was to take place at a table in a casino. How did I ever guess that?

"This game shall be seventeen-card poker." Margaret explained, standing at the table beside us. "I shall be dealing. The deck shall consist of seventeen cards, Aces to Kings of the four houses, and the Fool. The Fool can take the role of any card."

"You will each be dealt five cards after shuffling." Margaret continued. "After the deal, you will both have the opportunity to discard up to five hands and draw replacements from the deck, but only seven cards may be discarded between you. You shall play seven hands, the loser of the previous hand deciding who should discard first. The winner of the game will be the first to win four hands. Are these terms acceptable?" Elizabeth asked.

"_Absolutely._" Fortune nodded.

"Just so long as the cards stay out of his reach and sight when shuffling and dealing." I told her. "I don't want any cheating like last time."

"Of course." She said. "This is why all movements of the cards shall be handled by myself."

I nodded. "Thank you. Deal whenever you're ready."

Margaret waved her hand across the table and a small pile of five cards appeared at each end of the table. I picked up mine. Three Jacks over Kings. Decent hand. "Fortune, as the loser in the previous game, you may decide who discards first."

"_I will discard first."_ The Shadow answered, handing Elizabeth a card and receiving a replacement.

"I'm good." I told her. Normally, this is where we'd raise, bluff and call, but not in this game.

I placed my cards down. "Jacks over Kings." I announced.

The Shadow laughed as it played its hand. Two Kings, two Aces and the Fool. "Kings over Aces, Fortune wins." Margaret announced, waving her hand across the table as the cards vanished again.

Of course, because there's no number cards, playing three Jacks is a pretty crap move.

She dealt again. Three Queens, a King and the Ace of Wands. "I'll discard two cards." I announced, dumping the Ace and King for the Queen of Wands and the Ace of Cups.

Four Queens. That's a good hand.

"_I shall discard one card._" Fortune announced, making the trade and planting down his three Jacks, Fool and King of Wands. "_Four Jacks, King Kicker."_ It announced.

I played my hand. "Four Queens, Ace Kicker. I win."

"That makes one all." Elizabeth announced, taking out cards away and shuffling them again. This time, I got two Aces, two Kings and a Jack of Wands.

Thing is, I've also got the Ace of Wands, so it's whether I want to play safe, discard the Jack and hope for a King or Ace, or gamble and hope for a full house. "_I discard two cards."_ Fortune stated, making the trade.

Bugger it. "I'll discard three." I said.

Oh hells yeah. Fool, Ace of Wands, Jack of Wands, Queen of Wands, and King of Wands. "Full House, Royal Flush." I announced. "I win."

Fortune had three queens and two aces. Two-one to me.

Next hand, and I got the Ace of Swords, the Ace of Wands, Jack of Wands, King of Wands and the Fool. So, logically, if I discard the Ace of Swords I have a chance at another Full House Royal Flush. If not, then I can still get a Royal Flush with a kicker using the Fool.

"_I'll let my opponent discard this time."_ Fortune stated.

"Why thank you." I said, trading in the Ace of Swords for the King of Coins. Ah well, it's still a great hand.

"_I'll trade three cards."_ Fortune stated, then playing its hand. Jack, Queen and King of Swords, Ace and King of Cups.

"My Flush is better than yours." I stated, racking up the score to three – one in my favour.

Margaret dealt again, and this time I got the Ace, Jack and King of Wands, the King of Swords and the Jack of Cups.

"_I'll discard two cards." _Fortune stated. I ditched the King of Swords and the Jack of Cups, getting the Ace and Queen of Coins.

Not that bad of a hand. "Three and a Two." I said, placing my cards down.

Fortune laid down his hand. King of Coins, Ace, Queen and King of Cups, and a Fool. "_Royal Flush with a King kicker." _Fortune stated.

"That raises the score to three – two in Minato's favour." Margaret stated, taking out cards and magically shuffling them again.

"_By the way, would you care to inform the boy as to what he shall lose every time he fails to complete a task in here successfully?"_ Fortune asked Margaret.

"Of course." She replied, before turning to me. "You shall lose five ranks in your Persona capabilities, limiting your strength and the Personae you are capable of summoning."

"And if I win?" I asked her as she started dealing.

"You will gain a large amount of Experience Points, allowing you to become closer to increasing your Demonic Rank."

I nodded. "And what is my current rank?" I asked, picking up my cards.

"Ninety-four." Margaret stated. "Who would you like to discard first?" She asked.

So if I lose this one then I won't be able to summon any Persona stronger than Helel… "I'll discard first." I decided, sacrificing my three Jacks to get two queens and an Ace.

Crap. Now all I've got is a Two-Pair of Queens and Kings with an Ace Kicker.

"_I am satisfied with my hand."_ Fortune declared, placing the King and Jack of Wands, the Fool, and a King and Queen of Swords. A Three and a Two…

"Next hand wins." Margaret stated, dealing out again. "Minato, as the loser of the last round-"

"I'll discard first." I said, not bothering to look at my cards. "I'll discard all five cards."

"_Rampant gambling again."_ Fortune sighed. "_I shall discard one card."_

Fortune made the trade, then placed its hand onto the table. Three Kings and Two Queens. "_Full house, Kings over Queens."_

I chuckled. "Margaret, please could you show the discard cards for unnecessary drama?"

"No." She stated. "Please show your hand."

I sighed. "Fine, fine…"

Four Aces and the Fool.

"Five Aces." I stated. "Normally you get your legs broken for having a hand like that, but this time it means I win."

I am _so _glad I thought to create Lady Luck before I came in.

* * *

"You are indeed very confident about your skills." Margaret pointed out.

"Well, the odds are in my favour." I pointed out. "I mean, I stand to win about a tenth of what I'll loose if I don't win, so that means that the odds of me winning are ten to one."

"Statistically, that means that at least one of the twelve Shadows should defeat you." Margaret pointed out.

"That's not how statistics work Margaret." I replied. "Let's do Justice next."

* * *

That battle took place on the rooftops of some post-zombie apocalypse city without the zombies. I started on a rooftop of a skyscraper as the Shadow flew down in all of its glory.

I put the Evoker to my head and pulled the trigger. "SKYNET!"

There is nothing funnier than making a fifty-foot tall war mech blow its own head off with its own freaking huge laser cannon that doesn't involve human orifices. Except maybe monkeys.

* * *

"That did not count."

"Of course it counts!" I shouted at her. "I used my Persona to defeat it! How does it not count!?"

"The Shadow was defeated by its own attack." Margaret pointed out. "Therefore the outcome is voided."

I sighed. "Fine, I'll go back in…"

* * *

THIS time I used Skynet to launch an orbital laser beam at the Shadow. That _has_ to count.

Of course, the problem with orbital laser beams is that they destroy a lot of the things around the target, so its not practical for use in populated areas, like where most of my battles take place.

Not a problem this time however. Just a plain old curb-stompingly-delicious-kablamo.

* * *

Guess what? It counted.

Also, I want a monkey. I'd dress him up as a rock-monster and call him cliff. That's what I'd do.

But, alas. Sleep beckons and I must answer its call. Tomorrow I'll run through the rest of them.

* * *

Tuesday morning, however, the doors had moved around and changed. "I have devised a new method of challenging you." Margaret stated. "From now on you shall face the Arcana Shadows two at a time, so I may truly test your abilities. Have you any objections?"

I cracked my knuckles. "Not at all, let's me work through 'em twice as fast." I picked a door at random.

* * *

Aaand I found myself in a train. A very fast train moving through a canyon, this particular train looking like some kind of Oriental Express.

So most likely Priestess and something else. Magician?

Let's find out. I reached for the door handle to get into the next cabin, but it wouldn't budge, so I kicked the door down.

There was a brick wall behind it. Lol. Whut.

"You are forbidden from travelling from cabin to cabin the traditional way." Margaret pointed out, suddenly standing beside the door with a cup of tea. "Perhaps, one should attempt to travel above the cabins."

So roof running. Lovely.

I slid open the window and poked my head out. "IT'S WINDY!!!"

That out of the way, I climbed out and crawled onto the roof. And a big, crawling fat thing was rushing for me.

Empress.

I stepped out of the way, slipping off the train but grabbing the rail at the last second as the Shadow charged past me. I got up to see the Shadow's bloated form twist around on the roof and screech at me.

I braced myself for its charge, just as the train went under a bridge. The back of my head went through the bridge.

Since I accidentally took out the central support of the stone bridge, the remainder collapsed atop of the Empress, crushing her and the back end of the train, which lurched backwards, sending me flying into the rubble face first.

Now both ends of my head are bleeding. Great.

Let's just go kill the Priestess and get out of here.

Of course, knowing my luck, the Empress with get right back up again in a one-winged angel form.

Meh. I'll blow that bridge up when I gets to it.

* * *

Amazingly, the Empress didn't get back up. Hooray!

And that's why I went through the ominous castle door next, finding myself on a parapet with the Emperor and the Hierophant. They really didn't think this arena through properly, since the Emperors short legs made it easy to push it over the edge. It was hilarious.

Now for the Hierophant. What ways can I hoist it by its own peta-

Is that a cannon I see before me? Its muzzle pointed towards the Shadow's fat arse?

Ohohoho…

* * *

I. LIKE. CANNONS.

* * *

Next fight was in an abandoned factory of some sort. I charged in, hacking and slashing through the Shadows surrounding me. There were dozens of them, so I'm probably facing off against the Lovers.

…

Why do those guys have tanks?

I dodged the cannon blast. Lovers and Chariot. Of course. I should have seen this coming.

Alright, think Minato. King Bradley did this once.

I charged at the tank with my sword, dodging the blasts from its turret and focusing on the slit for the driver to see through.

I jumped at the front face of the tank and rammed my sword through the face of the driver. I then bit the pin of a Frag grenade and tossed it through the hole and jumped back as shards of metal flew everywhere.

The other Shadows were looking at me in awe with their battle armour and battle rifles, looking upon the human who just took out a tank with a sword and a grenade.

I lifted my arms into the air. "Come on then if you think you're 'ard enough."

* * *

They weren't. Neither was the Arcana Chariot.

Lovers may pose a challenge though. It was bigger than I remember, stood high in its tree form with a Shadow orgy going around on the floor around me.

Now, I could be disgusted. I could waste time killing the Shadows while the Lovers attacks me in the back, or just go for the Lovers and get stabbed in the back by an orgy-Shadow.

OR I could take a third option and Armageddon dat ho.

Hmm…

* * *

"And that leaves Strength and Magician behind this door." I yawned, stretching my shoulders as I went in. "Honestly, I thought that these were meant to be a challenge…"

"Or you are merely growing stronger at a much more exponential rate than I had anticipated." Margaret suggested.

"Probably." I shrugged. "Igor says that sometimes."

* * *

Strength went down fairly easily. I most likely am growing stronger too quickly. Hell, that Shadow just had teleport spam and fencing to back its skills. Boring.

Magician, on the other hand, was stronger than I gave it credit for. Probably because Thanatos one-shotted it before, but fighting it in close combat is hard, like fighting twelve giants with swords all at once without using Personae.

Wait… why the hell am I not using Personae?

I jumped back, summoning two cards and slashing through them, summoning Shiva and Parvati to unleash holy fire upon the Shadow, then summoned Thanatos to finish it off.

Surprisingly, it had grown to the point where Thanatos couldn't kill it in one blow anymore, but you know what? Hito-Shura sure can.

* * *

"Alright, now I'll go for a nap." I told Margaret. "When I get back, I want to fight a thousand of them or something."

* * *

That was probably tempting fate, but fighting a thousand Shadows at once would be incredibly badass. I mean, all I'm doing right now is helping my little sister skive off school to track down a stolen child.

Alright, admittedly, that is also important and pretty heroic, but come on!

Sniff. "The kid's scent goes that way." I told Naoto before mentally cursing myself from being so literal. "My hunches are usually correct."

"I was going to bring up the fact that the owner of the vehicle described by witnesses lives in that direction." Naoto said. "But it appears that you have also come to that same conclusion."

"Well it's not like I'm using demon magic to sniff them out." I told her, lying my arse off. "Let's go."

* * *

You know what's worse than a rapist? A kidnapping paedophile rapist who wants to put it onto the internet.

Luckily we got there while he was still taking his pants off, and Naoto was there to make sure nobody died. Like him.

Dojima thanked me for my efforts and enthusiasm, but told me off for roughing the prisoner to the legal limit before he got a pistol whipping in. He probably has a daughter the same age as that girl.

"Well, we should celebrate for a case well solved." Naoto suggested. "I know a great ramen place."

I chuckled. "No where in the world does better ramen than Hagakure." I told her.

* * *

We actually snuck into Iwatodai specifically to try out the Dan Dan Dan Noodles.

They were awesome.

Even more awesome was that we got out of the city without anyone noticing that I'd come in.

It was a long distance to go just for some noodles, but these were Dan Dan Dan Noodles.

Once you go Dan, you never go back.

* * *

So, after Natalie went to bed, I went to Tartarus and the Vision Quest, and I asked Margaret a pertinent question concerning the change in the Desert of Doors.

"…why is there only one door?"

"You wished to battle against a thousand Shadows at once, is that not correct?" Margaret asked in response. "Well then, right this way… ah, please let me to hold onto your Persona Helel."

"Why?" I asked, trying to take the card back.

"There would be no difference in fighting a dozen Shadows and fighting a million if one were to just 'Armageddon Dat Ho'." She replied with an angry smile.

"Why a million?" I asked.

"Because that is the number of Shadows residing behind that door." Margaret stated. "I felt that merely a thousand would be insufficient to truly test your capabilities."

I think I may have made her angry somehow. I can't think why.

* * *

I stepped through the door with my Chainsword and Bolter at the ready and bloody hell that is a lot of Shadows.

Honestly, if I wasn't allowed my mass-hitting spells then I might not win this.

"Let us test that then." Margaret suggested; smashing a card as black ink rose around my body, covering my skin with the markings of black chains.

"What did you just do..?" I asked her.

"I have made it impossible for you to summon any of your Personae by any method." She stated. "You are, however, still permitted to use their abilities via channelling, of course, and to use their strength to augment your own physical prowess as you have come to do subconsciously."

"I'd say something confident, but I've learnt my lesson." I told her, testing out what I can do. "No Hollow Arcana?"

"And no Demonic Seals or Fusion Spells." Margaret added politely, before heading back through the door. "I wish you the best of luck in your endeavour."

"Don't say it like I'm about to die." I sighed, turning back to the horde. I've only got these weapons to last me too, since I can't pull anything out of the armoury… can I? Let me check… Nope, Margaret's thought of that too.

Well then. I slung the strap of the Bolter over my shoulder for safe-keeping and gripped the Chainsword with both hands. I'm gonna have to be careful with my weapons this time.

I charged. Let Ichor stain this blue canyon black, for one million Shadows shall die this day at the hand of this one man.

I ran forward and leapt right into the middle of them in a burning fireball. I got to my feet and looked at the Shadow's mulling around me maliciously.

I rushed forward just as seven of them rushed me. One slash and they were all dead.

I kept cutting through for a few seconds, then surrounded myself with another fireball, giving me some space, then rushed through the mass of flesh, forcing my way as I cut down Shadow after Shadow. I quickly reached the blue canyon wall, so I turned around and slashed quickly before a Shadow stabbed me in the back.

And now, I've got my back against the wall, the only thing between me and almost a million Shadows is my Chainsword.

Just the way I like it. "COME ON!" I roared, blitzing into the maw again. I slashes and hacked my way through, then stamped down on a mask to leap into the air and across the mass of flesh and created a bridge of ice to slide across before leaping back into the fray.

Bugger strategy, let the carnage begin.

* * *

After what seemed like hours, I stopped for breath. Where did they all go?

There, there, the Shadows are still all around me. I've just got a quarter mile between me and any more Shadows.

I slung the Chainsword over my back, took up the Bolter and fired rapidly at the survivors. I'm too tired for this crap…

* * *

"I am most impressed." Margaret complimented. "That was truly a remarka-"

"Less yappin' more giving mah skills and Helel back." I gasped, panting for breath.

Two eldritch abominations? Fine. Piece of cake.

Lots and lots of mooks? Awesome, but count me out next time. "Now… for sleep."

* * *

Wednesday Morning, the Twenty-Seventh of January. Four days before facing off against Nyx.

And here I am facing against the twelve Arcana Shadows at once.

First things first. "GIGA!!" I shouted, lifting my arm high and facing the Hermit. "DRILL!!"

I tossed the drill into the charging Magician, then tripped the charging Emperor. I deprived it of its sword and swung it into the upcoming Shadows; forcing them all back and decapitating the Emperor. I hurled the sword through the Magician, finishing it off as I took one of its lighter, more preferable weapons.

I stabbed through the Priestess and swung around to cut into the Justice, earning a ram in the ribs from the Strength.

Then I noticed that the Magicians Swords were still there, so I started channelling Diclonius, using it's Vector-arm-thingies to pick them up and start slashing them wildly around me. Ever see a guy with telekinesis wielding twelve over-sized swords at once? Because that's me right now. Empress, Hierophant, and Fortune were cut down with absolute ease.

Man, I am crazy powerful. Only Lovers, Chariot, Hanged Man, Hermit, Strength and a wounded Justice left.

First off, I sent the swords spiralling into Justice, drilling open a bigass hole in its chest armour for me to leap into and rip the driver out of its seat. Justice then strapped me in and began the self-destruct sequence, but I switched to Alilat and cast Makarakarn just as it exploded. Strength then warped to behind me and grabbed my arms from behind, but I flipped and slammed it into Chariot, earning a large spike through it and a few minor cuts. I flipped over and smashed Strength's mask as Chariot began to transform into its Dreadnaught form, but I held on and tried to hack into it with Skynet.

No luck, it's got too much tank, not enough computer in it.

I rolled out of the way as it tried to grab me, but it didn't use enough force to damage itself. Damn, I remember how much of a bugger this thing was to kill first time around…

Wait, I'm a genius.

I started clambering around the Chariot as the Hanged Man started climbing it, Lovers hooking itself into the ground and Hermit watching ominously. Chariot was doing the sensible thing and standing still as to not get damaged, since Hanged Man has the advantage of having claws to help it climb up while I was swinging down, so I decided to bugger the whole business, summon a Heavy Bolter and jump off the Shadow's shoulder, firing into its fuel tank on the way down.

It exploded magnificently, taking the Hanged Man with it. I, meanwhile, have dislocated a shoulder and there are black tentacles coming out of the ground to rape me.

No, wait, they're here to dash my skull against the walls. Phew.

Also, my head hurts. Well, being thrown into a concrete wall will so that to a growing boy's cranium. I whipped out my Evoker and pressed it against my skull. "Amaterasu! Izanagi!"

**BLABLAM**

White flames consumed the roots holding me and flowed underground, burning them to ashes all the way up to the host Shadow, Lovers.

That leaves Hermit. "We gonna do it this time?" I asked it, holding my hand to the sky as the world burned.

Hermit did the same. _\_ _GIGA __\_

I used the Hollow Arcana to create a drill around my right fist. "_**DRILL!!!**_" I shouted.

* * *

_**BREAKAAAAAHHHH!!!!**_

* * *

I strode through the ashes of my fallen enemies as the world burned with the flames of Ragnarok. All who have opposed me this day have perished.

"You missed one."

I turned around to see The Hanged Man. "Bring it." The Shadow challenged, summoning a sword the size of a boat and swinging it around its head. "Bring it on."

I summoned a Bolter and shot it in the face. "Nah, I'm good thanks."

* * *

"Most Magnificent." Margaret applauded. "I have only one challenge left for you to face…"

"Yeah yeah I'll kick your arse later." I sighed. "Just let me walk my sister to school and get some food down my neck and I'll be right with you." I groaned. "Honestly, it's like they expect me to be invincible or something… mind popping my shoulder back in for me?"

Margaret obliged. It hurt.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

Alright, sorry about the delay for this chapter. A lot of things have gone on and, well, all kinds of crazy crap has tried to stop me from getting this finished.

But I have.

Hope you all found it suitably epic. I know I did.

Next chapter, Minato fights Margaret, may even win, and then he will return to Iwatodai, do something suitably epic, and maybe even finish off Takaya. YAY!

Also, for those who want to learn more of Minato's Backstory, go watch a film called Green Street. It's very accurate.


	99. Chapter 99

ONE CHAPTER LEFT UNTIL 100 CHAPTERS.

Admittedly, I cheated that one chapter, but hey.

AND WE'VE REACHED 80,000 HITS!!!

Slicerness, the problem with Awe-pic is that it sounds like something with cats in them, and Episome sounds like as dishwasher. And there's a reason why games have difficulty levels.

Thy True Self, who the hell do you think I am? I even got my little brother to watch Lagann-hen. Mind you, Minato hasn't.  
I actually wrote Minato's epic speech there all on my own, while everything Hermit said was plagiarised. It was meant to be symbolic or something.

Patch, 1) This is Arisoto, not Arisato. Feel free to use Arisato as you will.  
2) And it's only a week in…  
3) Heard it. KH do good soundtrack.

WildCard, I've seen the Hitler thing already. It was hilarious. Also, you need to replace the '.' With ' (dot) '.

Faynir, that film is accurate and epic. I'm forever blowing bubbles.

JRS74, I know how you feel. It's weighty, this feeling that something I started is coming to a complete close. It feels pretty damn awesome.  
As for the million shadow battle, I expanded on it lots as it was. Fighting through even a thousand would get repetitive after a while, since Minato wasn't allowed any variety in his battle technique.

Kinoshita, do you honestly think Minato's sane?

Naru-chan, you know that the premisef of the story is that Minato's English? Where do you think I got the source material from?

Tenshi Reike, never seen Shadow of the Colossus, nor heard of it. And did I bring King Frost back up? I don't think I brought King Frost back up.

Callum, Monopods or no Monopods, Tarmac Monkeys win.

Slackerman, it'd be less than 350. And yes, Nyx will be that hard.

Gau Ban, I have no idea what that is. I'll look it up later.

Aoirann, nope. Inaba gang are gonna be roughly the same. And no, Minato won't become the god-emperor, but just wait another week or so to find out what happens.

Also, I need you guys to do me a huge favour and remind me of any loose ends that need tying up during the February month of this story. Anything I've missed at all or anything you feel I haven't given proper closure to. Thanks.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

You know, sometimes you need to enjoy the simple things in life. Like walking your sister to school while she pretends to be a dude.

"Hey, did you hear about this spear they found in Canada?" Naoto asked me.

Hm? "What about it?" I asked.

"Apparently it just burst out of the ground one day." She explained. "They've no idea what it's made of, who made it or where it came from, but apparently it can pierce through anything they test it on."

Crap. I think that might be mine. "It's worth looking into if it's the real thing." I shrugged. "What are they keeping it in?"

"On a stand by the handle probably." Naoto shrugged, biting into her toast. "That's what I'd do."

"That would be the sensible thing." I nodded. "Though I wonder what'd happen if some idiot stabbed it into the ground?"

"It'd probably keep going either to the centre of the earth or to Japan depending on how hard they stabbed it." Naoto shrugged. "But one would have to have super-human strength in order to do such a thing, right Aniki?"

I love that name. Aniki. Makes me feel like Kamina. "Yeah, I suppose so." I perked to attention as her school came into view. "Why's there a guy holding one of your teachers at gunpoint in there?" I asked.

We both ran towards the place without being seen or getting to close. Damn, why does this stuff always happen to me?

"He's gonna kill her." Naoto said, looking through her binoculars. "We need to stop him."

I was already assembling my sniper rifle.

"Where did you get that from?" Naoto asked.

"Dismantled and stored in pockets." I lied, bringing it up onto the car we were hiding behind and aiming for the guy's throat.

Tch.

I love silencers.

I tossed the rifle into Naoto and vaulted over the car as I dashed for the guy I just shot before he decided to take anyone with him.

"Kuh… Diarama."

Ah. Nyxist. Should've known.

I slapped his pistol down as he got to his feet and he shot himself in the foot. I then elbowed him in the jaw and kneed him in the chest, knocking him down to the ground. I stamped on the hand holding the gun, a Smith and Wesson, then dropped my knee into his face to knock him out.

Then something amazing happened.

See, I get points to advance my Demonic Rank whenever I defeat a Shadow, Demon or another Persona User. One Cowardly Maya is equal to one point, and this guy was worth just enough points to push me from rank 98 to rank 99.

And it was awesome.

My physical strength doubled instantly, and my spiritual power was triple the amount I had a few seconds ago.

This makes absolutely no sense, but I love it.

* * *

So, when I kicked down the door to the Vision Quest, you can tell I was feeling confident.

Now, I know full well what happens whenever I get cocky, so I'm still gonna be cautious, but I like my chances.

"I assume you are ready for our battle?" Margaret asked me, snapping her book shut and standing up.

"What are the conditions for this fight?" I asked.

"Feel free to use whatever abilities you feel fit to use." She replied. "All I ask is that you refrain from using any healing or protective items, and I must impose a time limit of an hour. Have you any objections?" She asked.

"An hour is plenty of time." I told her while summoning a sword. "You ready?" I asked.

"Indeed." She answered, opening her book again and summoning a card from its pages and smashing it, summoning some old guy in a robe and a bigass hourglass. "Father Time, feel free to count us in."

The Persona flipped the hourglass and stamped his staff against the ground. "**Begin.**"

Margret summoned Surtr and cast Ragnarok, but I dodged the attack and charged for her, slashing with my sword. She caught my blade with her book and snatched it from me, forcing me back with some blonde bondage slave casting Niflheim.

Excellent. I put the Evoker to my head and "MARA!!" I roared, summoning the dick-thing as it set the desert ablaze with glorious hellfire, melting the ice and burning the world.

Margaret looked around with concern as the inferno formed a labyrinth between us and around the doors. "Don't bother trying to extinguish it!" I shouted. "These fires will blaze until the end of this battle."

"You certainly thought this plan through." Margaret shouted, looking around her.

See, thanks to Marogareh, I can see through fire. She can't.

Also, I don't mind getting a little singed.

I charged through the flames and rammed my fist into her face. She launched her leg up and tripped, sending us both down into the boiling sand below. I scrambled up as we both threw sand into each others eyes and rushed to punch each other in the face.

Damn, she can punch hard.

I span into another punch, plunging my fist into her gut as she stabbed her knee into my ribs. I headbutted her and we both staggered back, then jumped to grab her book and my Evoker.

"LUCIFER!!" She shouted, smashing a card as the dark angel rose from the flames and cast Megidolaon. I crossed my arms and endured the blow, then summoned the same Persona and cast the same attack.

When the debris cleared, neither of us were in the central room of the flames, and I immediately began to look for her as I got a karate chop to the windpipe. I grabbed my throat and span around as a stiletto pierced my eye and I was kicked through the fire.

Damn… "ORPHEUS VICTORIOUS!" I shouted, summoning the Persona to cast a Holy Melody as some Samurai Persona burst forward and started slashing at me like the world was gonna end.

I healed just as the Persona dissipated, and blocked Margaret's surprise attack at the last second and countered with an elbow to her skull. She summoned Odin to cast Panta Rhei somehow, creating a sandstorm which limited both of our visions and blowing errant flames all over the place.

I switched to Surtr. "RAGNAROK!!"

The pillar of flame turned the funnel of sand into glass with its intense heat. That's probably not how glassmaking works, but I resigned myself to insanity long ago.

I rammed the glass structure, not hard enough to smash it but certainly with enough force to topple it onto Margaret. Sadly, she dodged and smashed it with a well-aimed kick.

I kicked the broken glass and sand towards her face as the flames burst back to life, but it missed completely. I used the Hollow Arcana to summon several sharp things and launched them at her, but she blocked them with a large ice wall. I burst through it with a powerful punch, earning myself a phonebook to the chin as she summoned Helel.

Crap. Time to run before she casts

"Morning Star."

Crap.

**KABLOOM **

* * *

I coughed the blood from my lungs and cast Diarahan on myself. Surprisingly, I've still got plenty of energy, both physical and spiritual, so I'm plenty good to continue.

Margaret, on the other hand… also looks fine. A bit singed, heavy breathing, breaking a sweat, but otherwise fine.

"Right, that's a pretty decent warm up." I sighed, stretching my shoulder. "Let's get dangerous."

There was a flash of fear in Margaret's eyes, but she covered it with steely determination and summoned Thor to cast Thunder Reign, but I just gritted my teeth and charged through it, summoning a large claymore as I ran before swinging it. She leaned back Neo-style, so I did the impossible thing and slammed the blunt of the blade down, ignoring momentum completely.

Margaret rolled out from under the oversized blade and threw sand into my face as she got to her feet, before summoning a Minotaur to push me into the fire wall. I roared in pain, then grunted as I hefted the beast into the air and tossed it at her.

"Don't try to hoist me by my own petard." I warned her, striding out of the flames. "It's not gonna work anymore."

Then a huge sandworm burst from the ground and swallowed me, so I did the sane thing and cut it in half with the magic scythe I just made. "Good try." I told Margaret as she launched a ball of almighty energy at my face.

I forced my face through it, setting the old scar bleeding again but otherwise shrugging it off.

That's right; I just shrugged off a Megidolaon in the face.

I threw the scythe at her, and she batted it away. "And so we have two god-like beings facing each other, both of us refusing to yield to the other." She said.

"Yield?" I asked. "That's that thing that smart people do to me."

Margaret tucked the book into her chest and ran for me with all her strength, so I did the same and charged, throwing all my weight into the punch.

She hit me with a cross-counter. Her arms are longer, my punch didn't land.

I hooked my right arm around hers and pulled her towards me, ramming my left fist into her temple and knocking her and her book flying in separate directions. She rolled in the sand and up to her feet, then launched a fire blast at me.

I responded with a burst of icy wind, and a thunderstorm formed where the two beams collided.

I leapt out of the way, letting her flames consume my ice, then charged at her with fire in my right hand, cold in my left. I punched with my right, she deflected with her left. I punched with my left, she deflected with her right. I then jumped backwards, kicking her in the jaw with my thunderstorm-elemental-somersault.

Fire and Ice and Rage? That's just the start.

I landed in the sand as she recovered her stance, and I forced myself forward and shoved my fist into her face. Margaret rolled with the punch, grabbing the back of my neck and ramming my face into the boiling sand. I punched down, hard, and sand shot up around my fist, forcing Margaret back.

I twisted in the ground, kicking her into the flames before getting up and charging after her. She donkey kicked me just as I burst through the wall of fire, sending me back as she got up and scrambled for her book. I dashed for my Evoker just as she summoned Helel to cast another Morning Star.

I tried something stupid and summoned Satan, then harnessed her Helel to turn that Morning Star into a bigass Armageddon hitting both sides.

* * *

Both of us were barely standing after that, but casting Armageddon that way only used a quarter of my spiritual energy, so I had plenty of Holy Melodies left to heal me back to full strength.

However, Margaret has plenty of Diarahan's left. However, Diarahan uses twenty five times the Spiritual Power of Holy Melody, so I should be able to outlast her, assuming she doesn't have infinite spiritual power…

She has infinite spiritual power. Of course she does.

I began charging Armageddon into my fist and charged for her. She dodged and chopped down on the back of my neck, and I twisted as I fell and launched the end of time into her face as my back hit the sand.

Margaret punched downward as her face was reduced to a skull, smacking my head in as she cast Diarahan on herself, restoring her pretty face. I curled up into a ball and donkey kicked her in the chest, launching her into the air as I rolled to my feet and cast Thunder Reign as she did the same. The spears of lightning collided as she landed on the sand, then charged with an open hand, ready to tear my guts out.

I kneed her hand out of the way smashed my elbow into the top of her head as she uppercutted my jaw, then kneed me in the ribs, knocking me back enough for her to launch a spinning kick into my other ribs, sending me flying. I recovered and skidded in the sand, stopping just before the fire as she ran towards me to kick my face in. I caught her foot and dragged her to the floor, then pushed myself forward and slammed my elbow into her chest before rolling over and punching her face repeatedly.

She rammed her hand into my jaw and pushed me up from her, lifting me into the air as she rose to her feet. I leant back and rammed my knee into her jaw, making her drop me. I launched a suicide kick into her head as I fell, sending her through the flames as my face met hot sand.

It's half sand, half ash now. How long have we been fighting for?

Either way, an hour is less time than it sounds, so I got up and ran for the wall of fire and leapt through it just as Margaret did the same. We clonked our heads and fell onto our arses in the middle of the flames, and ran like hell to get out of there and put the flames out.

Jumping through flames is one thing, but landing in it is dangerous.

Anyway, since Marogareh wasn't working properly anymore, I scrambled to my feet and charged for Margaret as she shot her leg up, carrying me over her and through some more flames. I recovered and landed, then called a time out.

"Hey, am I allowed a bottle of water?" I shouted into the inferno.

"If you forfeit." Margaret answered. "Don't forget that these flames are your doing."

"Never mind then." I replied. "Play on!"

Thor burst from the fire in front of me and rammed Mjolnir into my ribcage, sending me flying again, this time all the way out of the fire maze. I cast a quick Holy Melody as I landed, then summoned Susano-o to grant a quick flood to cool me down.

The fires weren't extinguished, but the water didn't evaporate. Rather, it just stayed in the place at thigh height and the flames spread around me through the water, determined to make this battle more interesting.

Reaper, do you have anything to do with this?

_**Aye laddie.**_

Well then stop helping me.

_**I ain't. I'm making life a buggery fer ya like usual.**_

That makes much more sense. Carry on.

Margaret burst from the flames in front of me and kicked my legs out from under me, sending me splashing down into the wet sand below the water. She shot down to her knees and pushed my head down, keeping me under the water with all her inhuman strength.

Thankfully, she wasn't the only inhuman one here, and my arm grabbed her throat and forced her down into the water and me to get up into the hot air.

Margaret kicked me in the head and rolled out of my grip, standing to her feet as she held the sodden book close to her drenched chest. "Is that gonna be any use to you now?" I asked her.

Margaret glanced at the water-logged book, thumbed through a couple of pages, and then sighed. "I suppose not." She admitted, tossing the tome into the flames and summoning a card to her shoulder height.

"Wait, if you could do that, why did you bother with the book in the first place?" I asked.

"Why do you bother with your Evoker if you can summon with cards?" Margaret countered.

"Gotcha." I nodded, then charged at her before she summoned whatever she was about to summon. I failed, and Odin grabbed me by the back of my neck and pulled me off of her, tossing me into some flames and I splashed down into the water below.

I rolled up as a large stream of cards flew for my face, knocking me back down. I Hollow Arcana made a few hundred shuriken and launched them in random directions and hoped that I'd get lucky.

"Argh!"

I got lucky.

I ran towards the source of the sound to see Margaret clutching a bleeding stomach as she healed herself. What an alluring injury.

I summoned a Bolter and opened fire. Margaret created a shield of cards to block the Dakka, each shot summoning another one of her Personae to charge for me. I dropped the Bolter and summoned a black hole to consume the Personae. Once I sent the hole away, water rushed down to fill the gap made by the orb of destruction, and Margaret charged with her hands ready to claw.

I leant back to dodge the first swipe, then rolled my torso into her space and rammed my fist into her face, then my knee into her gut, then rolled into a back kick to send her through the wall of fire. The blonde bondage slave burst from behind it and began to freeze the water. Despite the flames, it worked somehow, so I had to jump quickly to avoid getting trapped, but I slipped onto my backside as soon as I landed.

Margaret then leapt over the flames and rammed a fist right where my head was before I rolled out of the way, smashing the ice enough to grab my Bolter.

I really need to be more careful with those.

I dodged sideways through the fire but Margaret knew that she didn't have to conserve ammo nor be that accurate and fired rapidly. I used the Hollow Arcana to create blades under my feet, but I wasn't a world-class skater so they didn't help much in any way other than speed, which was very helpful since Margaret hadn't noticed that the recoil of the Bolter was pushing her along the ice, closer to the flames.

I charged recklessly for her, got a cloud of shrapnel to the face, lived with it, and rammed her into the fire. There was a two foot trench between the blocks of ice where the flames were, so I didn't bother curing myself as I pushed her head down into the flames, only healing myself as she screamed in agony.

Then the world exploded as she cast Megidolaon. I skidded amongst the shards of ice, ash and glass scattered amongst the sand as Margaret rose to her feet and cast Diarahan on her half-melted form, healing herself completely.

I love healing spells, except when my enemies spam them as much as I do.

Margaret then spread her arms wide and floated into the air as cards began spinning around her. I've got hardly any spiritual power left, so in theory, I'm screwed.

In theory.

I started channelling the Hito-Shura, covering myself once more with the Demonic Seal, then cast Valhalla on myself and the black lines burst into golden flames. "_**COME ON!!**_" I roared, leaping for her with all my strength with a final kamikaze attack.

Margaret brought two cards to the front. "Metatron." She chose. "Final Megidolaon."

All or nothing now.

* * *

It worked. Just.

By which I mean that both of us collapsed on the sand below, bloody, torn, broken and beaten, but I forced myself to my feet and cast Holy Melody on myself, cheered as Father Time declared me the winner, when my knees buckled from underneath me and I passed out.

* * *

I woke up with my head in Margaret's lap. "I… cannot understand you." She said. "You've given my brother and sister an answer to life, yet you make me question the answer I found long ago."

"Then the answer you found earlier was wrong." I told her, grunting as I forced myself up. "From what I can gather, you don't do much in the Velvet Room, while Elizabeth and Ed do all the work. You're just a stand in," I pointed out. "So how do you expect to find answers like that?" I asked her.

Margaret smiled to herself. "Those who enter the Velvet Room, either those who come to serve or be served, they are destined to seek and find their answer to life." She said. "I thought I found mine long ago, so I let my siblings seek theirs… perhaps I was wrong."

"Perhaps you need to roll up your sleeves and keep digging." I said, forcing myself up to my knees. "From what I can tell, you've no objection to getting your hands dirty."

"I desperately needed to find my own way." She said, standing to her feet in all her bruised, soaked, scorched, torn, bloody and weary glory. "Perhaps I do need to return to my active service under Master Igor."

"You're uniform's kinda ruined." I pointed out, averting my eyes for decency's sake.

She chuckled. "You truly are a puzzle…" Margaret commented. "Only a human would be concerned with modesty in such an atmosphere, yet you waited until I reached a decision before realising a need for concern."

"Needs first, Wants can wait." I shrugged, personally thankful for the indestructibility of boxers. "Why is it that whenever I fight one of you Velvet Room people, clothes get damaged?"

"We can take much more of a beating than our uniforms." She pointed out. "Such an outcome is only to be expected until cloth can be repaired alongside the flesh it covers."

"Life'd be much less awkward if that was the case." I sighed.

Margaret chuckled. "Again, only one such as yourself would find such a thing an annoyance." She commented. "Please, come visit me next time you visit the Velvet Room." She said, headed for the door. "I must reward your efforts accordingly."

Mesa gonna get laid?

* * *

Mesa no get laid. Mesa get da glowy ball instead.

Allow me to elaborate coherently. I went back to the mansion, had a shower, got changed, healed, ate, slept, then went to the Velvet Room, where Margaret was waiting for me.

"I have been waiting for you." She stated, showing me a glowy ball the size of a fist. "This is the Omnipotent Orb. This will grant you immunity to all but the strongest attacks, as well as to bypass the laws of reality according to your own strength." She handed it to me and it melted into my arm. "In fact, you can consider it much akin to that Spiral Power that you idolise so much."

I stared at her. "Are you kidding me?" I asked. "I mean, I could make matter out of nothing before, but-"

"This is different." Margaret stated. "While this does not make you a god, it shall create power unlike you have ever experienced before. You will learn of what it can achieve in due time." She said. "But right now, my master wishes to speak with you."

Doesn't he always? I went and sat down opposite him.

"Tell me, do you still have that golden fiddle I gave to you recently?" Igor asked me.

I passed it to him. "Are we gonna fuse a Persona?" I asked hopefully.

"We are indeed going to fuse a Persona." He chuckled. "Perhaps the strongest Persona I have ever created to this date."

* * *

Lucifer. Orpheus Victorious. Lady Luck. Messiah. Thanatos.

* * *

"_My name's Johnny, and you're pretty good old son."_ The Persona stated. "_But I'll tell you what you son of a bitch. I'm the best that's ever been."_

Johnny took the form of a man in a brown cloak with a guitar case across his back and a wide hat that completely shadowed his entire face other than his stubble covered chin and defiant smile. It was of the Magician Arcana, and it was by far the strongest thing I had ever created.

This guy… well, best way to explain is to just tell you what this bad boy can do.

Fiddler: Fire on the mountain, run boy run. That is all.  
BrokenChord: I punch one guy, forty guys fall down. I cast MarAgidyne, the city burns.  
Reprise: Does a skill that another one of my Personae has.  
Crossfader: I can make Fusion spells out of however many and whatever Personas I want.  
BreakBeat: If I do something sufficiently awesome, I can jump back time slightly and do something else too.  
Half Step: I can stop time for a second at a time.  
Three Chords: Raw power of rock incarnate blasting through the speakers of the planet  
Shredder: Does what it says on the tin.

Johnny was immune to Light, Dark, Fire, Ice, Thunder and Wind, though normal to the physicals, but thanks to the Omnipotent Orb, that isn't exactly an issue anymore.

Oh yes. Orpheus Victorious is a Man's Persona. _This_ is a musicians Persona.

It'll give you hell. Oh, it will give you hell.

* * *

That evening, at lunch, I told Natalie and Granddad that I was going home the next day. This way, I'd have three days to wipe out the Nyxists before Nyx herself came. I had intended to do some more training, but Igor told me that it would be impossible for me to become any stronger before Nyx comes, and I had no reason to doubt him.

So, after lunch, I paid a visit to Arisojack to get my strength compared to the demons there. I beat the crap out of Thor in a friendly match with little difficulty. Apparently, Margaret's a big fighter up in the pantheons, so the fact that I've beaten her got me a lot of prestige points.

Anyway, I left the mansion on Thursday morning at seven, so I should get there for lunch-ish. That's good.

I'm planning on a big entrance.

* * *

Know what's great about the Omnipotent Orb? Because I'm immune to wind and cold, I can ride this bike at a hundred and fifty miles an hour in jeans and a redneck shirt for five hours and not feel a thing. It's great being me. Sure, sometimes the universe hates you, but being me has its benefits too.

And guess what? There was a police barricade to welcome me back into my city, squad cars and all.

I think it's time to test out Johnny.

I jumped off the bike, sent it to the armoury, and started running to the barricade as coppers began shouting at me to stop.

I didn't. I instead charged and flipped one of their cars like a skirt, tossing it into the air like it was nothing.

_**BEAT**_

And now I'm running alongside a hologram of myself charging for the car I just flipped, only it was now unflipped.

Ah, BreakBeat.

I veered to the left and flipped a separate car.

_**BEAT**_

BreakBeat's are stackable? Oh hell yes.

Let's go flip another car.

* * *

Ten flipped squad cars later and the memories melted into one continuity as the holograms faded. I'm now standing on the very edge of the street watching the coppers cower in fear, stare at the airborne cars, or wonder where the hell I went, because it looks like I just tossed a dozen squad cars into the air in very quick succession.

BreakBeat is awesome.

Of course, I noticed that each time I stepped back I got slightly less time, so the stackability is limited.

"HEY!" One policeman shouted once he caught up to speed. "ARISOTO! Get down to the ground NOW!"

I smiled, then ran for him.

He fired, and time slowed down to a crawl. I dodged the slug-like-slugs and time rushed back to normal just in time for me to reach the copper and whip the gun out of his hands and point it at his face.

"Bang." I joked.

CLICK

And now everyone's competent and pointing their guns at me. "Afternoon officers." I said with a smile, handing the gun back. "What can I do for y-"

I jumped into the air as they all fired, and they all ended up blasting each other in the gut.

I landed as they groaned, so I sighed and cast MeDiarahan to stop the bleeding, then jogged over to one of the squad cars. "This is M-A to base." I said, not bothering with any police codes. "We've got twelve officers down at the northern turnoff with gun shots to the chest and twenty more knocked unconscious by large blunt objects. Target failed to be captured but was decent enough to treat the wounded and contact the base for ambulances."

_\_ _"Well well, hello there M-A."_ _\_

Adachi!?

Oh wait. Of course he'd be on deskwork with his arm like that. "Repeating a request for paramedics to come and treat the injured you foul son of a bitch."

_\_ _"Well, that's not entirely fair."_ _\_ The scumbag replied. _\_ _"But sure, I'll get right on that. Now how about you fill me in about what's happening to this pathetic excuse for a city-"_ _\_

_\_ _"Adachi, you asking for a demotion!?" __\_ Said a completely different voice. _\_ _"This is Superintendent Souchiro Yagami, now who the hell is this!?"_ _\_

"First, Yagami, are you aware that your son is evil?"

_\_ _"Very funny kid, now what the hell are you doing on a police frequency!?" __\_

"Oh, you know, came back into the city, some policemen were here to give me a lift to the station, I politely declined, and I thought that I might give you a call just to say hey. Don't worry, nobody's dead." I reassured him. "But nobody's not injured either."

_\_ _"Well, Minato-kun, you made a mistake in coming back to this city." __\_ Yagami taunted, trying to intimidate me by showing that he knew who I was. _\_ _"We were preparing for you to come back this Sunday, but just because you're a little ahead of schedule doesn't mean that we're not ready for you."_ _\_

"And why would you be expecting me?" I asked, paying attention to the voices in the background ordering riot police to my location.

_\_ _"Your underling sang like a parakeet when we interrogated him."_ _\_

**WHAT**

"Oh really?" I asked curiously, using Skynet to track down S.E.E.S. No, they were all fine. "See, I wasn't aware I had underlings. Care to fill me in?" I asked.

_\_ "_Come down to the station and I'll let you know."_ _\_

I chuckled. "Well see, that's the kicker." I told him. "See, I really wanna know, but if I go down to the station, you're gonna arrest me."

_\_ _"Look son, we can do this the easy way or the hard way. I know that you think you're some kinda hotshot, but-"_ _\_

"Actually, the easy way is for you to tell me who it was." I said. "The hard way is for me to come down to the station and play mind games with you until I figure it out, then escaping, though that next part would also be pretty easy, so I'll have to work out how to do that without cheating."

_\_ "_W-wha?"_ _\_ Yep, throw 'em off by saying something that they never even considered. Works every time.

"But they say that curiosity killed the cat…" I pondered aloud, trying to sound as much of a child as I could. "Then again, I'm not a cat. You'd have to be a complete fool to walk into a trap like that."

I chuckled. "Is Adachi still there?" I asked him.

_\_ "_Wh- Why, you want to negotiate with _him_?"_ _\_

"No, that's fine." I chuckled. "Just ask him what kind of fool I am."

I hung up.

Now, which way to the police station? The proper one, not the one in Paulownia Mall.

* * *

Found it. And there's a lot of guns that have come out to greet me.

I smiled politely and tucked my hands into my pockets and strolled in like I owned the place. Most likely because I could make it mine given ten minutes and a bolter. Probably less.

Ten seconds if I didn't mind demolishing the place, but I digress.

I stepped through the metal detector and it went ping, so I rummaged in my pockets theatrically, pulling out several knives of numerous shapes and styles, including a vegetable peeler that I made just for the occasion.

Hopefully they'll catch the reference and treat me with the respect and/or fear I deserve.

The machine beeped again, and I remembered what else I was carrying. I reached across my shoulders and pulled two swords out of their sheathes, placed them on the table, reached behind me and pulled two shortswords out from my waist, then the two hatchets from my trousers, some hunting knives out of my socks, three dozen shuriken out of my belt, a pair of nunchucks out of the back of my jeans, a pair of tonfa out of my shirt, a chain from my boxers, and half a chocolate bar from my back pocket.

"Damn, now it's all melted…" I groaned, tossing it into the bin. "You'd think that it'd last with all the snow, but no, I get chocolate smeared all over my backside." I shoved my thumb towards the bathroom. "Excuse me a sec." I said, jogging over to them before anyone could stop me.

* * *

"That's better." I said, coming out of the bathroom with a fresh pair of jeans. "I suppose I'm gonna need to go through the metal detector again though, right?"

I did just that, and it went ping. This time I took the buzz-saw out from behind my back. "These are legal, right?" I asked, dumping it atop of my other weapons, then putting my hands out in front of me for them to cuff.

One officer moved forward to do just that. "H-Hey, hold on!" Adachi shouted, pushing to the front of my audience. "Shouldn't you cuff his hands behind his back?" He pointed out. "Honestly, you're gonna make that kind of a rookie mistake with someone like this?"

I sighed, then turned around and put my hands out behind me. A man with his arms cuffed in front of him has a lot more options than one with his hands behind his back. A _lot_ more options.

What's worse, now Adachi's in the psychological control of this situation.

This could get fun.

* * *

I was shoved in an interrogation room to sweat for a few seconds before some high-up came in. "Hello Minato-kun." He said. "We spoke on the radio earlier."

"Superintendent Yagami." I nodded. "I came, so you gotta tell me who you questioned."

"I see no reason to tell you that." The man stated as he sat down opposite me. Emperor. Why do all people who reach this kind of role always want dominion over others?

Stupid question really. "I'll start with the big question." He said, opening a file. "You're a bright lad, brought up in Britain, transferred to a prestigious school, good grades, set to become head of student council next year despite complaints of violence and bullying amongst the students."

"I prefer the term 'correcting'." I said. "If you did your research, all the people I harassed were pricks. The only person I bullied was the late Ekoda-sensei."

"I see you have a strong sense of justice." He complimented, before closing the file and leaning on the table. "So why did a young man like yourself with a bright future ahead of himself turn to terrorism."

"I didn't." I said. "Japan declared war on me. Remember last Friday?"

"That was an unfortunate military action made in order to apprehend you." The policeman countered.

"It was murder." I replied.

Yagami sighed. "Arisoto-kun, I can understand your anger at the death of your classmates, but they were caught in the crossfire of a battle you started."

"You misunderstood me." I replied. "I wasn't just talking about the students.  
"I took out a dozen squad cars and thirty police officers without breaking a sweat." I told him. "I strolled into a police station, willingly unarmed myself knowing that all of you want very much to kill me, and I'm even humouring your little game."

"What little game?" Yagami asked, getting angrier by the second.

"Oh you're serious?" I asked. "I thought you were just pretending that you thought you were in control. I didn't actually think anyone could actually be stupid enough to try and think that they could try and control me."

Yagami sighed. "I see that you have no respect for the laws of Japan."

"I have plenty of respect for laws." I replied. "Laws are in place to protect the citizens, and that's all I want. For people to live long enough to make the most of their lives. I just don't have any respect for you." I told him, leaning back in my chair and putting my feet on the table, arms still chained behind the back of the chair.

Yagami kicked the table slightly and I fell backwards. "Oops." He said. "My foot slipped."

"Ah, it happens." I said, rolling on the floor and pushing myself to my feet. "After all, it was an accident." I offered him my hand to shake. "Right?"

His jaw dropped. "H-How..?"

I glanced down, then walked over to the door and knocked on it. "Excuse me!" I said. "I've broken my handcuffs, please can I have another pair?"

* * *

Katsuya took over from there. No-one else dared.

Well, Adachi has balls to spare, but he's probably just observing.

"Alright, first off." I started, clipping the handcuffs behind my back and sitting back into the chair. "Who did you guys interrogate?"

"Takaya Sakaki." He stated.

I stood up. "Thank you very much officer." I told him, bowing. "You've been most helpful." I then jumped into the air and swung my arms from under me.

"You are aware I that if I let you walk out of here then I'll lose my job." Katsuya groaned. "Honestly, you should be more considerate of others when you do stuff like this."

I sighed. "Fine, let me talk to Adachi. He seems spineless enough for me to talk to."

"Adachi's brilliant." Katsuya replied sternly. "A few more years and he'd be having my job if it wasn't for his injury."

"We're rather alike, aren't we?" I asked. "So, yeah, I'd like to talk to him. Just thought that it'd be more convincing if you thought I was using him than if I just wanted a chat."

Katsuya stood up as I sat back down. "I'll see what I can do." He said, walking for the door.

* * *

"Hi there." Adachi said. "So, how come you wanna talk to the guy whose arm you broke?"

"Remember that big act I pulled when I first came in with the metal detectors and all those weapons?" I asked him. "I mean, come on. I'm short, wearing a shirt and jeans, so how the hell did I smuggle all those weapons?" I asked him. "Come to think of it, how did I sneak a warhammer twice my weight into a hospital _before_ the weapons ban was lifted?"

"So you're a magician." Adachi chuckled. "That's pretty handy."

I raised the grenade launcher to his face. "Especially so if I need a hostage."

* * *

Of course, the police weren't just gonna let me go that easily, which shows real professionalism, but they didn't exactly stop me from blowing a hole in the wall and dragging Adachi through it.

"So, what do you have in mind?" Adachi asked me once we were sufficiently far from the station.

"I'm going to go kick Takaya's arse, alongside any of his Nyxists buddies. Wanna come with?" I invited. "I'll heal your arm if you do."

Adachi considered it, then smashed his cast on a brick wall. "Alright then." He answered. "I've been bored outta my skull lately."

* * *

It didn't take too long to track down the Nyxist meeting house. In fact, it took longest to track down some trench coats so we'd blend in with the crowd.

See, all the guys going in there were all trench coats and shades, often with chains, Mohawks, piercings, tattoos, basically anything that said 'Goff'.

Yeah. 70% of them were here because 'Dark is Cool'.

And so, me and Adachi strode into the underground nightclub dressed as Neo and pals, but with me opting for a maroon and purple striped jumper and a creepy grin to go with my alibi.

"So, you guys new here?" The guy at the door asked. Big guy, bald and leather jacket. Hierophant. Cerberus.

"Or could it be that we are old and you are new?" I asked the man.

"Never mind him." Adachi sighed. "His Persona's the Cheshire Cat, so he talks like that to everyone." He coughed. "We're from Tokyo, and we're coming to prepare for Nyx-sama."

The Cerberus guy lashed out his throat at Adachi. "If you're from Tokyo then how're you still alive?" He snarled.

"My Persona's Ijin." Adachi choked. "It's not built for combat, but for keeping me the hell out of trouble! All I knew was that something bad would happen to me if I went to Parliament that day so I stayed at home! I just thought I was gonna get mugged! I HAD NO IDEA THAT ORPHEUS WAS COMING!!"

"He speaks the truth."

A 20-something woman with short red hair and a tight leather shirt jangled out of the Shadows. Fortune. Diogenes.

Wasn't that Diogenes a dude? Well, I'm not one to criticise on the gender of others Personae.

"I see the fear in his eyes." Diogenes continued. "He is an honest coward, but one of Nyx-sama's children."

Yeah, we Fools are fantasmic liars.

Cerberus dumped Adachi. "What about this one?" He asked her, pointing at me.

She brought her face disturbingly close to mine, but instead of flinching, I brought my face even closer to hers. "_Good afternoon madam._" I told her in the creepiest, happiest tone imaginable. "You are indeed a fabulous beauty."

She pulled back. "He's mad, but he's no liar." She reported.

I chuckled. "Oh, but we're all mad here." I said. "Especially you." I told Diogenes. "You're madder than most."

She smiled sarcastically. "And what makes you say that?" She asked sweetly.

"You must be mad." I told her. "Otherwise, you wouldn't be here amongst madmen in this mad, mad place."

There was an awkward silence, then Diogenes squeed and grabbed me. "Aww… he's just adorable!" She declared, rubbing my face into her chest.

Euyes.

* * *

Diogenes took Adachi and I to the bar for a drink, since I made such a good impression with her. Nyxists went by the codename of their Persona at these meetings. I went by Cheshire, which happened to be of the Moon Arcana, and Ijin was of the Temperance. We did well to pick such obscure Personae. The most famous Persona here, apart from the guardsman, was Prometheus.

I slipped Adachi one of the Dark Hour awakening pills and he downed it. No-one cared, since the guy three seats down was snorting coke through a straw with his buddy, who was fondling a girls boob.

Oh, that's just the start. Over in the corner are half a dozen tables mounted on the wall with naked men strapped to them while six girls had a contest to see just who could get the kinkiest. So far the one who was sucking on her guy's intestines was winning.

Hey, if you've got Dia, you might as well enjoy it, right?

"Oh, you wanna go?" Diogenes asked me.

Must… Keep… Cover…

I chuckled. "I'm afraid I must decline. Pain just isn't befitting of me."

She shoulder nudged me. "Aw, come on!" She said. "Nyx-sama's coming in four nights you know!" Damn, that soon? "We need to live it up until then!"

"I'm sure I can think of more pleasurable things to do than disembowel one another." I laughed. "But perhaps disembowelment could also be enjoyable. Who knows?" I asked.

"That guy sure does." Adachi offered, pointing with his bottle. "Though I reckon that she's having more fun than he is."

Diogenes laughed. "Damn right she is. But hey, we're all mad here, right?" She asked, winking at me.

Why does this happen wherever I go? Come to think of it, six months ago and I had to _work_ to get a girl to fall for me. _Nine _months ago and it was out of my reach. Now it happens by accident. Or Lucifer. Or Luck of the Wild Card.

"Hey, I know you!"

I glanced up to see three lads approach me. "Remember us?" The lead one asked. Chariot, Spartacus, came up to me and shook my hand. "Back in April, you took down those guys and taught us how to fight?"

I had to force myself not to change Persona, since Diogenes could sense them. "Did I?" I asked. "Well, if you say so then I suppose it must be so."

Diogenes was surprised. "But, I thought that your Persona was not suited for combat."

I grinned. "Did you now?" I asked her. "Why ever would you think that?"

Her eyebrows furrowed. "But, he said…"

"I said that _my_ Persona wasn't suited for combat." Adachi said, ordering another drink. "You should see this guy go."

Spartacus grabbed me. "Hey, we should have a fight."

Huh?

He thumbed to the cage. "Come on, I wanna show you how far we've come since last time."

Adachi shoved me in the back. "Go on lad, show him what you're made of!" He laughed, clearly taking pleasure in making this go south for me somehow.

"Win it for me!" Diogenes joked, urging me on.

I forced myself not to sigh and grinned instead, jumping to my feet. "Perhaps, perhaps not." I told them, starting to disappear. "We shall see, hmm?"

* * *

I reformed inside the cage just as a woman with Selkie beat down a guy whose Persona I couldn't detect. "Well well, I do believe that this venue is now vacant perhaps?" I asked, giving the winner my creepiest grin.

She stepped back, then shrugged and walked out as someone dragged the guy out of the cage and cast Recarm on him as Spartacus pushed his way into the ring. "Know the rules?" He asked, taking his shoes off.

"The first rule of Fight Club is: you do not talk about Fight Club.  
"The second rule of Fight Club is: you do NOT talk about Fight Club.  
"Third rule of Fight Club: someone yells stop, goes limp, taps out, the fight is over.  
"Fourth rule: only two guys to a fight.  
"Fifth rule: one fight at a time, fellas.  
"Sixth rule: no shirts, no shoes.  
"Seventh rule: fights will go on as long as they have to.  
"And the eighth and final rule: if this is your first night at Fight Club, you have to fight."

"Women are allowed to cover themselves, but yeah." Spartacus said, taking his shirt off. "'Course, the first two rules and the last rule are absolute crap."

I quickly stripped down to my jeans and eyed my opponent, keeping my creepy grin. "I don't remember you smiling this much." Spartacus said, getting into a boxing pose.

"I'm not exactly all here." I replied as the bell rang, and I rushed at him, plunging my open palm into his abs, launching him into the cage wall behind him.

He coughed up blood. "Damn man, you're-"

I never found out what I was, since I started punching his gut hard enough to be impressive but not so hard that I killed him.

The bell rang and I leapt back as Spartacus slumped to the ground, blood leaking from his mouth. My win.

One of his mates then stepped in. Tower, Heracles. "We learnt a lot from following your advice." He told me, tugging his shirt off. "We started getting into fights. I've never lived closer to danger, but I've never felt safer. I've never felt more confident, and people could spot it from a mile away. And as for this, the violence?" He asked, getting into an asskicking pose. "I gotta be honest - it grew on me. Once you've taken a few punches and realize you're not made of glass, you don't feel alive unless you're pushing yourself as far as you can go."

I grinned and lowered my torso. "You're a sane one." I told him. "Most men are too mad to realise that."

The bell rang and we both charged for each other, me launching a fist for his face, and him grabbing me by the shoulders and nutting me. He ignored my punch, pulled one arm back and started smashing my face in repeatedly, much to the cheers of everyone.

I nutted his fist, then shot my elbow up into his chin. He staggered back and I jumped up and grabbed the top of the cage with my toes, a very impressive trick, especially when I let go and smashed my fist into his face, knocking him out.

I lifted my bloody knuckles into the sky and laughed. "Who's the maddest one here!?" I asked, eyes wide and hair stained in blood. I caught my reflection in a mirror and I was completely unrecognisable.

* * *

I took it easy on everyone who came up against me, letting them land a few hits and pretending to get tired out. I let Cerberus 'knock me out', simply because I was getting bored and he was big enough to not damage my street cred.

And considering that Diogenes grabbed my hand, shoved it down her jeans and rammed her tongue down my throat, I'd say that I had a lot of that right now.

Now what would be the psycho thing to do in this situation? Ah, yes.

I bit her tongue off.

"Ah!" She shouted, pulling back and casting Diarama. "What the fuck!?" She asked.

I opened my mouth and played with her dismembered tongue with my own before swallowing it whole, then grinning like I'd done something clever.

Diogenes grabbed my head and snogged me again, proving that she was about as crazy as I was pretending to be.

Hope she doesn't have any STD's or I'm buggered.

"Well well, what do we have here?"

I pulled away from Diogenes to see Takaya pointing a gun at my throat. "BROTHERS AND SISTERS!" He declared, grabbing me with his armoured arm. "THE EVIL ONE HAS COME!"

The room went silent and everyone stared at me. Guess it didn't work on someone who's seen me before. "Hi." I waved.

Diogenes backed off. "W-what?"

"Though, it wouldn't be fair to call me 'Evil' as such." I said, reaching for my drink and taking a swig. "I'm just the guy who's gonna stop Nyx."

I'd dropped the Cheshire Cat Persona, sinking my Personae into the sea of my soul and allowing myself to act naturally. "Also, I didn't kill Jin." I said. "One of my mates got to him first after I blew up Parliament."

I reached up and grabbed the wooden baseball bat that the bartender just swung at my skull, twisted it out of his hands and incinerated it. "Well, now that my cover's been blown, I'll tell you the three reasons I came here."

"FIRST!" I declared, pointing a finger into the air. "To make you all realise that Nyx will be stopped and that life is worth living." I lifted a second finger. "SECOND! Eliminate Nyxism. THIRD!" I lowered my hand and pointed at Takaya. "To kill this sonuvabitch."

Takaya laughed. "You?" He asked. "Kill me!? But my dear heretic, you cannot kill what you cannot find!" He raised his hands into the air and turned away from me. "And he speaks nonsense!" He shouted. "He's trying your faith with lies and false prophecy! Nyx shall come!" He preached. "And she shall purify this despicable world of pain and sin!"

"And I'm offering a second chance to humanity." I stated, standing up onto the bar. "I can save you all from your pain without ending your lives!"

One guy laughed. "What do you know!?" He shouted. "You don't understand our pain!"

"Try me." I said.

He snarled, then stood up. "MY FATHER FUCKING HUNG HIMSELF WHEN I WAS SEVEN YEARS OLD!" He shouted. "I HAD TO CLEAN HIS SHIT OFF THE FLOOR AFTER THEY TOOK HIS BODY AWAY!! MY MOTHER SOLD HERSELF TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE, AND WAS KILLED IN HER BEDROOM BY SOME PSYCHO WHO THEN CAME AND FUCKING RAPED ME WHEN I WAS TWELVE!! I GOT KICKED OUT OF THE HOUSE BECAUSE NO-ONE COULD PAY THE RENT, AND I GOT KICKED OUT OF HIGHSCHOOL FOR SMOKING, _ONCE_!" He roared. "DID IT ONCE, NEVER DID IT AGAIN! HOW THE FUCKING HELL CAN YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'VE BEEN THROUGH!?"

I laughed. "That's it?" I asked. "That's all you've been through and you think life's not worth living?"

Yep, throw 'em off by completely doing what they'd never see coming. He was expecting me to sympathise, preach, apologise or just stop dead. No-one expected me to mock him.

I jumped off the bar and faced the guy. "What, you thought I'd sympathise with a pathetic sack of crap like you?" I asked. "Don't give me that crap. You're given the hand you're dealt and you force your way through the world. And just so you know, Nyx killed my parents when I was seven and it was then shoved inside my skull for the next ten years." I said. "Trust me, nothing you could tell me could compare to the nightmares I got."

The guy smashed a bottle and screamed. Fun fact, nine out of ten bar fighters can't smash a bottle without slicing their hand open.

I cast Dia on him. "How many of you think you've failed life?" I asked. "And how many of you blame others for your failure?" I asked. "AND HOW MANY OF YOU DECIDED TO BUGGER THE WHOLE BLAME GAME AND MAKE SOMETHING OF THEIR LIVES!?"

The room was silent. "Honestly, no wonder Nyx thinks humanity wants to die if you're all this whiny…" I sighed.

"See!?" Takaya shouted from the stage, apparently teleporting. "He LAUGHS at our pain! He does not deserve to live to see the maternal being in all her glory!"

"Don't do this Takaya!" I warned him. "Their blood will be on your hands if you do!"

"KILL HIM!"

I turned to see one guy swing an axe for me. I ducked under it reflexively and charged into a punch.

_These girls fall like_

I sent him flying.

_DOMINOES! Dominoes!_

So did everyone behind him.

That leaves about three dozen people still standing on either side of me.

I love BrokenChord.

People started to get to their feet as I walked towards Takaya. "COME ON THEN!" I shouted, summoning a ring of twelve cards around me. "I'LL TAKE YOU ALL ON!!"

Persona's were summoned. I kicked up a metal pipe and swung it through the cards, summoning Thanatos, Lucifer, Orpheus Victorious, Chi You, Masakodo, Dante, Tsukiyomi, Susano-o, Messiah, Tsukuru Izanagi, Hito-Shura and Metatron to get out there and kick arse.

Some guy broke through the attacks and I grabbed his mace and shoved it into his face, tossing him aside as another guy came at me from behind. I kicked behind me just as someone started shooting me with a machine gun. The bullets bounced harmlessly off my bare chest and I lobbed a rock at him, knocking him out.

Someone's drill-monster burst from the ground, but I slammed its drill aside and burst through the Persona's head, killing it with one jump, then knocking out the girl who summoned it.

At this point, people began fleeing for their lives, and someone thought that it'd be a good idea to bust out the rocket launchers. I grabbed the missile by the nose, crushed it, and endured the explosion.

It felt warm and windy and somewhat loud, but nothing unpleasant.

At this point I noticed that Takaya had legged it and I was trapped in some glowy cage, so I sighed and summoned Helel and Satan to break me out of there with an Armageddon.

Once the light cleared, there were still two dozen people standing in the rubble of the previously underground club, who were looking at me with hate and terror.

I groaned. "Anyone else want some?" I asked. Summoning twelve Personae at once, then doing an Armageddon really took it out of me, rank ninety nine or not.

They charged, and I sighed, summoning the card for Johnny. "Fiddlers." I said, smashing it just as they got close to me.

The world exploded.

* * *

It's a lot like Armageddon, but it uses whatever's left instead of the most I can have. Naturally, it's not quite as powerful, and it has the disadvantage of being pretty random in its effect, but it's guaranteed awesome.

So, I am now the last man standing. Absolutely no spiritual power left, but still standing.

"Giga Break."

I felt the cold of the night winter air, and turned around to see Adachi pointing his gun at me.

**BLAM**

I looked down to see the hole in my chest, and the blood coming out of it.

"Not so invincible when you're tired and defenceless, huh?" Adachi sneered, before firing three more shots into my chest.

I fell to my knees, then to the ground just as the Dark Hour struck. "Second rule of Zombieland." He stated. "Double Tap."

He fired.

* * *

_Death is not a hunter unbeknownst to its prey.  
One is always aware that it lies in wait._

_Thou life is merely a journey to the grave,  
It must not be undertaken without -_

* * *

I slammed my hand down against the icy concrete and forced myself to my knees. The bastard just shot me…

No, Adachi killed me. I'm only here because real men don't die, even when they're killed.

Or it could be that Messiah has that Enduring Soul trick.

Either way, I'm barefoot and shirtless in the Dark Hour, in the middle of winter with three inches of snow, not enough spiritual power to heal one of the four holes in my chest, let alone make a weapon, summon a Persona, or contact the others, and my killer is on the loose.

I grunted and got to my feet, then started following his footprints.

"_**Adachi…"**_ I snarled.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

DUN. DUN. DUUUN.

How do you make a badass more badass? Take away his powers and handicap him. Yeah, I think that should do it.

Now, I had intended to end this chapter just before Nyx Avatar landed, but this is already my longest chapter to date, so that'll have to wait.

Now, to explain Diogenes. Her original role was just to be someone to check that people had Personae and as a human lie detector, but Fools are above such abilities.

Anyway, initially her thing with Minato was just for the laughs, but then I started to flesh her out to try and sympathise with the Nyxists more, as with Spartacus and Heracles. The are, on the whole, people who have just accepted the end of the world, and decided to enjoy their last days any way they can and get some sweet powers out of it. Most of them are under level 20, and have somewhat crap Personae, hence why Minato and Adachi used such crap cover Personae and why they went down so easy.

Now to explain Diogenes general wierdness. She's been a Nyxist for a while now so she's grown used to the craziness that goes on in those meetings, as have everyone else. They didn't start that crazy, but as the end drew closer and their powers grew stronger, things just escalated, much like this story has. Minato came across as an attractive, playful nutjob who'd be a night of fun, even if he bit off her tongue, but by this point that's half the fun.

And Minato was a jerkbag in this chapter, especially with that Woobie. But he did have a point. So what if your past sucks? You've got two strong legs to stand on, so get off your ass and walk forward. And yes, I worked an FMA reference in the Author note.

Speaking of references, I put in references to Alice and Wonderland, The Dark Knight, DeathNote, The Big Pink, Flashforward and GTO, and that's just off the top of my head. There may be more of them.

As for what happened at the end? Minato ran out of SP, Adachi used a mass-break spell, rendering the omnipotent orb and all of his resistences to nothing, shot Minato several times in the chest, and then again in the head before walking off. Minato died, but revived thanks to his Persona Messiah's epic skills. And now Minato's gonna do a Die Hard impression and track down Adachi and beat the crap out of him, while a hundred or so Nyxists run like hell, or decide to attack Minato while he's weakened. Will Diogenes, Spartacus, Cerberus and Heracles make another appearence? You decide.


	100. Chapter 100

ONE HUNDRED CHAPTERS EVERYBODY

Man, NOW I feel old.

Anyhoo, reviews.

ShadowAI, writing in response to your review for 66, I totally agree with you. I actually started reading this story from start to finish for the first time after reading your review, and I'm currently on chapter 24. I've improved massively both as a writer and as a story teller in the months I've been writing this story, and I've never noticed just how much Minato's character has developed up until now. It's interesting reading it from the reader's perspective for once.  
And I do draw inspiration from Shinji and Warhammer 40k. Or at least, I did. I don't draw much inspiration from other stuff nowadays, not even myself. Half the time I just make it up as I go along, like with Diogenes.

Naru-chan, sarcasm is hard to make out in text. Hence why you didn't pick up on mine. And bugger.

Aoirann, that won't be necessary. And it's less about Takaya, more about accepting the end and being with others who have also accepted their fate, plus the sweet Persona skills.

Da Crazy Tiger, Devil couldn't have won. Johnny's the best that's ever been. And yeah, this chapter? Awesome.

Jared Himself, that's all well and good, except he doesn't have any demonic skills left. That's the problem, he used the last of it to survive that headshot.  
Oh, just to clarify, because of that defence breakage, that headshot would have killed him if it wasn't for Messiah.

Thumbs Up, who doesn't love a badass in a suit?

Heraklinos, I've got something better planned for the end of Nyx, and Johnny's meant to be a game breaker. You can only get him by taking every social link up to eleven, IE breaking the game in the first place.  
As for the cameo, I'd love you to as long a you:  
A) Give credit where the character's from.  
B) Make the cameo suitably epic OR unimportant. One or the other.  
C) You wait until the end of the story for the cameo.

TenshiReike, yeah, the story is long, but to my knowledge King Frost has only confronted Minato twice, once in the Velvet Room and once in the Damart building.  
I was going to use 300 before you suggested it, but not in the way you suggested. And I only used it the second time to show that he'd actually been killed before reviving. I don't intend on using it again, except maybe in a badass quote of somesort.

Kinoshita, Deathnote isn't canon. It's just the joke, like the Itachi Uchida joke.

I Started The Fire, no, I didn't intend paraphrasing POTC. I intend to sort out their relationship during February, amongst other things. All shall be revealed about what'll happen to Minato, but it will be a downer. Probably more of a downer than the original game depending on how you look at it. As for what I'm setting up, try to guess. It makes me laugh when people try to figure out what's going on in my skull.

Now, for the start of this chapter, I recommend listening to Bloody Tears from Castlevania, preferably a piano version. I was initially going to write it to the Boss Theme for SMT:III Nocturne, but changed my mind at the last second.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

I staggered my way to an iron girder and caught my breath. Dammit… Why the hell did I even bring Adachi along anyways?

Because he was a Fool and wouldn't like Nyx taking his world from him. That's why.

Didn't think that he didn't want me taking his world from him either.

Man, did I drop the ball there.

…

Well, not this time. I'm going to do the sensible thing and get to the dorm. I'm in no condition to fight anyone, so revenge can wait. The important thing is to survive so I can fight Nyx.

Then I heard someone snort behind me.

I turned around to see some guy with a Mohawk and a chain running from his nose to his ear. So why is he in the Dark Hour?

Ah. Nyxist. Thought so.

"HEY! THE ORPHEUS IS DYING!" He shouted.

Huh?

"HE'S WOUNDED, OUTTA SP, NO WEAPONS, NO NOTHING!!" He shouted. "HE'S BARELY-"

He shut up because I lobbed a brick into his face. I grabbed another one and staggered over to him. "Ha… Ha…" I gasped. "Just who… did you say was dying..?" I asked, looming over him. "Because… it sounded like… it was…"

"N-no…" He gasped. "How the hell are you still standing!?"

"The thing… about men…" I said, coughing up blood as I spoke. "We're not allowed to die… not when we've still got work to do…"

I tossed the brick onto his face and he passed out. I knelt down and took his jacket, tearing it up to try and bandage the bigger wounds. I got one done before three guys ran into the area.

"Bugger…" I coughed, forcing myself up and running into an alleyway. I grabbed a lead pipe and hid behind the corner, ready to smash their faces in when they came for me.

A Salamander rushed to the entrance of the alley and took a deep breath. I immediately rushed out of there to avoid getting scorched and got caught by the bastards.

"Heheh… what shall we do with 'im?" One asked, flicking out a knife.

It was my Leatherman. He must've taken it from my jacket while I was cage fighting.

I reached for the knife blade and pushed it down. I specifically modified it so you have to lock the blade manually, which was handy if someone stole it and you needed to chop their fingers off. I just did it so I'd have to consciously choose to use it, but now it saved my arse.

I elbowed the guy behind me as the first guy screamed, dropping the knife. I fell backwards, kicking the third guy in the jaw as I hit the ground, first and second guy getting their acts together and healing the fingers. I quickly grabbed my knife and rolled out of the way as one of them stamped down, then forced myself up as someone kicked my in the back. I grunted, then grabbed a stray pipe and swung around, as they dodged, one of them getting an eye slashed out.

Organs don't heal.

I pressed my advantage and stabbed the pole into the guy's stomach before flicking my knife out and locking it into place and slashing the second guy briefly as the third guy rammed an axe into my shoulder. "GAARGH!!"

I flung him off and stabbed the middle guy in the other eye, sinking the blade as deep as it'd go into his skull, and then time stopped.

Four cards appeared in my mind. Shuffle Time…

Oh. Hell. Yes.

I chose the Nine of Swords and a cold shortsword appeared in my left hand. Ascalon, a dragon-slaying sword.

That'll be useful.

Time started again and I slashed the Ascalon upwards through one of the others and he screamed and died as I pulled my Leatherman out of his dead friend.

I then turned to the other guy who looked like he was ready to run for his life. I should let him run. But if I beat him, I might get another Shuffle Time and I can heal.

I punched him in the gut and he collapsed. I almost did so too, but I used the Ascalon to keep myself upright.

Then the Emperor Card appeared in my head. Not what I was going for, but hey, I let it spin. It stopped spinning in the upright position, whatever that meant.

I caught my breath, then got back to my feet and staggered back into the alleyway. If I keep in tight places, I'm less likely to face more than two at a time.

* * *

I saw one guy sniffing around ahead of me, with his back to me. His Persona was Uriel of the Justice Arcana, while mine is of the Aeon.

I couldn't just knock this guy out, too dangerous.

I grabbed him from behind and slit his throat with the Ascalon. He slumped to the ground, and I reached down to check his shoes. Running barefoot in the snow is no fun.

Damn, he's two sizes smaller than me, and his jacket will only restrict my movements. I did use it to finish dressing my wounds though, and I used some of the spare material to bandage my feet. I'd take his socks, but they'll only get waterlogged and speed up my hypothermia.

Speaking of which, I need to get going. I can't die here, and there's a still load of the Dark Hour left.

* * *

I was starting to question my luck. I shouldn't be doing this well at sneaking up on people. But that can't be luck, or else the Arcana Shuffle would give me some damned cups to heal me.

I got a few more Arcana Chances though. Hanged Man and Chariot. They seemed to make one my Persona randomly stronger somehow when I got them, but since I've no spiritual power, that's kinda useless right now.

Then someone grabbed me from behind, and I knew that my luck had run out. It was Selkie, from before, now trying to snap my neck with her bare hands.

I flipped the grip of the Ascalon and stabbed it through my own chest, somewhere where it'd miss my organs and major blood vessels but go right through her spine. I then stumbled backwards and rammed her against the wall before she let go, so I stepped forward, turned and rammed my knee into her face to finish her off.

I got an Arcana Chance. Hermit. I let it spin, and it landed upside down.

And for some reason I've lost all sense of direction. Lovely.

Now… which way was I going again?

Probably the direction without the trail of blood…

Ah crap I'm leaving a trail of blood. Better keep an eye out behind me.

* * *

It didn't do me much good, because someone invisible stabbed me in the back.

Thankfully, they only hit a kidney, so I was able to swing around and elbow behind me as they dodged it. There were no footprints, so this person could float.

I pulled the knife out of my back, soaked my hand in blood as I backed off, then flicked out my hand in front of me. There was an area where the blood just vanished, so I stabbed to the right of that area as the person dodged.

My assassin came into view. She was a blonde girl, slightly younger than me. Temperance, Sylph. "W-Why!?" She choked, her hands gripping the sword embedded into her ribcage. "Why won't you…"

I just glared and ripped my sword out, punching her to the ground with my other hand. Temperance Personae have recovery skills, and I can't risk having her come back for me…

And when did I become the kind of person that would kill a kid in cold blood just because she might come back and stab me in the back?

…

Damn… this is gonna come back and bite me in the arse, I just know it.

* * *

I let her go. At this rate there won't be any Nyxists left to save.

I eventually reached the Moonlight Bridge. There wasn't any more alleys I could hide in, so I'm gonna have to take the open road here.

And there were a dozen or so Nyxists standing around there, looking scared but determined. Takaya wasn't among them, but he could be using his mind control thing.

I started to wonder why they hadn't just tracked me down and murdered me in the alley, but now it makes sense. The reason why there are so many non-combat oriented Persona users in Nyxism.

They weren't just building an army. They were trying to make another Chidori, or someone like her.

Which was why Diogenes was so well respected in that party. Someone who can sense Personae at all is pretty rare among them. Fuuka's the best, and that's because she wants to stay connected to people, but you wouldn't find someone like that who'd be embracing the end. Chidori's Persona Medea constantly tried to kill her, suggesting that she and her Persona were opposing each other, so that's why she could still do it and be like that, but even then she almost came to our side at the end. Mitsuru is alright at it, and she wanted to keep the team together, but Diogenes just wanted to read people and come to understand them, so Her Persona does it great so long as she's looking at whatever she's scanning.

The first guy I took down after Adachi shot me was probably one of their best trackers. IE They all suck.

I can't run because I'll bleed out. I can't hide because I'll freeze to death. But they can't find me either.

I'm in control.

I'm bleeding to death, can't use any Persona, no superhuman abilities, no Hollow Arcana, all alone half-naked in the snow with just a knife and a sword, and I am in control.

I turned to the door I was leaning on. I could pick the lock, break in, steal some food, and kick some arse. I could wait for the Dark Hour to end, then blend in with the crowd, though that'd hardly work.

I could go out there all guns blazing and die heroically.

I vote for the hot meal.

* * *

I broke into the building, which turned out to be an all-night takeaway. YES!

I grabbed a box of noodles which were still lukewarm and shovelled them into my gob. They were greasy as hell and probably wouldn't do much to help my current situation but I didn't care. I also took a can of Cielo Mist and downed it.

And suddenly I had SP.

Hardly any, but some. An absolutely pathetic amount that was hardly worth mentioning, but some. I took another drink and downed it, but I didn't get any more SP, so that plan was out.

Now, this opens a whole new world of opportunities for me. The sensible thing to do would be to use Holy Melody, which would use that negligible amount to heal me physically. However, it would also completely betray my location, and I wouldn't have any SP to fight my way across the bridge, which I'll have to do either way. I don't even have enough SP to cast Agi, contact Fuuka or even access the armoury.

But I have enough SP to BreakBeat my way across the bridge. But only if I don't heal myself. Yes, I could also use Fiddlers, but with the SP I have left then the damage would be so pathetic that it won't be worth the bother.

However, if I'm going to use BreakBeat, then I'm gonna have to make it completely mind-blowingly awesome if it's gonna work. And planning something specifically because it'd be awesome automatically halves the badassery of it.

Damn…

* * *

I strode out of the shop and into the middle of the road. One of the fourteen Nyxists shouted that I was here, so I knew I didn't have long.

I held my sword out to the side and charged towards my enemies, who all ran for me with melee weapons of their own except for one. I ducked under the closest one, then lifted my head up to flip him behind me. I then cut to my right, only for that attack to be blocked, so I rammed my left first across and stuck some guy down, then pulled my sword back and jumped back on the guy behind me, just as he was getting up. I winced from my wound, then held my left arm forward and roared as I charged.

I pushed one guy back, getting stabbed by three swords as I did so. I screamed, but kept on running until one guy grabbed my foot and I stumbled.

I recovered my balance and broke out of his grip and kept running for the one at the back. Some one threw a spear through my chest, but I gritted my teeth and kept running as the leader pulled out a sawn-off shotgun and fired it point blank into my chest.

It ripped my ribcage to pieces, shredding my lungs and puncturing my heart, but I held on long enough to ram my sword through his chest as I fell to the ground.

_**BEAT**_

Yes.

I leapt back as my past self ran forward and flipped the guy in front of him. I sliced him in half in the air and charged after myself. He got stabbed by three guys as the rest of them circled around uselessly, and I stabbed the guy with the spear in the throat and then hurled him into one of the other guys before getting an axe to my shoulder as my past self got shot in the chest. I pulled the axe out of my shoulder and hurled it forwards into the guy who just killed the past me, splitting his skull in two as I fell to my knees.

_**BEAT**_

This time, I jumped to my right, rebounded off a car and stabbed into the first guy to stab the first past me and knock down another one as the second past me killed the guy behind us. I then charged forward slightly ahead of the first me and this time we both got shot, but we each took half the damage, so we were both able to keep running, the first to cut through the leader, and me to grab the flying axe, and hurl it through the spine of another Nyxist as I cut down a latecomer.

_**BEAT**_

This time I jumped to my left and rebounded off a coffin that was nestled atop a motorbike, and slashed down the third guy who would've stabbed me, then grabbed the bike and hurled it towards the shooter, who hesitated at the last second before firing his shotgun as I got rammed over the side of the bridge.

_**BEAT**_

That was my last one. I watched my past selves do their work and I lowered my head and sprinted just behind my first self, dodging around him as he tossed the front guy, then stepping back out as my other past selves took out the guys near me, and I charged as fast as I could for the shotgun guy.

He fired at me just as a motorbike came between me and him. It exploded. I covered my face with my arms as I leapt through the flames, then rolled on the tarmac and sliced him vertically, splitting his ribcage and face open like a cupboard.

I then pushed him aside and sprinted as my past selves vanished, their memories colliding with mine. Six of the fourteen Nyxists were dead, the rest were too far behind or too injured to catch up with me.

I reached the end of the bridge and took refuge in an alleyway to catch my breath.

I love time travel. It's the space-time continuum that I hate. It gives killer headaches.

* * *

Of course, all that running and jumping through explosions opened all my wounds, so I really wasn't in much of a fit state to do much other than limp my way back to the dorm. The Nyxists wouldn't be stupid enough to stake that place out while everyone else was there. Even Takaya wouldn't last long against four of us, even without me.

There were, however, people hiding in the shadows with guns. I kept an eye out and managed to work out where they'd be, and I managed to keep out of their line of fire for the most part, but a couple of lucky shots ripped my right arm open with buckshot spray, so I had to limp like my life depended on it, like it was.

I took to the alleys again. Safer in there. But guess who I met in there?

"Why couldn't I read you?" Diogenes asked me, holding a sickle to my throat. I walked right into that one.

"No-one can." I replied. "It's not just about my Personae, or the fact that I'm a Fool. I choose how people see me." I told her. "You wanted a little nutjob you could have some fun with, and fine, whatever kept you happy." I reached up and gently pushed her hand away from my neck. "Sorry love."

"Bastard." She called me.

"Actually, I was born in wedlock, but for all other intents and purposes, yeah." I told her. "I'm an absolute bastard. Thing is, I try not to be. I'd like very much to be a big hero to save the day and inspire hope in all humanity, but that's just not me. So I put on different faces. I become the person that whoever I'm talking to needs me to be. That way, I can make the world a better place, one act of kindness at a time. But when I get called out and the mask comes off?" I asked, now threatening her. "Then you get the bastard in the alley who makes the world a better place one cut throat at a time. Because people need selfless bastards as much as they need heroes." I told her. "A Dark Knight who will fight the monsters alone in silence before fading back into the nothingness from whence he came."

"And I suppose you think you're some kind of hero?" She asked. "Dispensing justice on those you're different from you?"

"Not at all." I said. "It's better that one person should be killed than to let that person go on destroying the lives of others. I fix people. That's what I do. Sometimes, I find someone who wants to break people, and I break them first. That is also what I do.  
"And now that you've gotten that look inside my head that you've wanted since you signed up for a Persona, why don't you just leave?"

"H-Huh!?"

"Don't act dumb." I told her. "You're a freelance reporter who's been trying to figure out what's been going on all year." I told her. "You thought I didn't recognise you just because you took of your glasses and weren't dressed in a suit?" I asked. "You wanted to look inside people heads? Well guess what, I'm a freaking master." I told her. "You didn't give a damn about the end, not at first anyway." I diagnosed. "You just wanted to story, then the power, then the thrill of truly living in the moment, revelling in the madness that drowned out the emptiness, even the rush of making out with a psychopath who you know will bite your tongue off just for the taste of your blood." I told her, and it terrified her. "You now my name, my age, where I live, where I go to school, what my powers are, why I do what I do, yet I know more about you then you ever will about me and I don't even know your name."

I pushed past her. "I will stop Nyx from ending the people I work so damned hard to save." I told her as she slumped to the ground. "You can quote me on that."

* * *

By the time I'd gotten to the dorm, I'd lost a lot of blood, I was cold, my toes were black, and I didn't even have the energy to pick the lock.

It'd taken me more than an hour to get home in the snow and I can't even get inside.

Heh. This is actually pretty hilarious.

I sat down on the step and leant back against the door, when it opened and some dragged me inside. Thank you… "Yukari…" I said, before coughing up blood.

"Hold on." She said, grabbing my feet and undoing the frostbite. "Geez, what happened to you?" She asked.

I laughed as she got started on healing my open wounds. "Ran out of Spiritual Power, got shot in the back, had to fight my way home."

"Were you training that hard?" She asked with concern, starting to undress my wounds.

"I finished training yesterday." I confessed. "Came back to the city this afternoon then went to take out the Nyxists."

"You WHAT!?" She shouted. I smiled.

"My only mistake was bringing someone along." I laughed. "The mad thing is that if I went alone, I'd be fine right now."

Yukari sighed. "You're always like this…" She complained with an irritated smile.

I grabbed her shoulder and pulled her close. "Thanks…" I told her, before passing out.

* * *

I woke up in my room as the sun was setting. Yukari and Aigis were knelt by my bed, completely out of it.

I quietly and carefully got out of bed and checked the clock. Half-Six, Friday the twenty-ninth of January.

My wounds were completely healed, I was still dressed in just my jeans, but I'd recovered my Spiritual Power. Finally.

I opened my wardrobe and tugged on a shirt before sneaking out the door, where Mitsuru was pacing. "Hey." I told her.

She stared at me for a second before rushing forward and hugging me tightly for a second before pulling herself off. "A-are you alright?" She asked. "Your injuries…"

"I'm fine." I told her. "I really only needed a Diarahan and a good day's sleep."

"No, you had severe internal injuries." Mitsuru corrected angrily. "Had Hiraga not taught Yukari about using Dia and Garu together as surgical tools instead of just restoring the damaged tissue, you…" She trailed off.

"Well, I can promise that won't happen again." I told her. "Because last night was hell. Admittedly, I've faced much, much worse, but the fact was that I got lazy and nuked the place instead of being cautious and methodically eliminating my opponents in the most efficient way, so I ran out of spiritual power, got all my defences broken, and then got shot."

Which reminded me. I summoned a sword and rammed it into my stomach to test if the Omnipotent orb wasn't impotent anymore.

The blade broke. "Yep, I'm fine." I told Mitsuru, giving her a thumb up. "So, who's going to report to who first?" I asked.

* * *

I let Mitsuru go first. The students had the rest of the week off from school because of the shooting, but then they were all transferred to a local school until the school was repaired.

The dead had been moved to the Tatsumi Port Island Morgue, and were due to be released on February first on Mitsuru's orders. Good decision, we didn't want funerals the day we needed humanity to want to live.

She and Fuuka had taken alternate nights in providing support to the party in Tartarus. There'd been at least six people in Tartarus training every night, with two people guarding the dorm. Last night was Yukari's and Kenjamin's shift, so they'd helped look after me while everyone else took separate, discreet routes home.

Aigis had figured out how to use my old scrolls, and kept the squad well equipped. They'd also been training in Monad vigorously, since Aigis managed to score a Monad key from the Reaper, so they weren't that far behind me in terms of Demonic Rank.

I then gave an abridged version of how I'd spent the past few days to Mitsuru, namely the awkward bits and the family time. I left Adachi's name out, on purpose and told her as such, since I knew that she'd put out an execution order on him when we should be focusing on Nyx.

Anyway, that night, I volunteered to lead the party, just so I could put everyone at ease about our chances with Nyx.

* * *

I didn't need to. Everyone was just glad to have me back. Yukari was understandably annoyed that I didn't wake her up, but Aigis pointed out that if they were drained then sleep was the best option.

So, we went to Tartarus. First I analysed everyone in battle. Yukari's control with her wind magic had improved insanely, and she was more than capable of slicing things in half with them, and her healing skills are as amazing as my damage-taking skills.

Aigis could transform her arms into sniper rifles and grenade launchers, and she could heal at Mitsuru's level now. She's very fast, and her recovery time from Orgia Mode is much shorter.

Junpei just sets himself on fire and incinerates the place. Also, he can fly. That'll be useful.

Mitsuru can freeze things easily, as you can imagine, but she easily has the most firepower out of everyone apart from me. Then she can use Mind Charge, doubling her magic power. Add on the fact that she can freeze stuff a large distance away with a thought, she's become quite deadly.

Shinji can kick down the doors to Monad. Yeah. Also, his earth manipulation skills rival my Hollow skills.

Kenjamin can stop bullets with his mind. And he's got magneto skills. Then he can thunderbolt your arse. Then he's got light skills. And now he can magnetise particles in the air, bring them together to make a drill, and fire it through you. It'll turn to dust as soon as he stops focusing on it, but he's not one to mess with. You can tell he's been practicing.

Koromaru can create clones out of blackness, turning himself into a pack of dogs raring to rip your head off. And he can make fire rain from the sky. Fenrir for the win.

Fuuka hasn't changed much, but she's much better at organising the party and scanning ahead of us to figure out where the enemies are, what'll be inside them when we bust 'em open, and Oracle is becoming much more reliable.

I just strolled in there and let Shadow's break themselves on my manly chest. Then I started punching them and accidentally brought down the entire floor.

At was at this point that we decided just to doss around.

* * *

"Earth and water…" I told Junpei as he backed against the bottomless pit. "You'll find plenty of both down there."

"No man, Persian or Greek, no man threatens a messenger!" Junpei protested.

"You bring the crowns and heads of conquered kings to my city's steps!" I barked at him. "You insult my queen. You threaten my people with slavery and death! Oh, I've chosen my words carefully, Persian." I taunted. "Perhaps you should have done the same."

"This is blasphemy!" Junpei shouted desperately. "This is madness!"

I stopped, then glanced behind me at Yukari. She nodded.

"Madness?" I asked Junpei as I turned back to him. "THIS! IS! **MONAD!!**"

I kicked him over the edge and he fell for a few seconds before bursting into flame, summoning his fire wings and flying back up to us. Bizarrely, his clothes are immune to fire. "DAMN that was fun!" He declared, rubbing his gut. "But did you have to kick me so hard?"

"Yes." I told him. "Also, it had to be you because no-one else can fly."

He sighed. "Alas, true men must suffer for their greatness…"

"Fair point, I should've kicked Kenjamin off." I told him, earning much laughs.

* * *

Mitsuru then told us to stop having fun and get back to training. We did so for a while, until Junpei gasped with delight and showed the Katana he just found.

It was jet black with a swastika hand guard. "Ban…" Junpei said dramatically, getting into a pose. "KAI!!"

I sighed, then drew a shortsword, held it out at arms length and pointed it at the ground. "Scatter." I said, using the Hollow Arcana to make it collapse into the ground as I dropped it. "Senbonzakura Kageyoshi."

"Enough with the Bleach Jokes…" Kenjamin sighed as the sword fragments floated around the room. "Can we _please_ get back to training?"

I stamped my foot into the ground to make the fragments fall and caught a tile as it flew into the air. "Sure, why not?" I asked.

Junpei stared at me, then shook his head. "You know what?" He asked. "I don't know why I even bother being surprised by what you manage to do anymore."

I threw it like a Frisbee down the Monadian corridor and decapitated a golden samurai. Ah, so that's what Margaret meant when she was explaining how the Omnipotent Orb lets me ignore physics for the rule of cool. Awesome!

"Let's see what other crazy things I can do." I suggested, jogging down the corridor for some more Shadows to kill.

* * *

Towards the end of the night, Kenjamin stopped dead and declared "Whoa!"

I looked at him through Marogareh, and the lad just reached Rank 99. "The power boost is amazing, isn't it?" I asked him.

He was too busy walking on the ceiling to care. Probably magnetising his feet and the ceiling with the power boost.

"And that's what happens when you get as strong as you're gonna get." I announced to everyone. "We're running out of time tonight so we'll work on everyone else tomorrow, kay?"

* * *

Everyone else was close. Kenjamin just had a slightly higher kill rate than the others, so he got the points faster.

I really don't get why this ranking system is even here in the first place. It's like it's here specifically to limit our progress. I mean, that kind of power jump is not natural, right?

Anyway, I wasn't enrolled into the temporary new school, so while everyone went, I in theory stayed with Koromaru.

I rubbed his belly. "Hey, Koro." I told him. "Want to go do something bang out of order?" I asked him.

"Sounds fun."

I jumped, but then remembered that I made that dog king Personae a couple of weeks ago. After all that's happened, I'd forgotten.

"Right then." I announced, getting up. "Off we go."

* * *

Getting across Tatsumi Port Island with a dog and a bounty on my head was easier than it sounded. Hell, people barely looked twice at me.

We reached the hospital without any major troubles, so I walked around to the Morgue. Thanks to Skynet, it was easy to figure my way around and get in. Koromaru was a challenge, but I managed to lie my way through that. Now _that_ was fun.

Anyway, I found the room with all the shooting victims. It had a wall of filing cabinets with names on them, each drawer holding a different person.

I browsed the names until I found the one I was looking for. Kaoru Nagisa.

I opened the drawer to see a bodybag. I opened it and her cold, lifeless body was inside, naked and stitched up from after the autopsy, though that was hardly necessary judging from the hole in the side of her skull.

And the dead are stored like this. Disgusting.

I used the Hollow Arcana to dress her, then picked her up and lay her on the floor. Koromaru looked at me expectantly, and I sighed. "Yeah, I hope this works too."

I stood over her and pulled out my Evoker, putting it to my skull. "SALVATION!!"

* * *

A white light flashed and there stood Death. No, this wasn't Ryoji, this was Thanatos. The real deal.

"You want to take this girl from me." He stated. "What will you exchange?" He asked, "And that's only if I let you take her."

I nodded. "I can't give you my life, nor the lives of others, so I'm going to pay you in blood."

"Blood?" He asked.

I nodded. "I'll buy back her life with pain." I stated. "If you don't like that offer, then I'll destroy you and ask a different psychopomp."

Thanatos glared at me. "And I thought Orpheus charmed Hades into giving his beloved back." He said.

"I'm not Orpheus, and I barely know her." I told him. "But her death is my fault and I am going to fix that."

Thanatos chuckled. "The pain will be great."

I nodded. "I'll bear it."

* * *

"**AAAARRRGGGHHHH!!!!!**"

I collapsed on the floor as blood ran down my face. Beggar… I haven't felt that much pain since Nyarlathotep ripped me limb from limb…

"H-Huh? A-Arisoto-kun..?"

I looked up and saw Kaoru. "Y-you're alive…" I gasped, before standing up and grinning. "In that case, give me a hand." I told her, closing her drawer and opening another, pulling out another student.

Kittan Terauchi.

This one had several bullets in his chest. I carried him out alone while Kaoru got out of my way and I used the Hollow Arcana to dress him, then stood back and put the Evoker to my head. "SALVATION!!"

* * *

"What are you doing back here so quickly?" Thanatos asked.

"I've got another one for you." I told him. "Same price as last time."

The death god groaned. "Fine, do what you will."

* * *

"**AAAARRRGGGHHHH!!!!!**"

"AAH!"

"Ngh…" I grunted, stepping back as Kittan sat up, confused. "Where the hell..?"

"Alright, listen." I told them. "You've both been dead for a week, but I just revived you." I told them. "First off, remember any afterlife type things?" I asked.

_They won't. It's not because there is no afterlife. It's because there are truths they must learn here first._

I explained that to them. "Anyway, I've worked it out that I can revive you if I endure eternal torture for a few seconds, so I need you guys to explain everything to each person I revive."

"H-how many people are left..?" Kaoru asked.

"Ninety -four." I said. "Then I need to go bring back the soldiers I killed.

They stared as I walked over to another drawer and opened it, unzipping a student I didn't recognise and dressing her. I then pulled out my Evoker. "SALVATION!!"

* * *

Thanatos glared. "You again?" He asked. "How many more people are you planning on reviving?"

"After this one?" I asked. "Ninety-three."

He laughed. "Fine then." He said. "You can have them in bulk."

* * *

I collapsed to the floor, unable to even scream the pain was that maddening.

What was worse was when people inside the drawers started stamping.

They were suffocating in there.

Alright, pain later, problems now. I stood up and reached out with my hands, then used the Hollow Arcana to drag everyone out of there, then I summoned a load of Personae to quickly open everyone's bags with Kittan's, Kaoru's and Koromaru's help.

This place is not meant to hold a hundred people, and certainly not a hundred naked teenagers who just came back from the dead.

I had to make the room bigger, the easiest way of doing that was to knock down the nearest wall, which just so happened to lead into a corridor.

Man, these morgues just aren't built for mass revivals.

* * *

Now, I quickly figured out the limits to this Salvation malarkey. The person dead has to have died through unnatural causes, be it an accident, battle or murder. Also, I can't revive someone whose body is too decomposed, so I probably couldn't revive someone who hadn't been preserved. In standard conditions, I'd give it twenty-four hours.

Now, there was awkwardness of coming back into the world naked, but that's the hospitals fault for storing corpses like that, not mine. I tried to preserve modesty, but Thanatos wasn't having any of that and frankly, you enter into the world naked in the first place so it's probably symbolic or something.

Anyway, now that I had everyone's attention, a large space was cleared for me to deal with the soldiers, who were dressed in hospital robes by the sensible staff. They also had the sense not to put the Nyxists in the same room. That'd be dangerous.

Anyway, I told the medics to kindly bugger off while I tortured myself to revive these guys.

* * *

I actually passed out from the sheer pain of it all, but those guys were more than thankful. Or at least they would have been, had we not told them that they'd been in comas. That was gonna be the mass conspiracy cover-up one of the doctors devised.

Mitsuru actually came down to the hospital with Yukari and Shinji to see what the hell I was up to now, what with her owning the place. While I hadn't taken any damage as such, the fact that I was drenched in sweat and gasping for breath after reviving two hundred men and women was a big giveaway as to how much I was hurting.

Of course, Yukari also saw that my face looked bored, so she saw the severity of the pain I was currently in.

"You should stop." She said.

Everyone looked at her.

"I mean, you've brought everyone back that died that day." She reasoned. "And if you keep going like this then you won't be able to fight against Nyx tomorrow night."

"What about those I killed last night?" I asked. "I need to fix that mess too."

"I'm afraid that Takeba is correct." Mitsuru said. "Though saving lives is an honourable cause, one must consider the broader situation."

I grinned maniacally. "Tell you what." I said. "Why is a raven like a writing desk?"

"Huh?" Yukari asked.

I stood up and turned down the corridor back to the morgue. "If you tell me the answer, then I'll stop."

"Arisoto, wait." Mitsuru declared. "The answer is that you haven't the slightest idea."

I stopped, then smirked. "Sorry Alice." I told Mitsuru. "But unlike the Mad Hatter, I know the answer."

With that, I headed down the corridor.

* * *

I made damn sure to save one person at a time this time around. Then I spoke to them. And listened.

I hadn't really listened to someone in a while. Not really let them pour their hearts out and just listen and help them work things out. I had to use Sekai Rei's a lot to get enough time, but I made damned sure that every person who left that morgue left with the desire to live life to its fullest. Not in the moment, expecting to die, but to fight the end and live on past tomorrow.

Of course, when I met Ehud, I actually killed him again, just because the bastard deserved it for being a complete monster. He didn't have any problems. He just signed up because he wanted to kill. There were a few monsters among them that had to be put down, but ninety percent of them left the morgue a better person.

Ten percent didn't deserve a second chance.

I walked out of there around ten O'clock at night and found Yukari sitting there. "Figured it out." She said. "The answer is that you shouldn't be wasting your time on riddles if you could be doing something useful, right?"

I stopped, and stared for a second, then bust out laughing, half from the pain, and half because what she said was completely ridiculous.

"What?" She asked.

"Nothing…" I said to Yukari. "It's just that a raven is like a writing desk because one is all and all is one." I said. "Everything in this world is connected, even the raven to the writing desk." I smiled at her and offered a hand to lift her up. "Also, if you spend too much time with either one, people will start to think you're crazy."

Now it was her turn to stare, then crack up with the absurdity of it all. "You're completely off your head, you know that?" She asked, taking my hand and pulling herself up.

I laughed back, putting an arm around her shoulder. "All the best people are Yukari. That's why I love 'em so much."

* * *

I took everyone except Kenjamin to Tartarus that night. I was too knackered to fight, so I opened the door to the Vision Quest and got them all training. After two minutes of real time, everyone was as strong as they'll ever be, so we went home early and got to sleep.

We woke up the next afternoon. It was Sunday, so it was cool, but even if we had school, we had something more important to deal with.

Nyx.

We spent much of the day in the gym, polishing our weapons, eating, or whatever. Anything to get ready.

I spent it meditating, but only after I set Fuuka on a last-minute task.

I meditated, getting in touch with myself.

All aspects of myself.

Even the parts of me that I didn't want.

We reached an understanding.

I only opened my eyes at ten O'clock. But I'm ready.

* * *

Half ten, we gathered in the command room. "Alright…" Mitsuru declared. "This will probably be the last time we meet like this… Is everyone ready?"

"U-Um, can I say something?" Yukari asked, standing to her feet. "I know that we have to defeat Nyx… But if you think about it, that means we'll be getting rid of the Dark Hour… So our memories may disappear… But, even if that happens… I want you all to know, I won't forget you! Even if it robs us of all of our memories together… I will still remember you all!"

Junpei laughed. "We know you will, Yuka-tan!" He told her.

"I won't forget you, either!" Fuuka announced.

"Neither will I!" Kenjamin added.

"I will not forget you, Yukari-san." Aigis smiled.

"Don't worry, even if you do forget about us, I'll remind you." Mitsuru said with a smirk.

"So don't worry about it." Shinji added.

"Oh, I'm so glad to hear that…" Yukari said with a mild blush.

"Okay!" Junpei shouted, rising to his feet. "Then, after the battle, no matter what happens, let's promise to meet each other again!"

"Good idea!" Kenjamin nodded. "But, where should we meet?"

"I don't think it should be the dorm…" Fuuka suggested. "We'll come back here anyways if all goes well… Hey, shouldn't we also decide on when we'll meet?"

"Sure, best pick a memorable day." Shinji nodded. "We'll be more likely to remember if it's already important to us."

"What about Graduation Day?" Yukari suggested. "When the Dark Hour vanishes, our memories might not disappear right away. So we shouldn't plan to meet too soon after the battle. And there's no day that will have more significance to us all." She reasoned.

"Wow… You're really smart, Yukari-san!" Kenjamin complimented with a nod. "Graduation Day… Yes, that will be easy to remember."

"Yeah, that's probably our best bet…" Junpei nodded sagely. "Graduation Day it is! Now, where should we meet?"

"It should be somewhere where it's easy to recognize that peace has returned to the city." Mitsuru decided. "And when we meet again… we should remember how we're feeling right now… That no matter what may happen; we will never look back…"

"I agree." Yukari nodded. So did everyone else.

"I thought dog's couldn't go to school?" Koromaru barked. Man, I will never get used to that.

"Sorry, but you'll just have to wait!" Mitsuru joked, not needing a translation. She stood to her feet with determination. "Alright then, let's get going."

I stood to my feet. "Alright then." I said. "Let's do this like we always do."

"Yeah…" Yukari agreed.

"Together." Fuuka decided.

"I will do my best." Aigis replied.

"Good, cuz I'm counting on ya!" Junpei laughed, thumbing his nose.

"Heh." Shinji laughed. "This is gonna be fun."

Mitsuru smiled. "Yes it is."

* * *

We all went back to our rooms to stock up on the ultimate armour and weapons I'd gathered everyone. Everyone had Bracers to increase their elemental power, and then something to offset their weaknesses. Kenjamin had the Ring of Darkness, Koromaru the Radiant Halo around his collar, Junpei the Storm Ring, Yukari the Lightning Gloves, Mitsuru the Blazing Flame, and Aigis had a Lightning Ribbon to protect her, since gloves were out of the question in her case. Shinji didn't have any weaknesses to offset, but I gave him the Barbaric Bracers to help increase his ability to dodge, something he lacks.

Myself, I went in my Jakkai battle armour and cloak. This will be the battle for everyone's souls. It deserves to be fought like one.

* * *

We marched to the school, getting there a few minutes early.

We weren't alone. All our fellow Persona users were there, both friends and enemies, as well as a bunch of people who just came to watch.

I didn't see Adachi anywhere. Tch.

"Takaya's inside Tartarus." Satoshi told me. He was one of the Nyxists I revived yesterday. "He's been hiding in there since last night."

I nodded. "Thanks." I told him, then leading the S.E.E.S. to the school gate before turning around.

"THIS IS OUR FIGHT!!" I declared. "THOSE OF YOU WHO CAN SENSE THE STRENGTH OF PERSONAE, TELL THE OTHERS WHY WE SHALL FIGHT NYX AND YOU SHALL NOT!!  
"BUT YOU HAVE A TASK!!" I roared. "FIGHT FOR THIS WORLD." I roared. "ENTER TARTARUS, AND LET NOT ONE SHADOW LIVE!!"

I turned and raised a chainsword into the air and let it scream in fury, as did the army I stole from my enemy.

Our Senpai in Persona were also ready for battle. Mitsuru had sent them the drugs for one night of Dark Hour, and their task was to wipe out Monad and Adamah.

"WE ARE HUMANITY!!" I bellowed. "AND WE SHALL NOT KNEEL TO ANYTHING!! WE SHALL NOT END!! THIS WORLD!! SHALL!! **SPIN!! ON!!!**"

Another roar, and I destroyed the gates to the school just as the Dark Hour began.

For the final time, our school rose, warping and contorting as it became the tower of hell. Once it reached its highest, the door opened and I led the march inside.

The telepad had been blown up. Of course the telepad had been blown up. That's exactly what I would have done.

I didn't miss a step in my stride, heading straight for the stairs. "You're actually going to run to the top…" Junpei sighed, shaking his head.

"You have a better idea?" I asked.

"Well, yeah." He said, shoving his thumb over to the bigass hole. "Just use that Tartarus magic of yours to bring those floating staircases over and turn it into an elevator."

That… would actually work…

_**Allow Me**_

Tartarus rumbled, and a stone ring rushed upwards around the platform we were standing on. Two staircases spiralled beneath it, pushing it up very, very quickly.

"New plan, we're riding that." I announced, leaping for it. "COME ON!!"

Everyone else leapt for it, and ran up the rising stairs as we charged. The ring above us broke through floor after floor after floor, and we'd even broken through Tziah by the time I reached the top of the steps.

By the time everyone caught up, we were on the last floor of Adamah.

And guess who was there but our favourite Revolver Jesus, back in his shirtless style. He still had the armoured right arm and the Storm Bolter though.

Shinji hopped off the staircase. "Oi." He shouted. "Nyx past here?"

"Indeed." Takaya replied, sitting on his little seat.

"Thanks." Shinji replied, walking strait past him like he wasn't even important.

"I take it you have defeated my disciples…" Takaya sighed. Shinji stopped.

"Better." I told him, hopping off the steps myself. "I converted them to my side."

Takaya stood up. "You are quite troublesome." He said. "What is it that you seek? These are your final moments… The end is nigh."

"Screw that shit." Shinji barked. "Because no way in hell is that happening."

"You are merely wasting your energy…" Takaya reasoned. "Why not celebrate this wonderful moment? What better way could you spend your final moments together?"

"You mean other than slaughtering Nyx?" I asked.

Yukari groaned. "Will you shut up already!?" She asked.

"My life was stolen from me by your father…" Takaya told Mitsuru. "And in its place, I was given a power I never asked for… yes… it is your company that made us this way." He preached. "The Kirijo group took young children from the streets, a hundred in all, all to be submitted to their experiments, hoping that some would survive to fight the Shadows in their place. Only three of those children survived." Takaya announced. "And only on of those three stands here this day."

"And so, I learned that the future is only a delusion." Takaya continued, pacing around the room. "Only by striving to live every moment to its fullest can the soul be truly satisfied. That is why we welcome this glorious revelation, to shine a light upon this darkened world!"

"You're so full of shit!" Junpei shouted. "I'm not dying so you can have a friggin' night-light!"

"You know Junpei?" I asked him. "That is quite probably the most badass thing you have ever said in your life."

"This is not merely my desire." Takaya countered, ignoring my compliment. "There are many who have also gathered to rejoice in her arrival."

"That's just because all these weird things have been happening!" Fuuka explained. "And even so, they've come to see life as worth living!"

"That is untrue…" Takaya replied. "Who is responsible for reviving Nyx? Can a single person boast of this great accomplishment?"

"Yes." I said, raising my hand. "I did it."

"You all worked tirelessly to prevent it, and yet in doing so, you unwittingly aided in her coming…" Takaya droned on.

"That's what I just said." I reminded him. "I did it, it's all my fault, let's move on."

"So you see, this is not just my will; it is the will of all people." Takaya said, ploughing on through my objections. "Man cannot face death without first finding meaning in life… But the world has realized that any meaning in life was lost long ago… Nyx has come because humanity has cried out for her salvation!"

"Ugh, will you shut up and listen for a second?" I groaned. "Nyx is coming because some idiots mucked around with things man was not meant to know, and because we killed the twelve Shadows while I cultivated it." I rapped his skull. "Can. You. Not. Get. That?"

He brushed me aside angrily. "You know nothing." Takaya spat.

"And yet, there is truth in what he says…" We all turned to Aigis. "But, now we know that it was a mistake… And that's why we're here. It's not a matter of whether it is possible or not… It's a matter of believing in ourselves. That's what it means to 'live'."

"The world isn't so simple that one person can decide whether we all live or we all die…" Mitsuru said. "So, even if there is no hope, we won't give up."

"Hmph. What do you know of this world?" Takaya asked. "No matter how long you search or how hard you pray, eventually you will realize that there is no truth. Just as death is eternal, a truth that has been lost can never be found again. Are you really so desperate to die that you will stand before the almighty Nyx!?" He accused us. "Such foolishness is what I am trying to rid this world of."

He cocked his Storm Bolter. "If you insist on asserting your way of living, then I shall do the same!" He declared. "The coming of Nyx is but moments away!" He then laughed like the madman he was.

"Right then." I said, turning to my party and began counting. "Eenie meenie miney moe." I said, "Catch a tiger by the toe."

"What are you doing?" Takaya asked while everyone looked in astonishment.

I ignored them and kept going. "If he hollers let him go, eenie meenia miney… Moe, he's all yours Kenjamin." I announced, walking away from the area.

"Wait, what?" He shouted.

"Fairest way to decide who gets to beat the crap outta him." I said. "Hell, even Fuuka could do it he's that weak. Just try not to humiliate him too much."

Kenjamin nodded. "Alright senpai." He said, tugging on Akihiko's gloves and swinging the Lance of Longinus I retrieved for him.

"You needn't send a child." Takaya laughed. "The moment we await is predestined. It's only a matter of time."

_~ Please be careful! I sense even greater power than before… ~_

There was a blinding light and a huge bang, and Takaya was on the wall, bleeding from the mouth.

"Even as I speak, I can feel it." Takaya laughed, wiping the blood from his face. "The end of everything… I pity those who cannot see it for what it truly is…" He lifted his gun and pointed it at Kenjamin. "A blessing."

Kenjamin covered the muzzles with his hand as Takaya pulled the trigger. The Storm Bolter exploded, and were it not for Takaya's armour he wouldn't have an arm anymore.

"We are mere mortals; we cannot change our fate." He grunted, grabbing Kenjamin by the throat. "You would be foolish to deny it…"

Kenjamin grabbed Takaya's wrist and Takaya screamed as a thousand volts ran through his body. Kenjamin then tossed him aside carelessly, then turned to face him as the bastard struggled to his feet.

"Ha…" Takay gasped. "Hahaha… It seems we are destined to be in opposition…" He declared, forcing himself to his feet before vomiting blood. "Guh… How can you summon such power… even in the face of death..?"

"Because I've achieved resolution." Kenjamin said, punching him in the gut. "Enviable, isn't it?" He asked, walking away as Takaya collapsed to the ground.

"Go on lad!" I shouted, robbing a high-five from the kid. "Kenjamin, you are truly worthy of becoming my disciple!"

"Heh…" Kenjamin smiled. "Thanks."

"I have failed… haven't I..?" Takaya asked, lying on the floor spread eagled.

"No shit sherlock." Shinji grunted.

"There is nothing more I can do…" Takaya choked. "Now… kill me."

"Are you scared?" Aigis asked him.

"What a peculiar question." Takaya responded. "You know nothing of death, if you think that it is something to fear…"

"What do you mean?" Aigis replied.

"You fear it because you do not understand it…" Takaya choked. "I will not explain to you any further."

"There's no honour in taking the life of someone who can't move." Mitsuru declared. "You will live to see if what you wished for comes true or not."

"Yeah, lie there and repent for what you've done." Junpei declared.

Takaya laughed bitterly and closed his eyes. "You are all so odd…"

"We're finally here…" Mitsuru said, stepping over Takaya's comatose body. "Up ahead is the top of Tartarus… The promised place Ryoji spoke of… Let's regroup for the final battle."

I nodded, then turned to Kenjamin. "First lesson lad, Cardio. Keep your lungs healthy and your body fit."

"Um, okay?" Kenjamin replied uncertainly.

"Second rule, and this is important, is to always double tap." I explained. "The reason why kicking a man while he's down is wrong is that he might grab your leg and bite you. When your enemy is down you grab a shovel and-"

"What the hell are you teaching him!?" Yukari shouted.

"Nothing." I replied innocently. "Also, before we go up, I have a request." I told everyone.

"You want to fight Ryoji-kun alone, right?" Yukari asked.

"I see no problem with that arrangement." Mitsuru nodded. "But you must understand that humanity's life is at stake. If it comes to it, we will join the battle whether you like it or not."

"Tch." Shinji grunted. "So we did all that training and I don't get to do nothing?"

"There'll probably be Shadows coming from below us that I'll need you to keep under control." I joked. We all laughed, but not because it was funny.

We laughed because this was it. The final battle.

I just hope we can do it.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

OH HELL YES EVERYBODY!!

So, those who wanted Takaya to get beat down, there you go. Diogenes came back, Minato unleashed awesome while wounded and out of SP, Minato raised the dead, and a few jokes that I've been waiting all year to do were done. ENJOY!

And the Nyx Avatar battle shall take place next chapter, obviously. Please, no suggestions on what to do. You will find it awesome, I can promise that.


	101. Chapter 101

Alright everyone. You know what you're meant to listen to during this fight. Battle Hymn of the Soul / Battle for Everyone's Souls, depending on which name you prefer. However, I recommend using Theultimateonejps's Quad Mix. That's right. Quad mix. The game version, the Reincarnation Version, Live Version and a metal cover all synched up to create ultimate awesomeness.

Now for reviews. Slicerness, how would Takaya land in one of the great lakes if he's in Japan?

JRS74, I'm glad you picked up on that. I really liked the bit when he had to stop himself from killing a young girl in cold blood.  
And I love that line too. Especially the Night-light bit.

Wild Card, I'll be going into great detail about February.

Heraklinos, prepare to have your mind blown.

Patch, that's a pretty decent theme.

I Started The Fire, all shall be revealed.

Jared Himself, I'm unsure as to what demonic skills Minato had in the first place.

Freak Gamer, you scare me.  
My mind ticks the way it does because I've recovered from Autism. So I keep the insane imagination but can still function in society. Best of both worlds.

Naru-chan, I personally think that though the game translates well into a story, this story wouldn't translate well into a game. It'd kinda ruin it. I would however love to see this as an anime, or at least a webcomic.

ShadowAI, thanks for the detailed review. They're the best kind.  
I've kinda learnt my lesson about the songs, but am I okay to write Burn My Dread into the next chapter?  
As for the spoilers, I apologise. I do that a lot, to the point where some of my friends call me a 'Spoiler Monkey'. They were impressed when I refused to spoil FMA 104, since they're only watching Brotherhood.  
As for the price of death, I completely understand where you're coming from and I don't want to make death cheap. That's the last thing I wanted to do. Don't worry, it won't get in the way of the rest of the story, or the sequel.

Tanith Magnus, something you need to try is taking the Nyx Avatar on one-on-one. It really makes it so much more of a challenge.

And now for an epic announcement. HIGH SCHOOL OF THE DEAD HAS RETURNED FROM ITS HIATUS!!!

For those of you who don't know what that is, think Zombieland, only replace all the awesome bits with fanservice, and the funny bits with awesome, and then throw in several more buckets of awesome. It is a seriously fantastic manga.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

We climbed to the top of the tower, which was empty apart from the black clouds surrounding us. "We finally reached the top…" Mitsuru said.

"We've been here before." I reminded her.

"There was a force preventing us from reaching this point after that time." Aigis explained. Ah, right.

"Hey, look at the sky!" Yukari shouted. I did, the clouds were starting to part.

"Something's coming!" Fuuka shouted.

"Is it Nyx!?" Shinji barked.

"I can't stop myself from being able to sense it…" Fuuka gasped. "This is the first time this has ever happened…"

A pair of black wings came through the clouds, and the air suddenly became heavy and choking. We stood out ground, and a being with black, ceramic armour descended from the heavens. It had six black wings emerging from its waist, the armour jutting out to protect them. It had a further four wings coming from its back, two from the shoulders and two from the kidneys, and it had a wing coming from each forearm, like an elbow spike. Fourteen black wings in all.

It had black, pointed shoulder pads and black armour covering its arms. Its right hand held an enormous sword, a good eighteen foot long, but nothing in its left. Its face was white and sarcastic, much more like the mask that used to form over my face when I abused the Hollow Arcana, but it had black, spiked hair coming from the back of its head, with one lock coming forward between its eyes, much like Ryoji's did.

Atop its head was a black crown. It was bulky, ceramic, and balanced on its head so precariously it must be attached. It landed, balancing on two narrow legs without feet, and I realised that the waist wings existed to act as a counter-balance.

"Y-you are…" Aigis said.

"Ryoji-kun!?" Yukari said. Yeah, I guess they do look kinda similar.

**THAT WAS MY NAME FOR A TIME… I DID NOT MIND IT**

"What's going on?" Mitsuru asked. "Wait, are you..?"

**I AM MERELY A HARBINGER OF THE FALL… ALTHOUGH, NYX AND MYSELF ARE NOW ONE AND THE SAME**

"Is that right?" Shinji asked. "Tch, whatever. That doesn't change a thing." He swung his bony club into the air. "We'll kick your ass, no matter WHAT YOU ARE!"

**I SEE… THEN YOU MUST ALREADY KNOW. WHAT PEOPLE FEAR MOST… WHAT THEY TRY TO IGNORE…**

The Avatar flicked its wings impressively.

**THAT IS WHAT I AM**

"We know that already." Kenjamin stated calmly if angrily.

"Every idiot and their moms do." Shinji added.

"You are what awaits all living things from the moment they are born…" Mitsuru said.

"You are The Final End, The Last Dance, The Destroyer Of Worlds…" I added. "You are Death Incarnate."

**THEN YOU ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S FUTILE TO RESIST… SO WHY DO YOU? THERE MUST BE FEAR IN YOUR HEARTS**

"Yeah, of course I'm scared…" Junpei admitted. "But, it's no use carrying on about it! I wanna live!"

"I'm tired of running!" Yukari shouted. "Living means looking death square in the face… So, I won't back down… not even from you!"

"I will stop you, even if it costs me my life." Aigis declared. "That is my own decision!"

Then there was silence.

**I SEE**

"Everyone, get ready!" Fuuka shouted, stepping back onto the stairs and summoning Juno. ~ Nyx is preparing to attack! I'm sensing Shadows approaching from below, too! ~

"Everyone!" Mitsuru shouted. "Try to keep them at bay! This is our last chance… We can't afford to lose!"

I nodded. "Buy me as much time as I need." I told them.

Shinji laughed as he headed for the stairs. "You've got until the end of the world buddy." He declared, leading the charge downwards.

That left me and the Avatar alone.

It just stared at me.

I slammed my hand to the ground, and twenty-four Hurricane Bolters rose from the ground and turned to face the Avatar in the centre. "FIRE!!" I shouted, leaping behind the forest of bullets.

It wasn't too long before the Avatar sliced through all of them.

**THE MOMENT MAN DEVOURED THE FRUIT OF KNOWLEDGE, HE SEALED HIS FATE… ENTRUSTING HIS FUTURE TO THE CARDS, MAN CLINGS TO A DIM HOPE**

**YES, THE ARCANA IS THE MEANS BY WHICH ALL IS REVEALED… ATTAINING ONE'S DREAM REQUIRES A STERN WILL AND UNFAILING DETERMINATION**

The Avatar stretched its left hand out and the card of the Fool appeared. The Avatar pulled his hand to the side and the card span, turning into the Magician.

_~ Nyx's Arcana changed to the Magician!? ~_ Fuuka warned. _~ Be careful! Its properties have changed! ~_

I nodded, then drew the Oblivion from my waist and held it out to my right and stood low, balancing myself with my left hand.

Then I noticed that the Avatar was using the exact same stance I was.

I laughed. "COME ON!!" I shouted, charging towards it. The Avatar rose slightly, then launched a wave of red flame that sent me back into one of the pillars.

That was an Almighty attack, something the Omnipotent Orb wouldn't protect me from.

I grunted and pulled out my Evoker. "FUUKA!" I shouted. "Lead the others! I'll work this out on my own!"

_~ Got it. ~_ Fuuka replied, before releasing Juno and jogging downstairs as I pulled out my Evoker.

"SURTR!" I shouted, seeing what would happen if I pitted Magician against Magician.

The flames of Ragnarok were repelled against me, but I absorbed the flames. However, Nyx then used Fire Break and launched an Agidyne at me.

I dodged at the last second, my cape getting singed, so I decided to just bugger it and charge right in there.

Nyx sent me back with a flap of its hip wings. Damn, that'll make reaching her main body difficult

I ran around the Avatar as it created pillars of fire to burn me, only stopping once I found the gap in its wing structure. I charge into the space, leapt onto its wing armour, rebounded into the air and stabbed into Nyx's shoulder.

The Shadow merely waved its hand in response, and I was sent flying by the flames. I landed against a pillar, but recovered in time to dodge the fireball flying towards me. The pillar then burst into flame, and I jumped off it, rolling against the ground as I changed Persona. "JOHNNY!" I roared. "SHREDDER!!"

I pulled the trigger and the Persona came forth with its fiddle, playing a fast, really fast song that made slash wounds appear all over the Nyx Avatar.

They healed as soon as they came, however, and the Avatar stretched its hand out again.

**THE ARCANA IS THE MEANS BY WHICH ALL IS REVEALED… THE SILENT VOICE WITHIN ONE'S HEART WHISPERS THE MOST PROFOUND WISDOM**

The Magician Card appeared by its hand and the Avatar span it. The card stopped spinning as a Priestess, and I knew what was coming.

I summoned a second Evoker as I summoned Scathach and Cu Chulainn, unleashing the hounds of blood to charge the Avatar as it began to freeze the already cold tower top. I took my chance to heal myself, then Summoned Scathach to cast Power Charge and Cu Chulainn to use Pralaya.

The spear tore through the Avatar, knocking it back enough for me to run for it and hop onto its wing armour and grab my sword out of its shoulder. The frozen metal splintered in my grip, and I landed against one of its wing and got pushed back onto the ground. I rolled out of the way of its sword swing, but got pushed back over the tower ledge by a wave of red energy that came afterwards.

I grabbed the rim of the tower and hauled myself back up to once more face the Nyx Avatar. It cast a MaBufudyne, freezing the floor below us and giving it an instant advantage of standing on the only part of the floor that wasn't slippery with ice.

I stamped on the ground, shattering the ice and planting myself firmly on the stone below. I put my remaining Evoker to my head and pulled the trigger. "SATURNUS!!" I roared, summoning the Titan.

Nyx grabbed its burning skull and cast an Ice Break, destroying the double layered Ice resistance I'd given it, then destroyed it with a Bufudyne. I clenched my teeth, then summoned Nidhoggr to burst through the ice on the ground and trap Nyx's sword arm between its jaws.

That gave me enough of an opening to charge forward, switching to Surtr and launching a Ragnarok just as Nyx cast Bufudyne. I then leapt through the flames as I summoned a sword, and then slashed through the Avatar's mask.

I landed against a column and rebounded to the ground, landing neatly on my feet. The sword I'd summoned what silver and had a huge stone lily acting as the guard. This is the sword of the Morning Star Lucifer.

Light Bringer.

Fitting.

I turned around and deflected the sword blow from above, pushing Nyx back as I reached for my Evoker and summoned Norn to cast Panta Rhei. Nyx was knocked into the air as it launched spears of ice at me, most of which I slashed through as I charged, bouncing off its wide armour and finishing the slash across its head.

I kicked back and skidded across the floor as Nyx brought its left arm out and pointed at me.

**THE ARCANA IS THE MEANS BY WHICH ALL IS REVEALED… CELEBRATE LIFE'S GRANDEUR… ITS BRILLIANCE… ITS MAGNIFICENCE…**

"And how am I supposed to do that if I'm dead!?" I shouted, turning to face Nyx as it switched to Empress. It raised a hand to the black sky and the storm clouds around us began to spin, as if in a cycle.

Or a cyclone…

I summoned Ubelluris to lock me into the ground as an intense storm was brewed up. The wind speed was immense and I knew that the second I moved from this spot, I'd get blown away.

Then Nyx readied herself to stab me.

Bugger.

I shrugged out of the mountain god's embrace and leapt into the air, dodging the killing blow but getting caught up in the spiral winds. I coiled up and let the funnel carry me to the top, then leap into the eye of the storm just before the tornado tossed me outside of the circle.

I put the Evoker to my head as I fell, summoning Melchizedek to cast God's Hand on Nyx. The golden fist rammed down on its head as I stabbed down with the Light Bringer, landing on Nyx's shoulders before jumping off with my sword and my Evoker.

Nyx recovered just as I summoned Siegfried to charge with his sword, slashing the night goddess repeatedly as I caught my breath. The Persona disappeared, and I charged again, this time running a Brave Blade across my sword and cutting across Nyx's armour, but she blocked with her sword and created a small air-funnel around me and I started to choke.

Can't… breathe…

I grinned, then put the evoker to my head and summoned Norn to create an opposing Cyclone around me, and I could breathe again. That's probably not how science works, but Omnipotent Orb gives me the power to ignore physics mildly.

I hopped backwards and changed Persona and put the Evoker to my head and summoned Melchizedek again, this time to launch a big black hole towards the goddess.

Nyx put forth her left hand and caught the black orb. The tornado died down as a violent storm rushed around the black hole's event horizon, growing faster and faster until the light-consuming mass sprung into nuclear flames around Nyx's hand.

It created enough fusion power to turn a black hole into a star again. Great.

Wait, star?

I summoned Helel and the son of the morning raised its hands into the sky as a golden ball of celestial flames formed in its hands. I quickly took cover behind a black pillar as my Persona slammed a sun into the Nyx Avatar.

Nothing could have survived that. But it probably did.

**THE ARCANA IS THE MEANS BY WHICH ALL IS REVEALED… ONLY COURAGE IN THE FACE OF DOUBT CAN LEAD ONE TO THE ANSWER…**

Knew it.

I switched to Odin as Nyx launched a wave of electricity at me. I took it head on, ignoring it as I got on with the plan.

Both me and Nyx cast Elec Break on each other, and it cast Ziodyne as I cast Thunder Reign. The shock was intense, but I think I did more damage.

Nyx then jumped up slightly and swung its blade down, launching a black and red nebula at me which burnt like hell. I quickly healed myself, then dodged Nyx's Ziodyne. I summoned Odin again, this time with Valkyrie to cast Valhalla on myself.

Hope this works.

I charged at Nyx incredibly fast, ploughing through its electrical attacks, then jumped onto its hip armour and rammed my sword into its chest, dragging it up through her as I ran up its body and tore Nyx's crown from her head before leaping through the space between its back wings and landing on the ground just as Valhalla ended.

I held its crown above my head. "Ha!" I shouted as I leant against the pillar for support. "Look who's got your crown?"

I immediately switched to Orpheus Victorious and cast Holy Melody, but I wasn't the one it healed. Crap, that's not good in more ways than one. For one thing, it heals the ally that's taken the most damage, so they're having trouble downstairs. For another, I can barely move.

I dodged the thunderbolt, barely, then switched to Cybele and cast Diarahan on myself, just in time to get up and run like hell.

I tossed Nyx's crown over the side of the tower, and then had the fantastic idea of flipping both my sword and my Evoker into reverse grips and channelling Cybele's energy down my fists.

Vicious blades of ice grew from my wrists and my elbows as my gauntlets changed appearance, turning bloody and mutated. I slashed through the next thunderbolt and charged, blocking my head with my forearms and leaping through Nyx's torso, slashing my way through with the ice blades.

I rolled in my landing as my armour returned to normal and the ice blades evaporated, as did the Ichor that I was completely covered in.

**THE ARCANA IS THE MEANS BY WHICH ALL IS REVEALED… IT IS INDEED A PRECIOUS GIFT TO UNDERSTAND THE FORCES THAT GUIDE ONESELF…**

I turned to face the Avatar is it flipped the Emperor card into the Hierophant. It then swung its blade for me, and I parried it over my head with the Light Bringer. I raised my head to see Nyx bring the sword back towards me, and I brought my left hand, still holding my Evoker, to my right hand as I blocked Nyx's blade with all my strength.

Damn… now I'm completely open for its magic attack…

Nyx brought its sword up then leapt backwards. That's the first time it's moved from the centre spot. It bowed over, holding the huge sword out over the edge of the tower.

I slipped my Evoker into my pouch and got into the same stance.

Understand the forces that guide oneself, huh?

I guess that Death did kinda learn how to fight from me, judging by that stance.

Lightning sparked in the sky and the two of us burst forwards with all our strength and speed. We clashed in the middle, me holding the sword with both hands close to my chest, the blade rising diagonally. Nyx's blade crossed mine, hers held in a single hand pointed downwards.

Our faces were inches apart. This probably means that I'm in the air.

Then I realised the trap I'd fallen into. Nyx grabbed my head with its left arm and tossed me down towards the tower. It was made of strong stuff because it didn't even crack under the force, even though my back would've if it hadn't been for the armour.

I rolled out of the way just as Nyx flew down and pierced her blade right through the spot where I was just was.

I quickly got to my feet and charged with my left arm outstretched. I grabbed her shoulder and vaulted to the back of her head just as she drew herself back to full height. I grabbed a wing just before I fell, then sliced off the opposite wing. Nyx's back arched and I fell off, slicing the wing under it as I fell.

I rolled off the ramp-like waist armour and recovered to my feet as Nyx turned around. Its mask was still showing a dissonant smile, seemingly oblivious to its injury.

I drew my Evoker. "Tch." I grunted, before putting my Evoker to my head and blasting it in the face with a Megidolaon as Nyx raised its left hand.

**THE ARCANA IS THE MEANS BY WHICH ALL IS REVEALED… THERE IS BOTH JOY AND WONDER IN COMING TO UNDERSTAND ANOTHER…**

The Hierophant card appeared as the blast died down and Nyx span it as I gave myself a quick Dia. The card turned into to the Lovers, and Nyx's wings regenerated.

Nyx then spread its arms and it began to rain. Now what the hell is this supposed to achieve?

Then black roots began to crawl out from the columns. I switched to Johnny and used Reprise to cast Agilao. Broken Chord carried the relatively weak flame around the tower, reducing the pretty unimaginative attack to ashes.

Then the rain turned to arrows.

I ignored them as the spikes harmlessly bounced off me. My broken resistances had repaired themselves, so I just switched persona to Tsukuru Izanagi and cast Delibate on Nyx, then Heat Riser on myself.

Nyx then swung its blade for me. I put my hand onto the moving blade, grabbed it, and vaulted onto the swinging blade and let Nyx carry me up past its shoulder.

It quickly looked up its blade for me as I grinded down the back of the sword and rammed my own blade into Nyx's face with all my weight. I then jumped up and swung on the blade, which turned in Nyx's head, slicing through like a lever before I pulled the sword out as I fell to the ground.

I landed and turned as Nyx healed itself and turned for me.

Dammit. I hate it when people who aren't me use Dia.

…

Why didn't I think of this sooner?

"Sword and Emperor." I stated, creating the card before me and punching it. "**POLLUX!**"

The pale warrior appeared before me. It was incredibly muscular, but its limbs were withered and weak. This Persona, while being similar to Akihiko's, is different. Not just in physical appearance, but because I turned its weakness into a strength.

"BLOOD BREAK!!" I shouted, and the warrior roared and vanished.

I then charged at Nyx as she swung her blade for me once again. I jumped over it, landed on Nyx's hip armour and slashed across its collarbone, in the gap across its armour.

I jumped back before it could retaliate to check if my plan would work.

Nyx cast a healing spell on itself.

The wound grew bigger.

Oh hells yeah.

Then the wound evaporated.

**THE ARCANA IS THE MEANS BY WHICH ALL IS REVEALED… ONE OF LIFE'S GREATEST BLESSINGS IS THE FREEDOM TO PURSUE ONE'S GOALS**

So, it heals completely when it changes Arcana… I guess that means that my Blood Break is no longer in effect too.

Ah well, Chariot now, so I doubt it can really heal itself now anyways.

WHAM

Nyx tackled me and flew me over the edge of the tower, then dropped me. I quickly used the Hollow Arcana to stretch out from the tower and grab me, pulling me back to the tower top as Nyx rushed back there and tried to pull the same trick.

This time I dodged, and Nyx completely overshot her charge. I summoned twelve cards of various dragon Personae and smashed them as Nyx returned, getting torched in the process.

It ignored the flames at cut them down without hesitation before landing. I summoned a Heavy Bolter and began firing, but the massive rounds just ricocheted off Nyx's armour harmlessly.

New plan.

I braced myself as Nyx launched another one of those black and red clouds, only to burst from it and rush me out over the side of the tower again.

Perfect.

I swung onto her back and sliced through her wings. She began falling down, but then the wings on her arms spread out along with the wings on her waist, and she began to ascend to the top of Tartarus

Then a monolith burst through the tower wall and smacked Nyx in the face. I immediately scrambled over Nyx's shoulder and jumped onto it, running along the falling stone quickly and leaping for the hole in the wall. I grabbed the ledge and hauled myself inside as the huge stone pillar broke to pieces onto the wider parts of the tower below.

"Whoa!" Naoya shouted, rushing to my side. "That's Nyx!?"

"Yeah, sorry, gotta go." I told him, rushing for the stairs as Nyx ascended the tower slowly.

Inside the tower was chaos. There were Shadow's all over the place, and everywhere someone was fighting them.

Hell, the place was an all out war.

* * *

I reached the top of the tower just before Nyx did, and it was welcomed with a missile to the face.

However, Nyx descended gracefully through the flames and landed in the centre of the tower roof.

**THE ARCANA IS THE MEANS BY WHICH ALL IS REVEALED… TO FIND THE ONE TRUE PATH, ONE MUST SEEK GUIDANCE AMIDST UNCERTAINTY…**

Nyx then span the Chariot card and it became Justice. Nyx's wings regrew, and its armour was repaired.

You know? I'm starting to think Justice is seriously an unlucky Arcana.

I hit the activation switch in my hand.

The pile of C-4 I'd planted under Nyx's parking spot exploded.

* * *

**THE ARCANA IS THE MEANS BY WHICH ALL IS REVEALED… IT REQUIRES GREAT COURAGE TO LOOK AT ONESELF HONESTLY, AND FORGE ONE'S ONE PATH…**

Now out of tricks, I had no choice but to get back to using raw power. I summoned Surtr just as Nyx unleashed a cloud of poisonous gas, so I let the giant unleash the hellfire I summoned it to do, and then switched quickly to Nurgle, who let me breath the poisonous air like it was the scent of a bakery.

Unfortunately, Nyx then decided to start burning the place, something Nurgle was weak against.

Then I remembered that the Omnipotent Orb was still in effect. I hadn't noticed before since Nyx's attacks were so powerful, but this flame is weak compared to the attacks this thing was doing earlier.

Then it clicked. Nyx's forms have set skills and strength, depending on its current Arcana. Hermit Personae focus on status skills, but are relatively weak otherwise. And since I've got Nurgle, it can't hurt me no matter what it does.

Nyx seemed to realise that, so it stuck its left arm out again.

**THE ARCANA IS THE MEANS BY WHICH ALL IS REVEALED… ALONGSIDE TIME EXISTS FATE, THE BEARER OF CRUELTY**

It changed from Hermit to Fortune, and suddenly time stopped.

Nyx didn't.

Remembering what I learnt from Jun when I fought alongside him, I switched to Johnny and negated Nyx's time stop for just enough time to dodge her sword swing. By an amazing stroke of luck, I landed on Nyx's sword, and I could move freely.

Excellent.

I summoned a new weapon, since I lost the Light Bringer earlier. Armed with my trusty chainsword, I leapt for Nyx and I was immobile again.

Not excellent.

Nyx then grabbed me with her left hand, and I could move again, so I slashed the chainsword down on the wrist that barely held my shoulders, and I was dropped, once again unable to move.

Any more bright ideas?

Yes actually.

I waited for Nyx to stab her sword down at me, and just as it touched my armour I swung my arm to grab the blade. It stopped, and I grabbed it with both hands and rose to my feet.

"See, the thing about us humans, is that when fate deals us a crap hand, we don't just give up." I told Nyx as my the sword began to cut through my armour and to my hands. "_We Cheat._"

I tugged the giant blade out of Nyx's hand and it clattered to the floor. I sidestepped along it quickly before Nyx could get me, and I pulled out my Evoker and summoned Surtr.

This time, the giant rose and grabbed Nyx's huge blade, lifting it high above its head as I slid down to the handle, grabbing on just as Surtr swung the blade through the Nyx Avatar and dispersed.

I landed on the ground as the sword flew back into Nyx's grip.

**THE ARCANA IS THE MEANS BY WHICH ALL IS REVEALED… ONLY WITH STRENGTH CAN ONE ENDURE SUFFERING AND TORMENT**

The Fortune card span until it turned to Strength. Nyx didn't have time control anymore, so I rushed for my chainsword, rolling as I grabbed it in time to block Nyx's sword slash as the teeth of my chainsword roared in pain.

The chain snapped and I rolled back as the chainsword was cut in two. I quickly got to work summoning another weapon, this time summoning the Deus Xiphos in time to block Nyx's next attack.

I then laughed, and pushed Nyx's blade aside as I charged for her. She launched that black/red nebula thing again, but Deus Xiphos just slashed through it like it wasn't even important. I cut through its hip armour and its wing, then charged inwards and rammed into its legs, knocking it off balance.

It didn't fall over because of its hip wings, but that suits me better in the end.

I put my Evoker to my chin and stood beneath Nyx. "RAGNAROK!!" I roared, blowing my brains out and unleashing hellfire right through its body.

I then reloaded a mind charge and switch to Skadi "NIFLHEIM!!"

Ice spiked up and tore through Nyx, and then I got evil.

"POLLUX!" I shouted just as her wounds began to heal. "BLOOD BREAK!!"

Nyx collapsed into a pile of Ichor which I immediately forced my way out of before I drowned. I rested against a column so I could catch my breath, but I didn't have long because Nyx began to reform.

**THE ARCANA IS THE MEANS BY WHICH ALL IS REVEALED… IN THE FACE OF DISASTER LIES OPPORTUNITY FOR RENEWAL**

Nyx than changed her Arcana from Strength to Hanged Man.

I'm making progress. Good, because I've used around half my power so far.

I let it stand up, and then I put my Evoker to my skull. "Bring it." I challenged Nyx, summoning Thanatos to charge alongside me with our blades at the ready.

Nyx blocked Thanatos's blade, allowing me to leap up and slash down on her. She caught my blade with the wing on her left arm, which flicked out and threw me into the air.

I created a rock behind me and rebounded off that, flying towards Nyx as Thanatos vanished.

She thrust her sword into my shoulder, obliterating my left lung. I grunted with the pain and dropped the Deus Xiphos, but I'd felt worse.

I grabbed the blade by both sides and pushed it to the right until my feet met the edge of a pillar.

I pushed myself off from that, forcing Nyx's blade to point into the sky above Nyx's head. I slid down the blade, rapidly sliding down the metal as I summoned the repaired Oblivion and rammed it through Nyx's face.

_BEAT_

Now I'm about to jump off that rock and into Nyx's sword. I leapt at a slightly different angle from before, this time reaching the top of a pillar and rebounding from that as I used Melchizedek to create a black hole in my hand and rammed it through Nyx's chest.

I landed to see Nyx recover from both wounds, then turn towards me.

**THE MOMENT MAN DEVOURED THE FRUIT OF KNOWLEDGE, HE SEALED HIS FATE… ENTRUSTING HIS FUTURE TO THE CARDS, MAN CLINGS TO A DIM HOPE. YET, THE ARCANA IS THE MEANS BY WHICH ALL IS REVEALED… **

**BEYOND THE BEATEN PATH LIES THE ABSOLUTE END. IT MATTERS NOT WHO YOU ARE… DEATH AWAITS YOU **

_~ I sense… Death! Nyx's true Arcana is Death! ~_

Yes Fuuka. Nyx just flipped from the Hanged Man to the Death Arcana.

Now things get real.

I rushed at Nyx and she rushed at me. Our swords clashed against each other, but we kept charging. She swung out as I got near her, sending me rolling along the ground as she turned on the ground.

I pulled out my Evoker. "LUCIFER!" I shouted.

The fallen angel rose from my head and roared as hellfire descended from the heavens. Nyx slashed through them as I charged, dodging her blade and sinking Oblivion into her chest.

I swung up as Nyx leapt back, then charged forward and forced me back. I grabbed my Evoker again, this time summoning Tsukuru Izanagi to launch Hassou Tobi, which distracted Nyx by making her block repeatedly long enough for me to get back in there and deal another serious wound.

Nyx grabbed me and threw me into the floor as I summoned a bolter and pressed its muzzle against her throat. "Normally works." I said, pulling the trigger.

**DAKKADAKKADAKKA**

Nyx recoiled from the pain of getting her throat shredded by exploding steel. I got to my feet and kept firing until Nyx launched another nebula of death to knock me down.

**YOU CANNOT AVOID DEATH. TO LIVE IS TO DIE; THEY ARE ONE IN THE SAME…**

A bubble of air began rippling around Nyx. Moonless Gown…

I shrugged and raised my Bolter to fire again.

_~ W-Wait! ~_ Fuuka shouted. _~ Something's strange about Nyx… I have a bad feeling about this… It's definitely up to something! Hold your attacks! ~_ She ordered. _~ It's too dangerous right now! ~_

Well, Fuuka hasn't let me down yet, so I lowered my Bolter and healed myself. Nyx just huddled behind its bubble and smiled.

I began pacing around the Avatar, wondering what to do now.

I suppose that the best thing is to just wait until that bubble goes away and then attack.

Or I could find out what'd happen if I actually did attack the bubble. But that'd be stupid.

Instead, I'll use Marogareh to rip that barrier right off her.

_~ W-Wait! ~_ Fuuka shouted as white lines began forming on my armour. _~ Don't be so reckless! ~_

"This is supposed to be able to break through _any_ defence." I told Fuuka and Nyx, dropping my Bolter and reversing the grip on Oblivion. "So here we have on unstoppable force against an impenetrable fortress." I grinned demonically. "Let's see who breaks first."

I charged, ramming my demonic left hand into the bubble. Demonic energy lashed out of the point of contact, tearing holes into the world which quietly healed up as I kept pushing.

The armour had melted, and now the flesh on my hand was starting to burn away. I could see black lines on my finger-bones, still making a strong fist.

I then pulled back at the last second before my bones began to disintegrate, then rammed my bare knuckles back against the force field, which rippled and shattered around my punch which connected against Nyx's jaw, sending her flying.

I had the sense to quickly cast Diarahan on myself as Nyx got back to her feet. "No more hiding." I stated, watching the armour reform over my flesh. "Let's fight this out properly."

Nyx flexed its wings to full length to intimidate me, then raised its left hand into the air as a ball of dark red energy began to form. Night Queen.

Whatever it is, it cannot be good.

I summoned Vishnu and Atavaka to protect me with Infinity as Nyx rammed the ball of death into the ground. The barrier shattered under its force and I was knocked back, my armour getting blown apart and my ribcage blown right open.

I coughed up blood as Nyx approached me. "Damn…" I choked, hurriedly summoning a card.

It got half way there before disappearing. What the hell!?

_~ You're panicking! Calm Down! ~_

I CAN'T BLOODY CALM DOWN!!

I rolled out of the sword swing and coughed as my lungs flopped against the cold floor. I huddled them with my arm and ran.

Nyx's sword followed me, and I ducked under one swing and jumped back from the next. I tripped up over my ankle and hit the ground, so I rolled to my knees and ran again.

I dived across the ground, screaming as my lungs were torn open by the friction, but grabbed the Bolter. I twisted around and fired at Nyx, it's mighty Dakka doing half as much damage to me than it was to Nyx.

Then the holes in my lungs closed up. I glanced upwards to see Yukari healing me. "Come on, don't give up!" She shouted, healing me as fast as she could.

Aigis then jumped over me and began firing at Nyx. "I will always protect you!" She shouted, rushing around the tower top as she kept Death occupied.

I suddenly felt a lot calmer. Me Patra…

I forced myself up as my ribs began to reform to see S.E.E.S. rushing up the stairs to help fight Nyx. "Get up!" Mitsuru shouted, summoning Artemisia to create spikes of ice to stab Nyx from underneath. "You aren't allowed to fall here."

Kenjamin and Shinji both charged with their weapons, breaking Nyx's attack pattern and piercing its armour. Koromaru leapt and sliced lightly into its chest armour and Junpei rammed his blade into the crack, bringing Nyx to its knees as Shinji headbutted her, cracking her mask.

I chuckled at my friends as my chest healed, then wiped the blood from my mouth. "Thanks everyone." I said, getting to my feet as my armour closed. "I appreciate your concern."

I raised my arm towards Nyx and my sword appeared. "BUT I SAID THAT HE'S MINE!!" I roared, and everyone jumped back in surprise.

I grinned, ignoring the blood running down my face. "Let's finish this." I told Nyx, lowering myself with my sword at the ready.

Nyx got into the same stance.

**IT IS THE PATH OF YOUR CHOOSING**

I roared as I charged at Nyx with my sword, and she charged in silence.

Both of us lunged at the same time, and our sword tips hit each other.

Light and Darkness sparked from the point of collision. Each of us were holding our swords with our right hand only, because we knew that if we moved to let the left hand help, then the sword would slip and the other would overcome.

I grunted, then roared at the top of my voice and forced myself to take another step.

**CRACK**

I ignored the sound, but ran faster and screamed louder as metal splintered and Nyx and I pushed past each other.

When she was behind me, I looked down upon my hand.

My sword was intact.

I turned around the see Nyx fall. Its sword had been shattered, its arm obliterated past the shoulder and through the torso, even destroying half of its head.

"Did, did we do it!?" Mitsuru asked with astonishment.

Silence

**SUCH A PITY**

Bugger. The Nyx Avatar stood to its feet and regenerated.

**YOU UNDERSTAND FATE, YET YOU STILL FIGHT AGAINST IT WITH ALL OF YOUR WILL… **

Nyx began to rise up into the sky slowly, and the air became crushingly heavy as we all fell to our knees.

**IF MORE PEOPLE WERE LIKE YOU, THEN PERHAPS THE FALL COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED… **

The moon cracked open above us, revealing a bigass red eye that Nyx was headed for.

**BUT IT'S TOO LATE NOW**

I grunted. "IT'S NEVER TOO BLOODY LATE!!!" I shouted, getting up and running for the Avatar. I leapt, grabbed it by the ankle and dragged it down to the ground, slamming it against the tower.

I dragged myself across its body and started smashing its face in with my own fists. "WE!" SMACK! "WILL!" SMACK! "NEVER!" SMACK! "SUBMIT!" SMACK! "TO!" SMACK! "**YOU!!!**"

Nyx grabbed me by the throat and tossed me against a pillar.

"At last…"

I looked to see Takaya crawl up onto the rooftop and start laughing his head off.

"You!?" Kenjamin shouted, struggling to get to his feet. "What is this..?"

Takaya laughed. "Vexing, isn't it?" He asked. "The look on your face is priceless!"

"This is…" Yukari grunted, trying to stand. "Nothing…"

"How ridiculous…" Takaya scoffed. "Are you out of your mind?"

"Look who's… Ngh… talking!" Junpei spat, also struggling to stand.

"Death is imminent… Surely you know this…" Takaya replied as he crawled forward to touch Nyx's foot. "What do they hope to accomplish now?" He asked her. "I wanted to see the end with my own eyes… Jin…"

He passed out. "I will never give up!" Aigis shouted, forcing herself up. "Never!" She repeated, standing defiantly

**WHY RESIST THAT WHICH IS INEVITABLE? YOU WILL ONLY SUFFER…**

"Dammit, I won't back down!" Junpei shouted.

"I've made up my mind…" Yukari declared, pushing herself up. "I'll fight to the end!"

"R-rah!" Kenjamin shouted, before getting pushed down to the floor.

"Kenjamin!" Shinji shouted as Junpei and Aigis fell.

"Son of a…" Junpei grunted.

"We've come this far!" Mitsuru shouted, standing up as Shinji buckled. "I will not submit!"

Mitsuru collapsed to the floor. I grunted in defiance. "We will never stop." I stated, forcing myself to my feet with the Demonic Seal. "THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN!!"

I charged at Nyx, forcing it over the edge.

"MINATO!!" Someone shouted, but I was too busy incinerating Nyx's wings so it couldn't fly back up.

Nyx grabbed me with its hand, then twisted as we both fell.

**THE MOMENT MAN DEVOURED THE FRUIT OF KNOWLEDGE, HE SEALED HIS FATE…**

What

**ONLY THROUGH BALANCING FREEDOM WITH REASON CAN ONE FIND HARMONY WITHIN THE SOUL**

It's shifted to bloody Temperance…

**CRUNCH**

* * *

That sound was made from my back smashing against the concrete below, creating a large crater.

It was also the sound of me breaking Nyx's right arm.

**CRACK**

Oh what?

I looked up to see Nyx's armour cracking into pieces. Then, six white wings burst from its back, and two more from its elbows.

Nyx then lifted out of its armour, and she's human height. Her body was white as her mask, dressed in a loose white sleeveless robe with a rope around her waist.

Those wings weren't from her elbows, they were her wrists.

All I've done was break her armour.

I grunted, then pushed the damn thing off me and get to my feet as Nyx ascended into the sky. Dammit…

I cast Diarahan, only to find that I didn't have enough spiritual power. Buggery…

I hauled myself out of the crater and saw that the whole city had awakened to the dark hour. What's worse, everyone's either panicking, praising Nyx, or rioting.

"Here." Said a familiar voice, offering me a Soma. I took it and downed the white milk, then looked to see who was helping me.

Adachi.

"So, turns out that Nyx thing did show up after all." He sighed, scratching the back of his head. "Man, this really is troublesome."

I punched him in the face. "You gonna help or do you want to die?"

"Easy, easy." Adachi groaned, rubbing the back of his neck. "Man, you're always so uptight." He raised a card into the air and shot it.

A large red serpent came and circled around him. Uroboros, the snake that eats its own tail.

Fool Arcana.

"ALRIGHT YOU SONS OF BITCHES LISTEN UP!" He roared. "I'M GONNA GIVE YOU ALL A CHOICE! EITHER YA DIE HERE LIKE A COWARD OR YOU CAN DIE IN THAT TOWER HELPING THIS GUY GET TO THE TOP SO HE CAN SAVE OUR ASSES!!"

Wait what?

"THIS GUY IS OUR ONE SHOT OF SURVIVING THIS NIGHT!!" Adachi shouted. "BUT HE DOESN'T HAVE A SHITS CHANCE IN HELL IF YOU ASSHOLES DON'T GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER AND DO SOMETHING FOR ONCE!  
"ALL OF YOU!! YOU JUST GO THROUGH THE SAME DAY, OVER AND OVER AGAIN, WASTING YOUR LIVES ON JACK ALL!" Adachi continued. "WELL, HERE'S YOUR LAST CHANCE TO PULL YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR ASS AND DO SOMETHING FOR ONCE. YOU'LL PROBABLY DIE, BUT AT LEAST EVERYONE ELSE WON'T!!"

For a second, no-one moved, and then that nervous guy I'd seen a couple of times around the train station suddenly grabbed the girlfriend he's barely said three words to all year by the head and kissed her. Hard.

"I love you, Oribe-san." He told her, before pulling away from her. "Goodbye." He then snatched a sledgehammer from some guy and walked towards me and Adachi. He reached the destroyed gates of Tartarus, when his hand glowed. He held up a card with surprise, then nodded, smashing it. "AIZEN MYO-O!"

A red skinned monk appeared beside him, with a stern face and a ringed staff. His girlfriend then wiped her face, grabbed a machete from a pool of blood and walked towards us beside him, getting her own Persona.

There was an explosion above us, and I looked up to see Fenrir force Nyx off the ledge of Tartarus before fading out, only for a stone giant to slam a gigantic fist into Nyx, who launched a blast of ice back at the top of Tartarus, followed by a cloud of steam.

"There fighting up there…" I noted, before setting my face. "FOOL!" I shouted. "HOLLOW!" I smashed the card. "PHILEMON!!"

The man appeared in the air above me and I roared. "THIS NIGHT IS OUR FINAL STAND AGAINST THE DARKNESS!!" I roared. "FOR THIS ONE NIGHT, WE ARE NO LONGER OFFICE WORKERS, YANKEES, STUDENTS, TEACHERS, HOUSEWIVES, YAKUZA, POLICEMEN, SOLDIERS, BAKERS OR WHATEVER! THIS IS OUR LAST CHANCE TO STAND UNITED AS ONE HUMAN RACE! TO FIGHT AGAINST THAT WHICH WISHES FOR US TO END!!"

"THIS ONE NIGHT! WE SHALL BE AS GODS!!" I declared as blue butterflies began to spread around the city, turning into cards in every person's hand. "LET BUTTERFLIES FLY UNTIL THE DAWN!!"

I turned as people roared, and then led the charge into the tower. Everyone can only hold on for so long without me.

I will get there in time.

I have plenty of time.

They'll buy me all the time I need.

Time until the world ends.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

AW HELLS YEAH EVERYBODY!

Yeah, this is getting right into it. More next time.

I was going to do the entire fight in one chapter, but I need time to recover from doing that in one day. I'll be doing another large bender tomorrow too, but after that it's back to normal schedule.

So, later all!


	102. Chapter 102

Alright. Continue with the epic.

Thumbs Up, that was actually the shy guy who you see at the train station who fails to make a move with his extremely patient girlfriend all year.

Dr. Tempo, such is life.

Dragon's Shadow, I saw the hidden message.  
I will resolve the Minato / Yukari thing in February, don't you worry about that. And they forget everything about the Dark Hour, not what happens outside of it, so Yukari will still remember dating Minato.

Slicerness, the butterflies were indeed from Minato giving everyone Personae. And how the hell did that escape the spell checker- because it was in all caps. Of course. I'll fix it right now.

Have a Little Feith, I have no idea what an AR MAX is. Sorry.  
And unfortunately, I've no plans for making any more Personae other than the ones I have planned, so sorry.

Patch, I have no idea what you're talking about.

LONE EFFORTZ!! I thought you'd forgotten! And thanks, but the story's not over yet.

Kisdota, if you've been paying attention, you'd know that next I'm going to do a collection of short stories based on Persona 4, then I'll do the first chapter of the Freaking Epic Sequel, then go on a mission for two years, then come back and write that. The Sequel will be set a few years after P4.

Too Lazy To Log In, you're just too lazy to come up with epic. Well, you might not be, but I'm just jumping to conclusions. Either way, the answer is no. I'm trying to match up with Bhepin. That is a very high standard for epic. He makes me look alright in comparison.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

We ran up the tower as fast as we could, reviving and healing the other fighters and leaving reinforcements along the way. I had a plan to take out Nyx.

But it'll take more teamwork than mankind has seen in millennia.

* * *

I reached the rooftop to see everyone in S.E.E.S., and a few more people collapsed on the floor as Naoki fought Nyx with all his strength. Junpei shouted in defiance as he forced his Evoker to his head and pulled the trigger, then fell to the floor again as Nyx was consumed with flame.

I myself could barely stand, the spiritual pressure was that intense.

Just as I managed to reach the arena, Nyx held out her left hand.

**THE MOMENT MAN DEVOURED THE FRUIT OF KNOWLEDGE, HE SEALED HIS FATE…  
SHACKLED BY THE CHAINS OF SIN, ONE IS TOO BURDENED WITH REGRET TO STEP FORWARD ALONG ONES OWN PATH**

The Temperance card appeared and span into the Devil. Perfect.

"NAOKI!" I shouted, bringing my Evoker to my head. "GET BACK!"

The Demi-Fiend hopped backwards and I pulled the trigger twice, summoning Helel and Satan. "**ARMAGEDDON!!**"

The powers of the end of days consumed the area where Nyx was floating, and the ground underneath her.

Excellent.

I charged at Nyx as she began to ascend one more, then jumped with all my might and grabbed her head. "RRAGH!" I shouted, launching myself down through the tower.

I pushed Nyx through floor after floor, block after block, until eventually I smashed her face into the lobby.

_BEAT_

Now I'm in mid-air, and I hopped over Nyx as my past self forced her down the tower.

I watched as a tunnel was formed in the centre of the tower, all the way to the bottom, like a cannon.

Shinji got to his feet, as did everyone around me. "If it's below us, it can't hold us down." I breathed, realising just how good this plan of mine actually was.

**THE MOMENT MAN DEVOURED THE FRUIT OF KNOWLEDGE, HE SEALED HIS FATE…  
WITHIN DISASTER LIES OPPORTUNITY FOR RENEWAL**

Devil changed to Tower. How fitting.

I summoned a Bolter and pointed it down the hole. "ASCEND, FALLEN ANGEL!" I shouted as Nyx got to her feet. "AND THE RISING APE WILL DRAG YOU THROUGH THE MUD AGAIN AND AGAIN!!"

I began firing down upon her. She blocked my attack effortlessly with a single wing, and that's when she was attacked from the sides by fire and ice.

Oh yes.

I had people stationed around the edges of each floor, constantly bombarding Nyx with their weak attacks as she began to ascend through the tower, the magic growing stronger and stronger as she ascended, until eventually she was fighting off the power of multiple –Dyne spells.

Within minutes, however, Nyx reached the outside of the tower, but Shinji charged forward, leapt into the air and punched her down before rolling onto the ground on the other side.

He didn't send her down far enough, as she reached the rooftop once again within seconds, and Koromaru leapt for her and began gnawing on her collarbone as Kenjamin stabbed her in the back, Junpei raining fire upon her head.

Then Cerberus, that Nyxist from before, grabbed her leg. "Down you GOO!" He yelled, dragging her down and throwing her down to Yabbashah.

Spartacus and Heracles then leapt from their position to slam Nyx the rest of the way down. Broke every bone in their body, but that's why we have Dia.

I quickly cast two Holy Melodies and they rose to their feet and rolled onto Nyx, punching and elbowing her while she was down.

Nyx blasted them both back effortlessly and rose to her feet. Heracles then summoned his Persona to try and take her down, but it was just sliced through, as was Spartacus.

Nyx left the floor, but stopped as her feet were grabbed by the beaten young men. She blasted them both down, but they only rose again, this time to grab her left foot.

She blasted them again, but Spartacus grunted and reached out again to grab her toe.

The toe crunched, and Spartacus fell, satisfied.

Nyx ignored them and once more began to ascend as someone moved their bodies and healed them as fire, lightning, wind and ice blasted her from all sides. The damage she was receiving was pathetic, she was just that strong.

But a thousand Agi's cannot be ignored completely, no matter how strong you are.

"THIS IS HUMANITY'S TRUE FACE!!" I shouted down the hole as Nyx continued to rise, now clearly taking damage. "ALONE, WE ARE WEAK! BUT WITH EVEN JUST FOURTEEN HUMANS, A HERD OF MAMMOTH CAN DO NOTHING BUT RUN TOWARDS THE CLIFF THAT WILL SPELL THEIR END!!  
"FOR WE ARE HOMO SAPIEN! THE GREATEST PACK ANIMAL OF ALL TIME!! UNITED, EVEN GODS SHALL QUAKE IN FEAR!! **GRAND!! CROSS!!!**"

Apollo, Hades, Venus, Chronos and Artemis each shot out from their positions mid-way up Adamah, creating a pentagon that filled with Almighty power that burnt down upon Nyx, sending her back down into the ground.

Nyx rose again, her face still showing a dissonant smile while her body spoke only of rage, began to rise again. However, Dante leapt from his position with twin Bolters blasting, before discarding them at the last second and drawing Rebellion, stabbing it through her head and riding her to the ground, smashing her further into the stone below.

Nyx grabbed Dante and tossed him aside.

**THE MOMENT MAN DEVOURED THE FRUIT OF KNOWLEDGE, HE SEALED HIS FATE…  
A GLIMMER OF HOPE IS AN INSPIRATION TO THOSE IN DESPAIR, HOWEVER SMALL IT MAY BE**

The Tower span into the Star. "KEEP GOING!!" I roared, but Nyx burst into flames and screamed out of the tower, hovering over us once more.

It took all we could to stop ourselves from falling to our knees. I, however, grinned and put the Evoker to my head. "Johnny." I said, blowing my brains out.

Four white beams of light shot out from the North, the South, the East and the West, curving as they rose and connecting above Nyx's head. A black skin formed between the gaps, and Tartarus was encased under this dome.

I raised my hand and slammed it to the ground. "ROCK THE NIGHT!!" I roared. "THREE CHORDS!!"

The sound was immense. It was a simple melody, only three chords and the truth, but it had power.

Power to inspire the hearts of men and despair to those who would destroy them.

The whole thing was psychological, of course, but it was deep psychology. Even from the time of Orpheus, music alone was enough to tear down the gates of hell and obliterate the night in a single song.

Nyx remembers this. She remembers the fear.

Fear of the things man creates to surpass the gods.

I raised my arms again. "LAUNCH MOON BREAKER!!"

Everyone on the floors below began cycling their power, creating an effect much akin to that of an electro-magnet. Dante strode out into the centre of the bottom and grinned, raising his hands. "Showtime." He stated, launching the Almighty attack.

Normally, this attack would merely be devastating. However, it was powered by the strength of hundreds of humans, combining their power into a spiral, accelerating and amplifying the blast into one that would obliterate the heavens.

It stuck Nyx head on.

* * *

**THE MOMENT MAN DEVOURED THE FRUIT OF KNOWLEDGE, HE SEALED HIS FATE…  
THE FALSEHOODS OF ONES VOICE CREATE MADNESS IN THE WORLD OF MEN**

The Star card span into the Moon as Nyx recovered from the damage it had taken, and then she lifted her hands and the world turned to light.

* * *

"Hey, Aniki!" Natalie shouted from behind me. "Wait!"

I turned around to see Natalie run up behind me in a sailor school uniform with her schoolbag. "Honestly…" Marina sighed beside me in a similar uniform. "If you didn't want to get out of bed then you should've woken up on time."

"A-A woman needs more time to get ready in a morning!" She pouted.

"So why does a kid like you take twenty minutes in the shower?" I laughed, dodging under the swung schoolbag.

"Honestly…" She sighed, walking alongside us. "You just want to go see your girlfriend don't you?"

"Which one?" David asked from the wall he was sitting on, eating a donut.

I had to duck and jump to avoid the schoolbag and low kick. "You're a prick, you know that?" I asked him.

He shrugged. "Guess that's why you like me so much."

"Oh, you did not just call me gay." I warned him as we got to the school gates.

"Just saying the truth." He laughed as I punched him in the face. He slugged me back, and I kneed him in the chest.

He grabbed my shoulders to headbutt me when someone grabbed the back of our heads and clonked them together. "It's always you two, isn't it?" Mitsuru sighed. "Arisoto, meet me in the student council office after school for your punishment."

"WHAT!?" I protested. "But Dave was fighting too!"

"But you threw the first punch." Mitsuru replied, glancing at me. "Don't you dare be late."

I sighed. Ah well. Her punishments usually involved me treating her to dinner or a film, so it's not that bad.

* * *

As soon as I got into my classroom, people tried to steal my arms.

Once again, Yukari and Aigis are fighting over me. Sigh. Don't get me wrong, I love them both to bits, but sometimes I just want to get into the classroom and sleep peacefully.

Mind you, that'll be hard. Marina's always skiving class to hang out with that Aragaki from the next year, and Natalie's always getting herself into trouble with her little Scooby-doo buddies, and it's always my head that's on the chopper if they get into trouble.

"Alright class, settle down." Tanaka sighed. "And if I don't have silence while I take attendance then I'll sneak broken glass into your lunches."

We all shut up. Tanaka-sensei's very petty like that.

"Alright then." Tanaka smirked. "Arisoto?" He shouted.

"Here." I said, then fell asleep.

"Oi, wake up."

"No." I replied, before getting grabbed by the throat and dragged against the wall.

"S-Sanada-senpai?" I asked, looking at the captain of the boxing team. "What the hell!?"

He pulled back a fist. "Clench your teeth."

Huh? WHAM

Sanada's hand exploded against my jaw, but it still hurt like hell.

"You don't have time to be sleeping here." He stated, ignoring the rest of the class try to pull him back. "None of you do." He tugged his hand free and handed me a silver handgun. "Remember?" he asked. "Remember the inscription?"

S.E.E.S.

Why does that…

Hm. Of course.

"Thanks Aki." I replied, loading the chamber of the gun and putting it to my head. "I almost forgot myself there."

"ARISOTO!" Someone shouted. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING!!"

"Something bang out of order." I smiled, pulling the trigger.

**BLAM**

The world drained of colour, leaving just me and Akihiko. My school uniform disappeared too, and I was back in my war armour.

"I owe ya one." I told Akihiko. "Also, I need to tell you something."

"It's alright about Miki." He replied. "It wasn't your fault."

I nodded. "Thanks mate." I told him, patting him in the shoulder. "I'd love to stay, but dead people are dead people." I turned away. "I've enough problems looking after the living."

He laughed. "Tell Shinji I said hi." He replied as I put the Evoker to my head.

"Star and Fool." I said as I ignored all the other pleasant dreams surrounding my head. "ASTRAEUS!!"

I blew them out of existence and woke up.

* * *

I returned to the peak of Tartarus, where I was surrounded by coffins. I'm not having any of this. "LUCIFER!" I roared. "MESSIAH!"

I pulled the trigger from my evoker twice. "**DAWN OF THE STARS**" I roared.

The clouds were obliterated by a shining white sky that completely hid the moon from view. The transmogrified coffins crumbled and everyone stumbled out of them. "H-huh? What the hell?" Was the general consensus.

"You all fell asleep." I stated, glaring up into the blinding light at Nyx. "I woke you up."

I pointed the evoker at my head. "FIGHT ON!!" I roared, summoning Cthuhlu to rise from the ocean and grasp the mother of the night and throw her back to the earth.

She landed on the summit of Tartarus, narrowly missing the hole I made earlier and instead skidding to my foot.

I stepped onto her throat and pointed the Evoker at her head. "It's Sun next, right?" I asked her. "Then let's get this over with."

I pulled the trigger and there was a deafening **BLAM**

**THE MOMENT MAN DEVOURED THE FRUIT OF KNOWLEDGE, HE SEALED HIS FATE…  
AT THE END OF THE ROAD, MANFINDS BOTH SATISFACTION AND REGRET IN HIS HEART**

The card appeared right in front of my face, spinning from the Moon to the Sun.

**BURN**

What?

Then the world filled with fire.

* * *

When the flames cleared, I looked around to see Junpei, Mitsuru, Naoki and Koromaru.

Where everyone else stood, only ash remained.

"N-no…" Junpei gasped, falling to his knees.

I fell down with him. I can't fix this…

"JOHN!!"

Incredibly blue water flooded from the hollow in the Tower, and it kept going into the world was flooded up to about three feet above the top of Tartarus.

Then Yukari burst from underneath the water.

Then Aigis, then Kenjamin, then Shinji, then Fuuka.

The water then faded out of existence and someone chuckled. "Honestly, you really are hopeless without me, aren't you?"

I turned around to see David stride up the top of Tartarus, twirling an Evoker in his finger as Marina followed him with a warscythe. "This thing Nyx?" He asked.

"What the bloody hell are you doing here?" I asked him, getting to my feet as everyone looked at us in confusion. "You've got a fiancé and son to look after!"

Dave shrugged. "See, the way I see it, if I die here, then they've got Stacy's mom and dad to help raise my lad, but if you die here, then they don't need to be looked after at all." He reasoned. "More chance of them getting looked after this way."

"And Minato, you would not believe the things I can tell you later." Marina stated, twirling her Warscythe around. It turned out to have a blade on each end of the stick. "But I'll tell you about Igor later."

"Bald guy, big nose for snorting more crack by the looks of his eyes?"

Marina fumbled her scythe, but recovered. "You've met him. Of course you've bloody met him." She sighed. "Well, whatever. Let's just kill this bitch."

"What the hell is going on!?" Junpei shouted. "I mean, not complaining, but what the hell!?"

"Cousin and best friend, both Persona Users." I stated. "Also, Akihiko says hi, he's doing fine for a dead guy."

"That's good to know." Shinji stated, stretching his shoulders. "So how's about we stop talking and kick some ass?"

"One second." I said, turning to Dave. "Now how the hell did you do that?"

"Baptism?" He asked. "My Persona's John the Baptist." He explained. "I have no idea how that skill works but aren't you glad it did?"

"Too right." I sighed, turning up to see Nyx hovering about a dozen feet above us. Baptism had done us a world of good, healing even those who weren't reduced to a pile of ashes. "Marina, you got the Persona Satan?" I asked her.

"Yeah." She nodded. "Got something in mind?"

I nodded. "Summon it."

We both put our Evokers to our temples.

"SATAN!"  
"HELEL!!"

I harnessed the powers of both Personae and cast Armageddon in the sky, bringing Nyx down. She fell right through the hole in the rooftop, crashing along the sides of the floors below.

I still had three-quarters of my spiritual pressure left, thanks to Marina helping me summon.

"ONE MORE TIME!!" I roared to everyone below us. "SHOW THEM THE WILL OF MANKIND!!"

Everyone went all out. No ounce of power was held back. Nyx flew up, but she went through hell to get here.

When she burst through the top of the tower, she was falling to pieces.

**THE MOMENT MAN DEVOURED THE FRUIT OF KNOWLEDGE, HE SEALED HIS FATE…  
HAVING CHOSEN BOTH GOOD AND EVIL ON HIS ROAD, MAN NOW FACES JUDGEMENT  
YES. THE ARCANA IS THE MEANS BY WHICH ALL IS REVEALED.**

**LET MAN BE JUDGED**

* * *

And now we're in space. Great.

Quick headcount: Junpei, Fuuka, Mitsuru, Naoya, Shinji, Yukari, Aigis, Kenjamin, Naoki, Takaya, Koromaru, Jyoji, Nyx, and myself.

Fool through to Death, assuming Naoki was a Hermit before his transformation.

Dave and Marina are gonna be pissed when they find that they came all this way and didn't get to fight in the last battle, but okay.

Another quick glance shows that none of us are in any armour nor have any weapons. We're all in our school uniforms, Jyoji and Naoya in suits, Naoki and Takaya are shirtless with black and white trousers respectively, Aigis wearing nothing but the S.E.E.S. armband we all had on our left arms.

Nyx was standing before us, sitting on a large stone throne cross-legged, her face resting on her left fist, her right hand drumming on the stone armrest

**THE ARCANA IS THE MEANS BY WHICH ALL IS REVEALED  
FROM THE FOOL TO THE TRAITOR, YOU STAND TOGETHER AGAINST THE ULTIMATE END  
SHOW UNTO ME YOUR RESOLVE, AND I SHALL JUDGE WHETHER THOU SHALT CONTINUE OR PERISH**

"Alright, everyone, welcome to S.E.E.S.!" I shouted. "This is our final battle for humanity so let's make it count!"

"LET'S THROW DOWN THE DARKNESS AND BRING ON THE DAWN!!" I roared.

Takaya then grabbed me by the neck and tried to drag me down to the ground. "Takaya's not invited because he's being a little bitch about it." I added as I tossed him aside. "Everyone else, RUN ON!!"

We charged as one as Nyx launched death blast at us. We ignored the attack and kept running.

Junpei screamed as he burst into flame, wings erupting from his back as he left whatever we were standing on and flew in a blaze of glory.

Fuuka shouted with determination as she cast her arms out and glass-like barriers formed around everyone, protecting us from Nyx's attacks.

Mitsuru cried out in rage as ice grew around her arm in the shape of a lance, more ice forming around her body as armour.

Naoya called out as darkness began to consume his limbs, his eyes glowing yellow as crystals began to spike around his limbs.

Shinji ran as stone began to form around him, encasing his powerful body in golem-like armour.

Yukari yelled in fury as green winds began to flow around her, green light forming around her as wings as she ran.

Aigis released her limiters and burst into red light. Sparks flew as she charged, a white light surrounding her like a robe.

Kenjamin rushed as light spiralled around him. Thunder, light, metal, all orbited around him as the white spear formed in his hand.

Naoki fell to all fours as the seal of the Hito-Shura took over. Black spikes burst from his spine and his eyes grew red with demonic power.

Koromaru howled with power as dark flames blazed behind him, taking the shape of a pack of wolves led by one majestic white beast.

Jyoji said nothing, but as blue energy formed around him, his hands becoming claws and a tail bursting from his back, you felt the power that overthrew a god.

I roared in defiance as fire burst in my right hand, ice in my left, wind in my face and lightning at my feet. Darkness crawled across my skin as the light of Valhalla burned around my back. The white wings of Messiah formed above my back as I ran, spreading out to cover all of us as twelve coffins shattered behind us.

**YOU CANNOT SAVE HUMANITY WITHOUT FORTUNE**

"**WE DON'T NEED FORTUNE!!**" I declared as we approached the queen of the night. "**WE FIGHT FATE WITH ALL WE HAVE, TO BREAK DOWN THE WALLS IN OUR WAS AND TEAR A NEW PATH FOR OURSELVES!! WE MAKE OUR OWN DESTINY, LEAVE NOTHING TO FATE!!**"

"**ALL OF HUMANITY IS HERE TO BRING YOU DOWN!!**" I roared. "**AND WITH ETERNITY ON OUR BACKS, WE WILL BREAK YOU DOWN!!**"

We all leapt for Nyx simultaneously and struck together. "**WE!!**" We all shouted in unison. "**SHALL!! NEVER!! FALL!!**"

* * *

We appeared on the top of Tartarus, each standing between two pillars (Or in Takaya's case, lying down), gasping for air but without a trace of hesitation in our eyes.

Blood ran down my face as Nyx descended to the centre of the rooftop.

**SO BE IT  
I SEE HUMANITY'S WILL TO LIVE, AND LIVE HUMANITY SHALL  
THE ARCANA IS THE MEANS BY WHICH ALL IS REVEALED… THOU HAST PROVEN THYSELVES  
LIVE ON AND STEP FORWARD… THOU HAST EARNED THE LIFE OF THIS WORLD…**

"We… we did it?" Fuuka asked as Nyx ascended.

"WE DID IT!!" Yukari shouted happily.

"HEAR MY REQUEST!" I shouted just before Nyx's feet were above our heads. "When you return to the outer plane, return to the Old Ones and the other great demons, I want you to pass on this message."

Nyx looked down on me and I glared. "Run." I said. "Tell them to run, far away as fast as they can, because the monsters are coming." I said. "The human race knows of demon kind now. There's no hiding it. And we will come for you." I warned. "We will come prepared with armies, and tools of war, and we will conquer the Warp, and then we'll come to the darkness." I said. "With an army of humans and demons and all life that sees what you do and how you treat us and we will say, '**NO MORE**'." I finished.

Nyx looked down at me, then spread her arms out.

**THE MOMENT MAN HOPED TO SUPERCEDE GOD, HE SEALED HIS FATE  
CAST FROM BLISSFUL PARIDISE, HE IS NOW CALLED EVIL, AND CANNOT BE REDEEMED FOR HIS SINS AGAINST THE ALMIGHTY  
PERISH, HUMANITY  
DIE FOR YOUR HERESY, NEVER TO RISE AGAIN**

Nyx swiftly ascended into the moon, and I realised what an idiot I was.

"Dude, what the hell!?" Naoya shouted as Takaya laughed. "We had what we wanted!"

"No, we didn't." Naoki replied. "Because she would have returned. They all would."

"We would have a war against demons and mankind either way." Jyoji elaborated. "This was just us declaring war first."

I glared at the moon. "EVERYONE!" I shouted, grabbing my Evoker. "WE'RE NOT DONE YET!" I shouted. "WE WILL FIGHT TO THE END! COME ON-"

A big white spike burst from the moon and through my chest. Someone called my name as death spread through my body.

Damn… it…

* * *

I heard a woman singing mournfully to a mournful piano. I opened my eyes, and I was once again in the Velvet Room- the lift, not the club. I'm sat across from Igor with Elizabeth standing to the side.

"There's no need to worry." Igor told me. "This isn't the afterlife… You're still alive."

That's good.

"Do you remember what I once told you?" He asked me. "…How the strength of your Social Links will determine your potential?"

He held a hand to his ear. "Listen… Can you hear the many voices?" He asked me. "Each one's power is limited… Yet, they all reach out to you… Can you feel them?"

Actually… "I can sense them…" I told him.

"Close your eyes and listen carefully…" Igor urged me. "Their voices may be faint, but certainly you hear them…"

Igor lifted his hands above his head and a large mass of energy gathered in his hands.

_I'll always have your back, Minato. All I can do right now is pray… But, whatever it is, man… I know you can do it._

Kenji…

_I know you're facing a difficult task… But, I truly believe that you can overcome any obstacle. _

Hidetoshi…

_Something frightful's going on… but we won't give up._

Bunkichi…

_That's right, dear… Minato-chan wouldn't want us to lose hope…_

Mitsuko…

_Something crazy's going on here… but I know you're out there doing all you can, Minato… So, I won't lose my cool, either. You taught me that._

Kaz…

_Because you gave me hope… I'll be alright. So please, hang in there!_

Chihiro…

_Oh god, this can't be happening! I wish I could talk to him, and calm myself down… I don't even know what he looks like, but I hope he's okay… He has to be… I can feel it._

Heh. Toriumi-sensei…

_Minato-kun… I know you're trying to stay focused… You were there when I needed you… I hope I can do the same…_

Keisuke…

_Hey, Minato-kun… Can you believe what's going on? I know you must be doing everything you can, so I will to!_

Yuko…

_Everyone else is scared, but not me… You showed me how to be tough! I won't give up._

Maiko…

_Minato-sama… 'ow are you doing? I 'ope you are okay… I am 'ere for you… like you were zere for me!_

Bebe…

_What on earth made me think of you at a time like this? Well, I suppose you did teach me a thing or two about loyalty…_

Heh, Tanaka…

_You must be fightin' the good fight right about now… Well, you taught me that runnin' away never solves nothin'… so I'm here for ya, kid._

Thanks Mutatsu…

_I'll take on any challenge that comes my way, without complaining about it… You taught me that, Minato… I bet you're fighting right now too, huh…_

Damn right I am Mamoru.

_You saved me, Minato… I was so blind before… I'm sure you've got things under control, right? You always do._

Thanks for reminding me Nozomi.

_I know I'm not the only one who's suffered… You've endured a lot, too… But, you can't just give up… You taught me that._

Akinari…

"Can you hear them?" Igor asked me. "These are the voices of hope that wish to help you… Separately, they are weak… But _together_, they will bring about a great change in you." He grinned. "Now is the time to draw on the true strength of the bonds you have forged!"

The energy flashed and turned into a card with light orbiting around it that descended, hovering above the table.

"I never dreamed of seeing that card with my own eyes…" Igor gasped. "This is indeed a surprise… _Behold_ the last power you and I shall unveil…"

"It is the power to bring about a new beginning, or the ultimate end." Igor continued. "It may be possible now, with this newfound power… You may be able to defeat the one who cannot be defeated." He told me as I reached out for the card. "What you have in your hands is the power of the Universe… Nothing is outside the realm of possibility for you now."

I took the card and I knew what I had to do.

"Y-you want me to die..?" I asked Igor.

Igor looked at me, and I nodded as the piano grew determined. "Thank you, Igor." I told him. "I'll be honoured."

"We will soon reach your destination." Elizabeth told me.

"It seems that, in addition to Death, fate has also dealt you the wild card." Igor explained. "…You must accept your destiny. Our contract has been fulfilled… I have completed my role as well." He stood up and offered to shake my hand. "…You were truly a remarkable guest."

I stood up and shook it as the lift stopped and the grille on the back wall opened up.

* * *

I saw the spike in my chest, and reached for it, crushing it with a single hand.

The entire spike collapsed into nothingness, and the wound in my chest closed up.

I touched my right eyebrow.

It wasn't bleeding anymore.

I sighed and made a claw with my hand, dragging it down my face as my hair regrew my old fringe.

Then I stepped forward into the air.

"The hell!?" Shinji shouted as I began to climb the invisible stairs.

"No, don't go!" Aigis begged as light surrounded my armour.

"What is he doing?" Yukari shouted as my armour turned into a black suit with a black tie.

"Dammit, why the hell can't I stand up?" Junpei grunted.

"Why, after all we've been through…" Yukari shouted. "Stop, don't do this! Come back!!"

_Do the impossible, See the invisible_

I stopped, then turned around and smiled.

_Raw, raw, fight the power_

"Goodbye." I told them, before turning back to the stairs.

_Touch the untouchable, Break the unbreakable_

Like a lamb to the slaughter.

_Raw, raw, fight the power_

No. Not like a lamb to the slaughter.

_What you gonna do is what you wanna do_

This is the suit I will die in.

_Just break the rule, then you see the truth_

But it's also a suit for killing in.

_This is the theme of 'G' coming through baby!_

A suit for victory.

_**RAW, RAW, FIGHT DA POWAH**_

* * *

I walked into the Moon and arrived in a big hollow inside it. Nyx was there in her true form: a glowing egg with colourless tendrils coming from it.

Now, what's the last song I want to hear?

I smiled, then clicked my fingers.

_I will_

Nyx launched a powerful attack.

_**Burn… My… Dread…**_

I withstood the attack as the music played. It really, really should have killed me but I'm not gonna let that happen.

It blasted me again, but I didn't lose my ground.

_~ There's nothing we can do!? ~_ Kenjamin asked.

_~ Don't give me that shit! ~ _Shinji snapped. ~_ He can do this, I know it! ~_

_~ Give him strength! ~_ Mitsuru screamed. ~_ Take my life if you must! ~_

Whoa, Mitsuru, chill.

I saw Nyx get ready to launch another attack, but this time I dodged it.

_~ Yeah, I'm willing to risk mine too! ~_ Yukari shouted.

_~ He's going to face it all by himself! ~_ Fuuka gasped.

_~ No, he's not alone! ~_ Junpei declared._ ~ I won't let him die! ~_

Nyx launched another attack. You know what? I'm tired of letting this thing push me around.

I tossed the blast of Death aside.

_~ You've got the whole world running with you. ~_ Koromaru barked.

_~ I won't allow this world to be destroyed! ~_ Aigis declared.

_I've been waiting for this._

Hmph. Thanks Aki.

I raised out a hand above my head and the air began spinning in there. "You see this?" I asked Nyx as I tossed another blast of Death aside. "This is my world." I told it, bringing the melon-sized Earth to my chest. "And you're not part of it." I told Nyx as I drew the sword that pierced the poles and stabbed it into the ground.

"Let my name be carved on the face of this room forever." I stated, letting the Earth float above my head as I approached Nyx, not even bothering to block her attacks anymore. "I am the Fire. The Ice. The Rage. The Oncoming Storm. The Dawn of the Stars and the Dusk of the Moon. The absolute bastard and the bravest hero. I am the comforter of the wounded and the destroyer of worlds. And I will protect these people until my name fades from these walls."

"And that name is."

I didn't say it, but the walls did as they split apart to form the word as I lifted my right hand, index finger extended, and I summoned the Universe, creating the Greatest Seal.

I have no regrets.

* * *

**MINATOS**

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

Don't worry, the story is not over. Not by a long shot.

See you next chapter.


	103. Chapter 103

Hey everyone. Glad you liked the last few chapters.

Slicerness, you are right to have faith in me. The first scene should show that I haven't let you down.

Heraklinos, I've read Busou Renkin, but I don't get how they were similar.

Da Crazy Tiger, no, he won't. This chapter is all about what happened.

Kisdota, they die because they are too awesome for this world.

JRS74, I was damned proud of the Tartarus battle. For me, that just proved what men can achieve if they actually work together. That's the real power of friendship, not that pussy stuff about believing in others or anything. It's all about knowing that your mates have your back, you have theirs, and you're all working together to a collective goal. After all, there's no 'I' in 'Pack'.

Naru-chan, I would be honoured if someone typed out a pile of awesome with the intent to beat mine into the dirt. In fact, I challenge every one of you to try and outdo my awesome as a thank you gift. You don't have to, but it'd be nice.

Dr. Tempo, nope. I won't even have time to write or take notes in any way other than mentally, if that. However, it's all part of the epic plan for me to be able to write as an adult later, as opposed to a teenager. You wait for me, and I won't let you down.

Enderance, I doubt that I'll go into much detail about the Answer.

Anyway, now that's out of the way, let's see what Minato's up to know. I recommend listening to Theultimateonejps's dual mix of The Almighty for the start of this chapter.

What, you thought I was out of Epic?

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

Now, where the hell am I now, because this doesn't look like I've sealed Nyx away forever.

I'm kneeling on some golden clouds for a start. That's really not all that sturdy.

I forced myself up as black hair fell into my face. Wait, black?

I felt my head. My hair's shorter now, much shorter, but I've got some black locks falling into my right eye.

I licked my teeth. My canines are fangier than I remember.

I looked around to see a bigass golden door covered in eyes, built into a stone wall.

Chained to it was a giant stone statue of me.

Wait…

No… no that's not me…

That's him…

"N-No…" I gasped. "No, no this is not happening…" I slammed my fist against his stone leg. "You bastard… WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU DO THIS TO ME!?!?"

Then I felt it.

Evil.

The absolute malice and self-loathing of humanity given flesh.

Erebus…

"I get it…" I said, turning around to face the two red orbs coming from the yellow smoke. "But… if the seal's meant to keep him out, then why'd you…"

A huge black arm shot from the sulphurous clouds and grabbed him. Erebus screamed, and his jaws and horns rose from the smoke as Darkness billowed from his mouth down to form the rest of his body, leaving his two red eyes just floating there.

I lifted my arm and sliced its hand. "Don't touch him." I warned the monster as it screamed back in pain, re-growing its severed appendage. "You're not worthy to touch him."

I glared at Erebus and strode towards him. "He gave his life, his _ETERNITY!_ JUST to keep you away from Nyx, to stop you from making her hurt the people he loves." I stated as Erebus roared. "And you _dare_ touch him?" I asked. "You are not even fit to stand in his presence…"

"I am not fit to stand in his presence." I added.

_**WHAT ARE YOU**_

I glared into the beast's eyes. "What am I?" I asked as blue flames erupted around me. "I'll tell you what I am."

"**I Am A Shadow.**" I told him. "**A Cast Off, Unwanted Part Of Him, The Embodiment Of What He Did Not Want To Be, The Very Thing He Embraced For The Sake Of Humanity, Only For Him To Cast Me Aside When My Role Was Fulfilled.**"

"**I Am The Wanderer Without A Home.**" I said. "**Because There Would Always Be Someone Else To Save, Something More That Needs To Be Done, And I Will Never Be Satisfied For As Long As There Are Wrongs To Right.**"

"**And He Rejected ME!**" I roared, launching Erebus back with sheer fury. "**BECAUSE HE WOULD NEVER BE SATISFIED BEING CHAINED THERE JUST TO STOP THOSE DAMNED HUMANS FROM KILLING THEMSELVES! NO!**" I shouted, falling to my knees as I realised my role. "I have to carry on existing, alone, incomplete, for all of eternity, just so he can be satisfied that he's done absolutely all he can to save those damned humans…"

Tear drops hit the clouds. "Stuff it…" I sighed, getting to my feet. "Fine." I said, turning back to my True Self. "If that's what you want, then that's what I want, right?" I asked Minato, smiling. "Because… I am you, yeah?"

I held out a hand behind me and caught Erebus's jaw. "**I HAD NOT FINISHED TALKING!**" I roared, slamming the abomination down into the smoke. "Bloody hell, I've forgotten what I was going to say to him…" I sighed. "Well, whatever." I said, wiping my hand through my hair and taking his appearance. "I'll do what I can, you bastard." I said, walking towards the other door.

I need to go look after his friends now.

* * *

"Where are we…?" Yukari asked, everyone standing in the middle of space.

"Did Nyx create this place?" Mitsuru asked. "…Or, was it him?"

"Fuuka, what the hell just happened?" Shinji asked. "Is he alive?"

"Everything was engulfed by a bright light…" Fuuka explained. "I don't sense him."

"Don't tell me he…" Kenjamin gasped.

"No!" Junpei shouted. "That can't be! Try again! HE CAN'T BE THE ONLY ONE- You gotta be kidding me…" He gasped as Fuuka shook her head.

"Shit…" Shinji gasped. "Again…"

"We all decided to put our lives on the line…" Mitsuru said. "In fact, we came here knowing we would most likely die."

"How could I be so powerless?" Aigis asked. "This is what I was trying to prevent!"

"You're there, aren't you!?" Yukari shouted. "I know you are! I refuse to believe that you're gone! ANSWER ME!" She screamed. "I KNOW YOU CAN HEAR ME!"

"WE'RE HERE!" Aigis shouted. "PLEASE LET US HEAR YOUR VOICE!"

I see… so that's why he sent me…

"Quiet!" I shouted. "I'm trying to sleep here! Honestly, can't a guy save the universe from complete and utter destruction get some sleep!?"

Hey, no-one said that I can't be a jerk about it.

"Don't worry."

Holy crap, Death!?

"I will sleep once again." He said. "Normal days will return to this universe, for you… and for him." I gave him a look that said 'Wtf!?', and he just hushed me. "He's found the answer to life's greatest question. It just happened a bit sooner than it will for the rest of you."

"Life's greatest question…" Aigis asked. What do you get if you multiply six by seven?

"Aigis… You'll find the answer one day as well. You, too, are a precious living thing… You just need to realize how the bonds of friendship have changed you… The Dark Hour will soon vanish from this world… All will truly be relinquished from its dominion, and the legacy of life will continue. Congratulations, you have the miracle you sought. We shall meet again some day…"

"N-no…" Takaya gasped. "No, No NO **NO **_**NO!!!**_"

"It's over." Shinji growled at him. "There's nothing left for you here."

Takaya gripped his head and screamed. "THIS IS NOT HAPPENING!!" He shouted. "I WILL NOT LET THIS HAPPEN!! MORPHEUS!!"

Wait, what?

"**MEMENTO NILIAS!!**"

Bugger.

I leapt out from where I was as everyone started vanishing, the space returning to the peak of Tartarus. Everyone inside started to warp out of existence, and I roared down upon him, ready to punch his lights out.

He laughed as my fist obliterated his body, and went down all the way to the foundations of Monad, bringing the whole tower down into the rubble as the Dark Hour passed.

Leaving me all alone in the night.

* * *

I sat on a snowy bench in the cold until morning.

You know, I never really questioned my own existence. I guess I first showed up when it sunk in the night mo- Minato's mom and dad died. Since then, I've just been lurking in the back of his head. I eventually started acting like we were one and the same.

I guess we are in a way. I am him and he is me.

Heh. Well, not anymore at any rate. Remember that bit in Peter Pan when he was chasing his own shadow? That's how I feel, only I'm Pan and my shadow's some universal seal that can't ever be broken or else the world ends.

Pretty ironic since, well, you know.

* * *

"Hey! There he is!"

I looked up to see Yukari, Marina, David and Junpei running towards me. Marina kicked me in the face, and I fell back into the fountain behind me.

"Whoa!" Junpei shouted as he ran to the edge of the fountain. "Dude, you alright?"

"W-why didn't you block it?" Marina asked uncertainly.

"If he's been sitting here all night, then no wonder he couldn't block!" Yukari replied.

"And I have no idea what any of you are on about." Dave sighed. Ah, languages. Minato had problems keeping up with them.

Now I can't tell the difference. This'll be awkward.

Dave helped me out of the freezing water. "Man, I go and drop your cousin off so she can go to school with you and you've turned weak!" He laughed. "What's wrong with you?"

I punched him. He went flying into a lamppost.

"D-dude…" Junpei gasped.

"Hey, i-is he alright?" Yukari asked, but Marina was already running to give first aid.

I walked over to him, and touched him.

His Persona was gone. All of their Persona's were gone.

Probably their memories too.

I used Pixie to cast Dia subtly. Now how the hell do I have his Personae?

Probably part of the whole 'helping people mission' thing I'm on.

* * *

Dave had to head back to the airport, since he only came to drop Marina off at the dorm. She's currently staying in Akihiko's room, apparently, and transferring into Minato's class today.

Which interests me. "So, we have school today?" I asked.

"Well, you've skived the last week so you wouldn't know." Yukari sighed. "Remember a couple of weeks ago those terrorists broke into our school in the middle of the night and shot the place up?" Wait, what? "Well, they've finally fixed everything so school's back on."

"Man, couldn't they have brought some explosives or something?" Junpei groaned.

* * *

School. No one remembered anything, nor was there any trace about anything.

Takaya had even re-written any electronic records or hard evidence of the events.

It was almost like everything Minato did was all for nothing.

The closest thing I have to knowing that any of it happened at all was that the parliament building was blown up by 'Terrorists', the weapons ban had come back into effect and the police were cracking down on people still carrying arms, and people were talking about the miraculous recovery of everyone with Apathy Syndrome.

Also, Rio was all over Kenji during lunch. He was enjoying it, even though he didn't remember what we went through with Minato to save her. Yuko was getting on better with Kazushi too.

Actually… everyone was pretty happy.

They had no idea what happened last night. What Minato gave for them…

Dammit. I need to pull my head out of my arse and get to work.

* * *

First off, I need to establish what everyone remembers. Does Junpei remember Chidori? Does Yukari remember her and Minato? Does Mitsuru? Or Aigis?

Everyone seems to remember everything that had nothing to do with the Dark Hour, while everything else is just filling in the blanks.

Damn Takaya. You really screwed me over here, didn't you?

Well, I suppose that the easiest thing would be to check Minato's journal.

Hopefully, that will have changed along with everything else.

* * *

Yeah, he started this back around the time Mitsuru mentioned a time manipulation device. It was the changing unwanted events part that sold it for him, since he thought that this book would be a decent way to keep track of changes in case they happened.

Plan worked man.

Well, apparently we went to Yakushima, where we did in fact meet Aigis. Apparently she's… Ikutsuki's daughter. Ick. She would not be happy about that if she remembers.

Kenjamin moved into the dorm over the summer so he wouldn't be alone at the kiddies dorm, but we all loved him so much that we asked if he could stay with us. Much win.

We took in Koromaru, and Minato got into a fight with Shinji and talked him into returning to the dorm. Fuuka and Junpei both moved in due to problems at home, and Akihiko died the same way we told the police he did.

Mitsuru's dad died due to some illness, and Ikutsuki's still missing.

Ryoji never existed.

We went to Inaba, which was fun, and Minato took Yukari home over Christmas to meet my family. Minato's still working for Tanaka, and he slept with Mitsuru, partly from shock, after the shoot out at the office, which now was just that. A shoot out.

He went to live with his sister and granddad for a few days after the school got totalled instead of a massacre taking place, but only because he wanted to spend some time with her and he thought that it'd be the perfect chance in all the confusion.

No mention of the Dark Hour or Nyx or anything.

Nyxism was just some doomsday cult that broke apart now. There are a couple of die-hard believers who committed suicide today, according to the news, but work is going on to clean up all the posters and graffiti.

Then the door to Minato's room opened, and his cousin walked in. "Hey, you alright?" She asked. "You've been out of it all day."

I sighed and rubbed my head. "I'm fine, just a little tired." I lied. I'm not fine, and I don't think I can sleep anymore. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

She looked concerned, but nodded. "Alright then… night."

I checked the time. Damn, six months of journal entries is a lot to work through, it's already nine.

I sighed to myself. I've never felt so damn alone in my existence.

Probably because I don't even have myself beside me anymore…

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

KA SMASH!

Yeah, sorry about the short chapter, but I've been spoiling you enough lately.

And that there is a plot twist I've been saving for ages. The narrator was Minato's Shadow all along.

What, you thought I was going to turn him into a Demon?

Heraklinos, NOW you can use Minato as a filler character. By which I mean his Shadow.

Memento Nilias is latin for 'No Memory', which ties in with Takaya's Persona, Morpheus.

Now, I'm sure you all have lots of questions, most of them running along the lines of "What the hell just happened!?", And feel free to ask them otherwise they won't get answered.

New chapter could be up in a few days, I'm just kinda tired after writing my three best chapters so far in two days. Next chapter will take place on the second of February.


	104. Chapter 104

Alright then. Procrastination over.

First, just to clarify with everyone, Minato's soul became the Great Seal, and his Shadow, the narrator, is occupying his body.

Now to respond to everything else.

Slicerness, almost. Since he was Minato's Shadow, he did have some say in what Minato did. Of course, Minato kept his secrets from his Shadow too. Whenever the Narrator mentioned that Minato had a plan but didn't explain it until afterwards, that was why.

Kisdota, something is missing because the story hasn't ended yet.

Dragon's Shadow, you have made my day. And I never really expected you to guess the end from the clues, but you can testify that I did, in fact, plan this since… when did I send you those clues again? November I think…

Blaze Shadow, if they do, it'll happen in the Sequel.

I Started The Fire, it actually isn't. Chapter 103 my 23rd shortest chapter at 2,954 words.  
The second shortest chapter, chapter 35, was 1,425 words long.  
And "I'll do what I can, you bastard." does give a surprisingly warm, fuzzy feeling, doesn't it? And I'm glad that I've made someone raise the bar. Remember, I never thought I could compete with Shinji And Warhammer40k, but I think I'm actually pretty close to his level now, if only in the standard of epic, not in the preparation, length, and content of his chapters.

Greifen, I've never seen/read Eden of East, so thankfully I won't find it too narmy then.  
Dialogue and Events were done by Minato, commentary by his Shadow, which was why the narration was quite unreliable at times.

Tanith Magnus, thanks for the cookie. As for who did what, well, Minato and his Shadow are one and the same.

AthanMortis, thank you very much for the compliment.  
And the Tenth Doctor (David Tennant) was one of my favourite fictional characters of all time, so yeah, he has a pretty large influence in how my imagination has worked for the past few years.

JRS74, that's exactly what was going on. Of course, a body cannot survive long with only half a soul, if Fullmetal Alchemist is correct, and I usually judge what's realistic enough for this story by whether or not it happened in Fullmetal Alchemist.

Naru-chan, I will create the bastardish kind of epic.

Prophet Enlightening The Earth, I'm the author, not the narrator. The Narrator was Minato's Shadow who thought he was Minato.  
Minato is both dead and not dead. Kinda. He's immortal, ascended to a god-like state, but the first thing he did was chain his soul to Nyx's front door to stop anything from bringing her back. However, there is a loophole in this situation that requires Minato's Shadow, but the Shadow has yet to realise this loophole and frankly, I think I'm the only fanfic writer to consider this as a viable loophole. The next few chapters will be about Minato's Shadow figuring out what this loophole actually is, and how to exploit it.

For the record, the original version for the ending of this story was for Minato to shove Loki at the end of the world to act as the barrier, but then I realised why that wouldn't work, and I'm glad I didn't go for that ending.

Mr Thumbs Up, I was actually going to use part of The Black Parade at one point in the earlier chapters, but it'll work better if I use it later in this story.

Da Crazy Tiger, thanks. I should be recovering from my late-night-to-early-morning Code Geass spree, since I only got around to watching it last night. So now I'm sleep deprived and trying to write a story. Last time I tried that, I was almost lynched, so if this chapter sucks, blame Da Crazy Tiger everyone

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

Just as I thought. I can't sleep anymore.

And it's lonely at night. Seriously.

So I left.

Snuck out of the window and climbed up to the roof and looked over the city.

If Minato was here, he'd go for a run.

Not me. He loved running, but I was the one who always told him to stand his ground and fight.

Now I can see the appeal. Nothing to worry about, just the feeling of the chase and of being chased.

I always preferred the fight.

Speaking of which, some guy is down there with a petrol canister.

Lovers Arcana…

I think I'll say hello.

* * *

I hopped over the fence and landed on the concrete below. "Morning." I told the guy. "Bit early for arson, isn't it?"

The guy twisted around and shoved a knife at my throat. "It's your fault…" He snapped. "Yuuji… Urameshi… Katone-san and Nara… they all killed themselves because of YOU!!"

Hm? What about the mind-wipe?

"You brought that bomb in…" The guy continued. "It's your fault Nyx-sama never came!"

Ah, that's why.

"And you seriously think I'm just gonna let you burn this place down?" I asked him.

"You can't stop me…" He giggled, pressing the blade into my throat. "Not if I kill you…"

I stepped forward into the blade. It went all the way through my neck and out the back.

I didn't even bleed.

"And how do you propose you kill a monster?" I asked him. Hey, I can talk without windpipes now.

The other guy, understandably, backed off in terror and tripped, spilling gasoline all over himself as I flicked the blade out of my throat and tossed it aside. "So I can bleed…" I noted, feeling the warm liquid leak from my Adam's-apple as I touched it and healed the damage.

"M-monster…" The guy gasped as he backed off through the puddle of flammable liquid.

I raised a hand towards him, ready to click my fingers. "And don't I know it."

_CLICK_

The spark hit the fuel which erupted into flames, and he screamed as he burnt. I took pity on the poor bastard and froze the flames solid, then kicked them off him.

"Leave." I ordered him. "Clean up your life or I'll come after you, Satoshi Hiruma." I then turned around and walked back up the steps and unlocked the front door with a wave of my fingers.

Apparently I'm a Jedi now. Not bad for a figment of someone's imagination.

* * *

I tried playing guitar that night. Minato did it often to calm himself down or to help me think, but his fingers weren't working properly for me.

Actually, this whole body is deteriorating. I'd give it another thirty days until it gives out completely.

I'll probably still exist though. Just in the form I took back at the seal.

Though I suppose that's my true form. I'm just borrowing my Other's face.

Damn. This feels so wrong.

* * *

Eventually, Minato's body just passed out and I passed out of it.

It needs to sleep, but I can't.

I touched his forehead. It was warm.

Yep. The body's ill.

I shoved my hand into his chest, blue flames tickling the point where my less-than-real hand entered his body. After casting a few spells to speed up the body's recovery, I took a look around.

I'd returned to the black haired form. I suppose that my hair looks kind of like Kamina's, only not at all.

One thing's for sure. I don't look like my true self. I don't even have the mole that Death took.

Yet, I do have his scar. Then again, that scar's what created me, so of course I'll have it.

I'm corporeal too, to an extent. I can pass through things if I want to, but standard situation is that I obey physics, unless I decide otherwise.

I can turn invisible too, even though that should make it so I couldn't see, since light was passing through my eyes.

Then again, I'm a spiritual being now, so my eyes are probably just for show. Considering that I can see behind me and through walls if I want to, that's probably the case.

Hell. I can see what's going on in Inaba for crying out loud.

Actually… I think I have selective omniscience. I can only see one thing at a time, and I have to choose to see it, but other than that, I've got free control.

Mitsuru's still sleeping without any clothes on, for example.

Hey, if you had omniscience, what'd you use it for?

I sighed. Man, this is just making me feel worse.

Come to think of it, I still need to talk about Yukari about Minato cheating on her. Especially since I talked him into it.

* * *

Actually, how's Aigis dealing with all this?

I mean, machines got their data re-written about the whole thing, but how is that supposed to cover the fact that she's a robot?

I'd use Skynet to find out, but it can't read her Papillion drive. I can tell that she's recharging her batteries on her bigass chair though.

Man…

* * *

And Koromaru. I mean, he's a dog, but he had a Persona. Minato had a conversation with him at one point, once he could understand dog, so how has the whole thing affected him?

Yukari and Junpei seem to have regressed back to how they were in April, as has everyone else to an extent. I haven't really had much of a chance to find out.

No. No I've had chance to find out. I was just too busy angsting about my own problems.

And I'm supposed to be the prideful one.

Heh.

…

Damn. Is every night gonna be like this?

* * *

Yukari knocked on the door around half-six, so I rushed into Minato's body and let her in. She said that she wanted to just check on me before she headed out to Archery club, but I pulled her in and sat her down.

I told her about Mitsuru. And about Aigis.

I didn't try to ease her into it, or else I'd just beat around the bush and never get around to it. I did it there and then and got it over with so I wouldn't procrastinate.

I apologised profusely, but I didn't make any excuses. I told her that I wasn't expecting any sympathy or forgiveness. What I did was inexcusable.

It doesn't matter that Minato did the act. It was my decision too. I'm just as much to blame as he is, if not more.

The worst part was when Yukari just stood up and left. It would have made me feel better if she screamed at me or slapped me, but I knew her. She'd have done that for something less than this.

But I acted like she felt her mom did.

No, I acted worse. Her mom had an excuse.

I had nothing.

Marina poked her head through the open door. "Hey, is everything alright?" She asked, having a good reason to be concerned.

"I think we broke up." I told her.

And now this body's crying. Yeah, it hurt.

But it was the right thing to do.

Not just because it was the truth, but because now, when this body gives out, she'll get closure.

Hopefully.

* * *

I walked to school with Marina in silence. She tried to cheer me up, but I wasn't having any of it.

Yukari's fanboy dragged me into an alley and I caught Marina's flying kick before she knocked his head off.

I let him beat the shit out of Minato's body.

It made him feel better, if it did make me feel worse.

Probably because the body had healed on its own by the time we got to school.

* * *

During lunch, however, a bunch of guys from the year above came looking to knock seven bells out of me.

"Hey, he's had enough!" Marina shouted from behind me in Death's old seat as Yukari just stormed out of there. Aigis, Junpei, Kenji and Kaz all rose to my defence, since they didn't know what was going on, but I told them to back off as I went to face them alone.

I could easily kill them all with a wave of my hand. I could hospitalise them with a single punch. I could let them have their way, but everyone else would get involved and it'd turn into a riot.

So the best option is that open window over there.

I grinned, then turned and sprinted for it, then vaulted out of the window.

I let go of the wall, free-falling for a second before landing on a tree, then hopping off that and into the teachers lounge through the window.

I ignored Ekoda shouting at me for landing on his hand, then strode out of there and headed down the corridor just as the lynch mob started running into the foyer and began charging for me.

I see… it's not running.

It's a fight where you're not allowed to throw a punch.

Sounds like fun.

I ran for the fastest guy, then hopped back at the last second and side-stepped, twisting around him and running again. By the time he figured out what had happened, I was already running past the music club room.

I sprinted strait ahead, then jumped and kicked the door to the supply closet, bouncing off that to the adjacent wall, which I kicked off and began running at full pelt towards the changing rooms.

I let them begin to catch up with me, but there was only four now, so I ran towards the door to the track team changing room and then ran up the wall and back-flipped over them.

They weren't stupid enough to run right into the wall, instead hoping to block off my escape while I opened the door, so they recovered soon enough to begin chasing me again.

This time, I grabbed the banister and used my own momentum to turn me towards the stairs and run straight up them.

This is actually pretty fun! No wonder Noah prefers this to brawling.

I then ran down the corridor and bounced off the door to the student council room and landed inside my classroom.

Or at least, I should have, but Mitsuru opened the door just as my foot was supposed to hit it, so I ended up knocking her over.

We both landed in a heap as the last guy hunched over himself outside my classroom door to catch his breath as Mitsuru closed the door with her foot. "I would appreciate it if you please moved Minato." Mitsuru advised.

I hopped off her and immediately began apologising as she rose to her feet and began dusting herself off. "I've been meaning to speak to you." She added. "Apparently someone has been talking about us."

I stopped apologising and stood to full height. "I told Yukari and broke it off with her." I explained. "I doubt that she's said anything to anyone, and I certainly haven't."

She glared at me, then sat down, crossing her legs. "I see." She stated. "Then, how do you feel about us?"

"I'd honestly rather not." I told her. "Because no matter how it is, it looks like I ditched Yukari so I could bang you, and that wouldn't be right."

Mitsuru nodded. "I appreciate your concern, but regardless, my feelings for you haven't changed." She glared. "And apparently a third woman was involved?"

I sighed. "How the hell do these rumours get out?" I asked. "Actually, I suppose that guy just saw Yukari coming to school and then I let him beat me up and put two and two together."

"Would you like me to directly ask you the question?" Mitsuru asked me.

"I'd honestly prefer you didn't." I told her. "Because frankly, I just want to sort out this entire mess with as little bloodshed as possible."

Mitsuru stood up. "Thank you for your honesty." She said. "One last thing, however."

"I'll get your bike back to you after school." I told her. I'd honestly forgotten until now.

"Thank you, but that wasn't what I was going to ask." She said. "This March, after graduation, I will be forgoing attending college and taking control of my fathers company." She said. "I would like to ask for your support."

I smiled. "Thanks for the offer, but…"

"I understand." Mitsuru said, walking out the door. "I'll see you later."

She closed the door behind her, leaving me once again alone with this emptiness.

Emptiness…

I glanced at the blackboard as the bell rang for class, but I had something more important to do.

Doodle.

* * *

I made a quick diagram of the Great Seal. On one side was Nyx, who was hovering in all her eggy glory.

Then was the door with Minato chained to it.

Except they weren't chains… were they?

Barbed wire that even a human could break with a pair of pliers. For one with the power of the Universe, snapping them shouldn't even be worth mentioning.

But he's between the door and Erebus.

Erebus, in Greek Mythology, was the son of the primordial god, Chaos, and of Gaia, the earth. He was the Deep Darkness between earth and hell. He married his sister, Nyx, and that's probably important, and gave birth to several offspring, including Aether, the god of the sky, Hemera, the goddess of the day, Charon, the ferryman… the Reaper… Nemesis, the goddess of revenge, and the river Styx.

Nyx herself gave birth to several children asexually, including Hypnos and Thanatos, but that's less than important right now.

If Nyx could end all life at any given moment, why hasn't she done it already, before there were humans to fight? I mean, she talked like she was here to judge us, but until the very end it was almost a given that she'd choose to end humanity.

Actually, her way of talking changed right at the very end when I made Minato declare war. She wasn't sympathetic anymore, she was aggressive for once.

Because until that point, she'd just been doing the purpose Erebus had set her out to do. Right at the very end was a counter-attack.

She was fighting for her life at that point. That was the first time she chose to fight.

The seal wasn't to keep Nyx in… it was to keep Erebus _out_.

And Erebus is the malevolence, hate and suffering of mankind given form. If it wasn't for him, then Nyx would never leave through those doors.

A seal wouldn't be needed.

Hmph. But to destroy Erebus for good, one would have to help every single human being sort themselves out and take control of their lives. You'd have to social link every single person on this planet.

Even if that were possible, it'd take centuries, even millennia just to do the six billion people alive _at this moment_. That's not counting those that'll be born since then.

The Eternal Seal…

Minato's got all eternity to wait.

"That's my purpose…?" I asked aloud. "To sort out _every single human_?"

This is insane.

This is madness.

This is just crazy enough to work.

* * *

After wiping the board clean, I went to the roof to look over his city. He made a promise with his teammates to meet up here on graduation day, if their memories returned.

So that's my first step. Sort them out, fix this place, and when this body of his dies, I'll be free to roam the earth and sort everyone out.

I'll start in Thailand, then move my way through Africa. First step is to obliterate every single child trafficking ring on this planet. First step to healing any wound is to prevent more wounds from being inflicted to the patient.

Actually… I still have all his Personae except for the Universe. Orpheus Victorious has that skill Black God which lets me choose which direction the future will take, to an extent, and I still have Philemon, so I could hand out the power of the Wild Card to various Fools along the way. I might have to create minor demonic problems for them to take care of, maybe get a Black Jack and some Shadows to 'plot' to destroy a village so the Fool has a drive to actually do some social linking, but I'd have to be subtle and careful to stop anyone from dying while making it look real.

And there's still that issue with Izanami to deal with in Inaba. Then again, Natalie and Lucifer are stationed there to help whoever I get to go there, so I can rest easy about that one.

No, the main problem is here in Iwatodai. See, Minato's life touched a lot of people, and his death will open a lot of wounds, especially if I restore the memories of everyone in S.E.E.S. …

I'm going to have to get Igor's help on this one.

* * *

However, when I went to the alley in Paulownia Mall, the door was gone.

That's right… Igor completed his contract with Minato. He has no reason to stay and help a Shadow like me.

"You are late."

I turned around to see an old guy with white suit and a bigass beard. "Come." He said, offering me his hand. Emperor. "It is time for you to accept your true calling."

I tilted my head quizzically. "What true calling?" I asked.

"To sit upon the high pantheon as a High Demon." He stated, opening a demonic portal in the wall beside him. "Let us depart." He announced.

I walked past him. "I have no agreement with you." I told him.

He grabbed Minato's shoulder. "You signed the Armageddon Pact, on condition that you were granted the time to defeat Nyx." Zeus stated. "Thou hast done this, now take thy place."

I shrugged him off. "I signed no such agreement." I repeated. "You have me mistaken for an Other."

Zeus sighed. "Thy memories were addled, human." He stated, placing a hand on my head. "Allow me to-"

SLICE

Zeus stepped back as his hand regenerated. "I said that you have me mistaken for an Other." I repeated, picking his dismembered hand from my head and tossing it into the portal. "The one you call Minato Arisoto died on Midnight, January thirty-first, sacrificing his eternal soul to seal both Nyx and Erebus." I told him. "As I am but a remnant, you have no claim over me."

A thunderbolt formed in Zeus's hand. "This heresy shall not be forgiven, mortal." He stated. "You signed a contract, and you shall fulfil it."

I sighed. "How about a wager?" I asked him. "A duel between us, if you will."

Zeus laughed darkly. "And what of the stakes?" He demanded. "My prize is your eternal service at the Hall of the End."

That's what the demonic UN head office is. "And when you are defeated, you shall End."

Zeus laughed. "You would aspire to kill a god!?" He laughed. "Mortal, thy courage aspires to madness!"

"I chose my words carefully." I warned him. "I will not kill you, I shall _**End**_ you for your crimes against humanity."

He glared. "Humans are as cattle." He said. "What meaning has this if we Demonata do not use them as we see fit?"

I stepped through the portal. "This is the line of thought I hope to fight."

* * *

The problems don't just lie with humans. The Warp needs sorting out too.

However, I can either solve mankind's problems as a human, or demonkind's problems as a demon.

But as a Shadow, I exist as neither. So I can help both.

So now I stand in the sands of the Olympus Coliseum, facing off against Zeus, the lighting king.

I could have sworn that gladiatorial battles were a Roman idea, but since Roman mythology is heavily based on Greek Mythology with different names, these Demonata probably don't know the difference.

Anyway.

I'd left Minato's body back in the human world, but I kept his appearance even though I was in my Shadow form. Various Greek deities were standing in the stands, cheering, and the woman in the booth must be Hera, Zeus's wife.

I raised my hand before the fight began. "HERA!" I shouted. "How do you feel about the fact that your husband kept running off to knock up human women?" I asked, both interested in her opinion and wanting to put Zeus off-guard.

She scowled. "Our personal affairs are of no concern of yours, boy!" She snapped.

Man, these demons really, really underestimate Minato.

Then a guy in a winged hat flew to Hera and began delivering a rushed message. Must be Hermes.

Hera then brushed him aside. "Tell me!" She commanded. "Was it you who bested the maternal night or another?"

There was silence.

I looked up at her. "I was the one who bested Nyx." I announced. "However, it is an Other who sealed her and Erebus under his eternal rule." Yep, seems like a good codeword to use.

There were murmurs. "And this one." Hera demanded. "What is his name?"

"It is the same as a harbour of sorrow." I announced. I'm familiar in this kind of mind-game. "As for me, I am he who has no name."

"Names have power." Hera stated scornfully. "Without a name, thou hast no power."

"I have the power of he who is one with the Universe." I stated. "But I renounced my name the day I came to be."

Hera scowled. "Let him die."

Zeus reached back and threw a thunder bolt at me. I reached out a hand and grabbed it.

It burnt my hand into blue flames, but they regained the form of flesh.

These bolts are enough of a problem that I'll have to dodge them, but I can take a few before I have to worry.

Zeus laughed and created a large thunderbolt that he held out behind him like a staff, then put his forward hand out and charged at me, roaring.

I sidestepped, grabbing his arm and pulling him over my foot, sending him toppling into the dirt. "Is that it?" I asked him as the crowed booed. "You expected me to just stand there and let myself by smote down?"

I stepped back as he stood to his feet, and I took in just what I was facing.

His arms are muscular, but his legs are fatty. His white robe was loose, and revealed a rather large beer belly formed from millennia of self-indulgence. His laugh was deep and strong, his roar impressive, but his eyes showed enjoyment.

No determination. To him, he has already won. This is just a game to him. He thinks that he'll win, I'll submit, and we'll all go for a jolly good drink later.

"Bullshit." I spat. "Wake up old man."

The jeers stopped. I did not just go there.

"You think this is a game?" I asked him. "You think this is all a good laugh that'll become a good anecdote at the next wine and grape party?" I snarled.

"**DO NOT SCREW WITH ME STONE CHILD.**" I roared as lightning crashed in the sky. "**YOU MAY HAVE OUTWITTEN YOUR FATHER, BUT YOU HAVE NOT TRULY BATTLED SINCE THE TITANOMACHY.**" I plunged a foot into his belly and kicked him back while he was still shocked. "**YOU HAVE ROTTED IN LUXURY, TAKING WHAT YOU WANT FOR NO PRICE, NO CONSIDERATION FOR OTHERS. YOU OVERTHREW THE GREATEST OF THE TITANS, AND NO-ONE SINCE HAS DARED CHALLENGE YOU OUT OF FEAR OF WHAT ONCE WAS.**"

"**I AM NOT HERE TO CHALLENGE YOU ZEUS.**" I warned him, the blue flames around me growing stronger and wilder as my rage grew. "**I CAME TO BE YOUR EXECUTIONER, TO END YOU FOR YOUR GREED, YOUR WRATH, YOUR LUST, YOUR SLOTH, YOUR GLUTTONY, YOUR ENVY, AND YOUR PRIDE.**" I lifted out a hand and an axe formed. "**I AM YOUR PUNISHMENT.**"

"HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO THE KING OF OLYMPUS THAT WAY BOY!?" Zeus roared back, drawing himself to his full height and taking his robe off.

I did not need to see old man penis today.

"TAKE OFF YOUR ROBES!!" Zeus ordered. "WE SHALL FIGHT!! AS!! GODS!!"

I plunged the axe into his shoulder, tearing off the shoulder holding his thunderbolt high. "Gods?" I asked coldly as he screamed. "You're just a fat old man who's forgotten what it means to _earn_ power."

Zeus got to his feet and reformed his arm. "Me?" I asked him, juggling my axe. "I'm nobody. I'm less than nobody, I'm nothing." I glared with golden eyes at him. "I only exist to bring about the return of one much greater than I." I explained. "But even I am strong enough to destroy the Darkness."

He barked something incoherent and summoned another thunderbolt and ran it into my face. Or tried to.

I simply caught it between two fingers and rammed my kneecap into the fat bastards face.

"And you are worthless." I told him, dropping both the axe and the thunderbolt to grab him by the shoulders and wrench both arms from their sockets.

I shoved one down his throat to mute his whining, and he unsurprisingly began to choke.

Good. I grabbed Zeus's other arm and rammed it into his right socket backwards to stop the regeneration.

"ENOUGH!"

I turned to see Hera standing on her feet. "You both fought well." She said. "I decree that his life shall be spared."

What

"The fight is won!" She declared. "Blessings unto the victor!"

I sighed. "You are aware that the prize we agreed on in the event of my victory was that I get to destroy his eternal soul."

The coliseum fell silent.

"But that's beside the freaking point." I snarled. "Fought well?" I asked. "The old fart got his ass handed to him fourteen ways to Sunday for being absolutely pathetic!" I was shouting now.

"THIS WAS NOT A DUEL!!" I shouted. "THIS WAS A BEATDOWN!!"

Then a thunderbolt burst through my ribcage. "And now the king of Olympus stabs me in the back after I won the fight." I sighed, spinning around to kick him in the head, launching him flying into the wall. "And now I claim my prize: **The Destruction Of His Eternal Soul.**"

Zeus staggered to his feet as he coughed up a limb. "And how do you intend to do that?" He asked, laughing as he coughed up ichor. "No demon can destroy me forever, not with my great power."

"Well then." I replied, licking my lips. "I'll just have to take the next best thing."

Zeus brought his re grown left arm to his shoulder and dragged out the arm blocking his right socket. "And what would that be?" He asked mockingly.

"Look behind you."

Zeus laughed. "I'm not falling for that tr- AAARRRGGGHHH!!!"

He screamed because of the blackness that burst from his shadow and began ripping him to pieces. Dark arms slithered out of the inky blackness, dragging him down and down as dark teeth gnashed at him, consuming him like a pack of hyenas.

A speck of ichor hit my cheek as Zeus stopped screaming, no longer capable of such a thing. "Hm." I replied, licking the ichor as the darkness dissipated. "Delicious."

I turned from the other Olympians, who only had horror on their faces after what I just did, which essentially boiled down to eating their brother. "Stay out of my business." I warned, opening a portal back to the land of people and stepping towards it.

The blazing door was sliced in half by an armoured man with a silver blade. He was fuming. "HOW DARE YOU DESECRATE FATHER LIKE THAT!?"

I hopped back as he swung his blade. Damn… unlike Zeus, this guy knew what he was doing when it came to a scrap.

Someone to my left is climbing into the ring too. His muscles are huge, but he doesn't have a weapon. "Ares and Heracles, am I correct?" I asked, using the Hollow Arcana to create two shortswords.

I'll need them.

"Both of you, come at me at once." I told them. "It's your best chance at avenging your father. Especially for you Ares." I taunted. "Then again, I'm sure _daddy's favourite_ could do just fine against me."

Ares glanced at Heracles with rage. Oh, I'd hit the nail on the head there.

"He's just trying to get into your heads brothers." An armoured woman with a shield and spear stated, striding into the arena. Athena. "If we stand united, then we can overcome him."

"Here's a question." I asked aloud. "Now that Zeus is out of the way, who's gonna take over?" I asked. "Because I'd put Athena in charge since she knows what she's doing." I sighed. "Problem is, she's _another_ one of Zeus's illegitimate children… how many women has Zeus had his way with exactly?" I asked Hera.

"SILENCE!" She declared. "My son Ares shall rule Olympus from this day forth!"

"See, that's the problem with you demons." I sighed. "Anyone with have an ounce of sense could tell that Ares would ruin Olympus into the ground with war the second he got the wreath on his head-" CLANG "Now we're talking!" I laughed, blocking his blade with one of my own and forcing the current king back.

"EVERYONE!" I shouted as Ares got back to his feet. "I hereby decree that Pallas Athena should rule Olympus from this day!" I raised my blades into the air and they glinted in the sunlight. "TAKE UP YOUR ARMS AND FIGHT FOR YOUR QUEEN!!"

The demons were confused, they were scared, and they didn't know what to do. What they did know, however, was that someone bigger had just called them to arms to fight against an enemy.

Who was the enemy?

Anyone who disagreed with them.

Who disagrees with a Greek God?

Every other Greek God.

The result? Chaos. Panic. Disorder.

I chuckled as Pallas Athena tried to call for order, and quietly took my leave.

My work here is done.

* * *

I frankly couldn't care who was in charge over there as long as I knew how to push their buttons and they weren't against me. Other than that, I would prefer Athena to take charge since she's got her head on strait, judging from her relationship with Odysseus.

Izanagi and Odin don't need to move, however. I've no issues with them, but Zeus was just irresponsible.

Speaking of Zeus, remember what Espada said about eating demons to gain their powers? Well, eating Zeus didn't give me thunder powers.

I can turn people into stuff and back, including myself. I turned one guy into a Newt just for the hell of it.

It's okay, he got better. Still need more practice.

* * *

That night, I let the body sleep while I hung out on the roof.

You know, in the last month of his life, Minato didn't get much chance to think about the opportunities he had. I created Metis, for example, out of Hierophant and Wand. She was a somewhat mechanical girl in a skin tight black costume with bits of red armour around her. However, she was almost the polar opposite of Aigis, not just because of her red eyes and dark hair, but in her personality as well. She was somewhat clingy and complained when she thought I was going to leave her alone.

We got on rather well. Not just because I could relate to her, but also because she helped me go around this place called the Desert Of Doors. This was a huge advantage for me, because instead of treading carefully and trying to restore everyone's memories by dropping subtle hints and hoping something clicks, I can actually go through the doors into everyone's heads and try to fix the damage Takaya did.

Metis suggested that we repair all but the highest level of the memories, leaving a kind of 'time-bomb' in their memories to blast open the truth on Graduation Day.

I need to keep Minato's promise.

Then his body can die.

If it lasts that long.

Now, we _could_ restore their memories before then, but I don't want them knowing about me. If they think Minato died for them, then that's the best case scenario.

Plan B, where they don't get over Minato's death, I put the dorm in a Groundhog Day loop while Metis guides them around the Desert of Doors until they sort themselves out.

Of course, that runs the risk of them killing each other, going back in time or leaving before they find out what they'll need to know, so I'm gonna have to hang around in the background to make sure they sort themselves out properly.

…

April first. For Minato's birthday I will give him eight psychologically happy members of S.E.E.S.. That is my absolute deadline.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

Dun. Dun. DUUUUUUN.

And I like how Minato's Shadow is developing. He really is a bastard isn't he? KRP pointed out that he's acting a lot like an FMA Homunculus, especially Pride.

I like him.

Next chapter will cover multiple days, I promise. And I won't apologise for the delay. I earned my break, if you can call it that.


	105. Chapter 105

I've been rather ill lately. Yes, it's my old nemesis, Man Flu. That foul disease that grows more potent with its victims manliness.

Amazingly, I seem to be building up an immunity to it. Either that or I'm just not as manly as I once was. I hope it's the former.

Now, reviews.

Kisdota, the amazing thing is that Yukari is the only one of the three women that actually cares about the whole thing.

Dragon's Shadow, I've actually already named the Remnant. Pay attention in chapter 102.  
He didn't create Metis, he created a Persona with a startling likeness to Metis.  
Takaya got reduced to mincemeat when the Remnant (Notice I'm hoping people figure out his name) jumped out of the moon and punched through him. Bear in mind that the limits of Salvation, the only known revival technique, state that you can only revive someone with a body that's repairable. Takaya go splat. He no come back from that.  
Thanks for thinking about Chidori, I need more people to point stuff out like that.

Heraklinos, would you rather be a falling angel or a rising ape? And from what the story's explained, Demon's get firepower, humans get brains. Brains v brawn is how Batman defeated Superman.  
And there will be the sequel. You can count on the sequel.

Blaze Shadow, the Shadow's personality has been filling out since chapter 30-ish. Slowly and subtly. He's just self-aware now.

JRS74, I know of the game. I also know that you play as a god of war in it. That's all I know about the game, but apparently at the end you press circle to smash Zeus's face in repeatedly until you get bored, apparently.  
Oh, you told me that just now. Man, I need to pay more attention.  
As for me alternating between Straight and Strait, it's a very good question, and one I shall now answer honestly.  
**I HAD NO BLOODY IDEA THAT I WAS DOING THAT.**  
That is all. I have no intention on rectifying the issue either.

Mr Thumbs up, this chapter is dedicated to you and your question.

ISTF, I also wanted to make him come across as one of the P4 Shadows, albeit one with sentience and deeply respects their original self.  
As for Yukari, well, crazy stuff will happen in this month.  
The idea of Lucifer being Teddie was not my own idea, I saw it on a Wild Mass Guessing page on TV Tropes. Another theory was that Teddie was Seta's Shadow. 0_o  
But sure, go ahead and use my idea for the Warp. The term belongs to Games Workshop, and the name Demonata belongs to Darren Shann, but other than that, go for it.  
Alright, I'll bring Margaret up in a later chapter… and I had the most mind-boggling idea just there. Hey, who wants me to explore the true nature of the Velvet Room residents? I'm not sure if I've got anything in mind for Igor right now, but the Velvet siblings definitely.

Slicerness, he had his rant back in 103. Erebus interrupted it. It was hilarious if it wasn't so sad.

Athan Mortis, the fact is that the Shadow has every right to angst. He's a soulless abomination that has to wander the earth for eternity with half a psyche, helping other people solve their problems with only oblivion at the end of it as a reward.  
See Sasuke? You have **No** excuse to be so emo. And if that isn't enough to make you stop being a douche, go look at Hayate Ayasaki. Emos.  
The _Persona_ of Philemon is back in play. Since the demon Philemon already exists, albeit in a much weaker state, his Persona can be made without any ramifications.

Tigerman, wow, you do feel accomplished.

Naru-chan, I intend to go over that.

Prophet, I'll go over what happens in the _outside_ world. IE Everything until the first time-loop and after leaving the dorm.

Tanith, first, Fool Arcana's are rarities. I mean serious rarities. As in Minato was the first one to ever get a Persona in the canon. And the Shadow wouldn't actually hand out Personae to psychos now, would he?  
He'd certainly eliminate anyone who abused it.  
And that is not what's gonna happen in the sequel. Nowhere near. Hell, I've only got a vague idea of what'll happen in the sequel.  
As for the Shadow's name, he's got one. You have until the end of February story time to figure it out.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

Today marks the third day of my self-awareness, and it came with a disturbing revelation.

Mitsuru's, Yukari's and Fuuka's menstrual cycles have synched.

That really, really should have been more obvious, but Minato never really thought about it before now, and I don't blame him. I only found out while experimenting with my Omniscience and saw the… ovulating… taking… place…

I am so glad that I don't sleep. The nightmares would be horrifying.

Seriously. Its quite disturbing when you start seeing those around you as masses of flesh containing souls. When you can see under skin, you realise that beauty actually only is skin deep.

Fuuka has very nice nerves though.

…

Yeah. So glad I don't sleep anymore.

Although, Minato had nightmares. He's been having them for as long as I can remember.

At the start, it was about Death and his loved ones dying. Then they stopped for a while, but they started up again once he started killing.

They've been getting worse and worse over this last year. He loved the nights where he got called into Arisojack to do some teaching or some politics. The guilt didn't chase him there.

The only nightmare of his I can actually remember in detail was the one he had the night Fuuka agreed to join S.E.E.S.. That nightmare was just hilarious.

Unlike that one time, however, the rest are a blur of blood and guilt. He felt so damn good when he suffered to revive those people on Saturday, since he was both suffering for their deaths and bringing them back.

…

Well, that's all in the past right now. Time to focus on the present.

* * *

Marina seems to have made it her personal goal to try and patch things up between Yukari and Minato, because she led the otherwise silent conversation between us on the way to school that day.

No, scratch that. Yukari and Marina were getting on quite well. I'm the one who isn't making an effort here.

…

Man, how am I supposed to talk to people if I won't even talk to 'my' ex?

I joined in the conversation. We were chatting pretty happily by the time we got to school.

* * *

"Hey, Arisoto-kun!" Naoki shouted from the door during lunch. "Can we talk on the roof?"

Immediately there was a unified call of "Whoooo!", because apparently I'm gay now.

* * *

Naoki immediately slammed me against the railings. "**What. Are. You?**"

I grabbed his arm and launched myself over him. "You remember?" I asked him.

"Remember what?" He asked. "That one of my schoolmates has been replaced with something that cannot exist?" He snarled. "So I'll repeat the question; **What Are You?**"

I raised an eyebrow. "So you don't remember Nyx?" I asked him.

"What does the mother of the night have to do with you?" He asked.

"The battle we fought on Sunday?" I asked. "The mind-wipe afterwards?"

"Are you suggesting that I forgot something?" He asked me angrily.

"I'm saying that everyone did." I corrected. "I only remember because I'm not human."

"**Neither Am I.**" Naoki pointed out, lengthening his fangs and letting the seal extend over his face.

"I'm less human." I told him. "I am a Shadow, the formation of all the negative, repressed feelings of His psyche." I told him. "Last night, Minato gained the power of the Universe."

"Liar."

I glanced up at Naoki. "That kind of strength is impossible for a human to obtain." He explained. "Even the Old Ones have been trying to gain that power for millennia."

"Minato did it in one year." I told him. "He was that awesome."

"Minato was just a human." Naoki replied. "He couldn't have done it."

So that's what was wiped. They remember demonic related stuff, just nothing related to Minato's demonic party.

"Alright then." I said. "Why did you decide to come to this school?"

"Because I felt like it." Naoki glared.

"Not because you met a young kid with the demonic seal talking to his imaginary friend at KFC?"

His jaw opened, then closed. Then he looked to the right, then back at me. Then he grabbed his chin and tapped his foot, then he lifted a finger with a proud face, before grabbing his chin again and looking thoughtful.

"Memory screwage is viable." He eventually admitted. "But that doesn't explain you."

"Kicked out of his soul to fix mankind's emo so there's no need for him to block Erebus from Nyx?" I suggested.

"Also feasible." Naoki said, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Now what's all this jibber-jabber I hear about you eating Zeus?"

"He was delicious."

"That'll be all then." Naoki replied before turning off to the stairs. "Later."

* * *

After school, I saw Marina heading out for dinner with Kenjamin, but he stopped her as I passed. "Hey, Sensei!"

I turned around. Did Kenjamin just call Minato Sensei?

"We okay for another lesson tomorrow?" He asked hopefully.

Apparently fake Minato's been teaching Kenjamin the skills. "Sure." I told him, before heading back to the dorm. "Later."

* * *

Next day was Risshun, the beginning of spring. School was a half day, so I spent the afternoon training Kenjamin.

After making him summarise what 'I've' taught him before, I got him to work on reading people. We spent some time just sitting at Iwatodai station with some octopus balls breaking into the minds of passers-by, while I marked Kenjamin for accuracy.

However, once we got back to the dorm, we saw a disturbing sight.

Junpei was studying.

* * *

Apparently, exams start that Monday, and they're the finals; the actual exams that matter.

Which is ironic because this body is gonna crap out before then.

* * *

You know what else is ironic?

Dead brains give you information faster and more accurately.

Or maybe it's just because I'm a Shadow.

Either way, not much is happening about my revision.

* * *

I got a phone call the next day, Friday the fifth, which was disturbing since I no longer have a phone to call.

I answered it with a banana. "Hello?" I asked the fruit.

_\_ "I would like to speak to you at Chaghall café." _\_ Elizabeth pointed out. _\_ "Is this location acceptable?" _\_

"Yes." I nodded, still holding the banana to my ear.

_\_ "Also, please leave his body at the dorm." _\_ What. _\_ "I would like to speak to you face to face." _\_

Elizabeth hung up.

You know what Minato never noticed? Chaghall is pronounced oddly similar to 'shag all'.

Hm…

* * *

I ate the banana. It was delicious. The banana-like texture really brought out the taste of banana.

* * *

Elizabeth was indeed there, wearing a deep blue jacket over a beige blouse, underneath a blue hat, drinking tea like the queen. She waved me over, and I sat opposite her.

"The subject of which I desire to speak to you about is the fate of our mutual friend." Elizabeth said, sipping from her tea as I ordered the same. "It seems incredibly cruel to let such a good person suffer such an unforgiving fate."

"I've come up with a plan to bust him out." I told her. "It involves social linking every single person on the planet."

"My… you don't mean you intend to do this by yourself?"

"I intend to leave some work to any Fools I come across." I admitted as my tea arrived. Damn that tea was fast.

"Of course, I would be glad to offer you my services as well." She told me, taking another sip from your drink.

Really? "What about the Velvet Room?" I asked her.

"My elder sister has expressed a desire to return to my master's side." Elizabeth told me as I drank some tea. "Although, my younger sibling still harbours a desire to serve my master within the Velvet Room."

I leaned forward on the table. "But, why were you working in there in the first place?" I asked her.

Elizabeth looked down in shame. "We in the Velvet Room… were once Shadows like yourself."

What

"No, that is incorrect." Elizabeth added, shaking her head. "It would be more correct to say that we desire to become Shadows like yourself."

"Wait, make your mind up." I told her, setting the tea down in case I threw it over someone.

"Very well." She nodded. "We in the Velvet Room are destined to seek our 'Answer to Life'." She said. "You were born from one who had found this answer, so you have already made much more progress along this road than I." Elizabeth smiled. "My wish is to find my own answer, and I intend to do that by returning the favour your master gave unto me."

I nodded. "So you wish to wander the earth, helping others annihilate themselves of the likes of us?" I asked her.

"Indeed." She nodded. "Only then can I truly be My Self."

Self…

"Wait, so you're saying that I can become my own person?" I asked her. "Not a Shadow, but a separate entity on my own?"

"You can use Personae, can you not?" She asked in return. "An ordinary Shadow would not be capable of performing such a thing."

I looked down at myself. "I… suppose you're right." I replied. "Thank you, Elizabeth." I told her. "You've been a huge help to me, and it's been an absolute pleasure having you as my ally."

"The pleasure is mine." Elizabeth flirted, raising her teacup. "Here's to more pleasurable times together for the both of us."

Clink

"So, are you coming onto me?" I asked her after downing my tea.

Elizabeth giggled. "My my, you'll need more delicacy when talking to a woman if that's your intention."

I chuckled, then stood to my feet. "I'll see you later, Elizabeth." I told her. "Bye for now."

She waved me off with a smile. Maybe this won't be so bad after all.

* * *

Of course, that gave me the rest of the day off. I could take Minato into school and get into trouble.

Or I could go talk to his parents.

I decided on the latter, not having the gall to wear his skin to his parent's grave.

That'd just be rude.

* * *

I must've been there a while, because eventually Yukari turned up and sat in front of a nearby grave.

Her fathers.

She glared, at me, then apologised. Apparently she mistook me for somebody else.

Time to use this to my advantage.

I walked over to her and sat next to her. "You know, a friend of mine died recently." I told her. "This guy… he was practically a brother to me." I lowered my head between my knees. "But… now I need to tell his dead parents…"

"They'll know, won't they?" Yukari asked with a smile. "I mean, your friend will be in heaven with them right now, won't he?"

Yeah. This isn't really the kind of thing you can ask advice from, is it?

"What happened to him?" Yukari asked.

Quick man. Lie.

"Iraq." I lied, saying the first thing that came to my mind. I'm taller than her now, so I probably come across as twenty-something. "His mom and dad are buried over here, but his older sister moved to Scotland with him about ten years ago." Man, lying like this is too easy for my comfort. "We signed up into the army around the same time and were in the same unit. Bomb squad." I added, now that she was into my story. "Never knew Hiroto before the army, but he was a good mate." I quickly created a dog tag and held it up.

Hiroto Shodou. After the Shodou family grave that was next to the Arisoto one. "Taking out a roadside bomb when a damn Pakistani shot him in the back."

Apologies to any mind-readers in the vicinity, but this sob-story is creating itself, I can't stop it. "Then the bomb went off, shredding the best mate I ever had." I said, letting out the waterworks and clenching the dog-tag. "Bastard even taught me Japanese… and now he's dead…" I started sobbing and Yukari put an uncomfortable arm around my back to comfort me.

Damn, manipulating people like this makes me feel like dirt, but I've got a lot of time to get used to it.

"Sorry…" I said, wiping my eyes and brushing Yukari off me. "But… I don't even know how to pay my damned respects…" I told her. "Dammit…"

"Hey, it's… okay…" Yeah, she was uncomfortable.

This whole thing was a bad idea, but too late to back out now.

* * *

She ended up just helping me light some incense and saying a few prayers. I left the dog-tag somewhere inconspicuous there, so the family probably won't notice it for a while.

Anyway, I must've dome something right, because Yukari was somewhat less hostile to Minato that evening.

* * *

Then came Saturday, and we had all our teachers pressuring us to do well in the final exams on Monday. Kihei challenged Minato to a final duel of minds, so I humoured him and went with it.

Marina got into a panic about being able to read the questions, so I went to the head teacher and pulled some strings, arranging for an English translation for her just this once, since she was disadvantaged as it was with coming into the school so late in the year.

She actually had no justifiable reason for staying other than she wanted to be closer to her cousin. However, the same could also be said about the Ward family.

And I am getting some suspicious looks from Minato's classmates. I wonder why?

* * *

"Damn Minato…" Kenji told me after school. "Not only did you have Yukari-san, but Marina-chan too?"

I tilted my head. "What does Marina have to do with anything?" I asked him.

"Just look at her man!" He pointed at her as she chatted with Yukari and Fuuka with some other girls about various girl things. "She's an absolute babe!"

"…She also happens to by my cousin." I reminded him.

"Yeah! You're in there already you lucky bastard!" He growled.

"I have no idea what you're on about and don't you have Rio?" I asked him.

"That doesn't stop me from admiring god's creations." Kenji countered. And yes, it does. "Come on man, you've broken up with Yukari-san, so go for that hottie!"

"Dude." I told him with disgust. "She's my cousin."

"So what's the problem!?"

"The problem is that she's my cousin." I repeated. "Incest is incest."

"Incest?" Kenji asked. "Dude, she's not your sister."

"Cousin is hardly any better." I replied.

"They are completely different!" Kenji shouted.

…

"I think we may be having a culture clash here, but in England, doing it with your cousin is still incest." I pointed out.

…

"Man, England sucks." Kenji sighed, before picking up the pace. "Come on, you're paying today."

I sighed. "Don't you have studying to do?" I asked him, jogging to catch up.

"Eh, Rio's gonna be up my ass all night as it is." Kenji sighed.

"You know, most men would consider that a good thing."

"You know what I mean." Kenji snapped. "She's all like, 'I need to think about my future', and 'I need to take more responsibility'!" He groaned. "Honestly, it just doesn't stop…"

"Look on the bright side." I shrugged. "Now you have someone to spend spring break with after the exams."

Kenji grinned lecherously. "Yeah, that'll be good…"

I laughed. "Prodigy Platter or Triple Dan Noodles?" I asked him.

He looked at me. "Dude, Hagakure only goes up to two Dan." He said.

I flashed him the Gourmet licence. "Not if you're me." I told him.

* * *

I organised a study-group between me, Aigis, Fuuka, Junpei, Marina and Yukari the next day. As expected, Fuuka and I were at the top of the group, Aigis and Yukari in the middle, leaving Marina and Junpei as our resident idiots.

Oh, Marina isn't stupid, not by a long shot. She just sucks with Kanji.

Mental image of that lad from Inaba, and I am freaked out.

* * *

I spent that night prowling the town. One week had passed since that battle, and the world was slowly improving.

All the Nyx logos and posters had been taken down and scrubbed clean, and the weapon laws were getting back under control.

That said, people are still shooting up heroin down by the train station. Hell, that guy is so off his head, he's dressed like a Norse war god.

Oh wait.

That is a Norse war god.

Whoops?

"Hey Odin." I said, waving at him confidently.

Odin sat down on a fence near me and clicked his fingers. All the people around us got up and stumbled away.

"Nice trick." I told him, sitting on an oil drum. "Can you teach me?"

"Why did you consume Zeus?" Odin asked, glaring at me with his one remaining eye.

You know, this Odin has much more beard and trouser than my Persona does.

"He deserved destruction." I told him. "For crimes against humanity including rape, murder, rape, theft, rape, conspiracy to commit treason, rape, and did I mention the rape?"

"And what position are you to judge?" Odin asked me.

"A fair one." I told him. "Since I'm neither demon nor human."

"Yet you favour the humans." Odin stated.

"I favour the ones who aren't absolute bastards in need of a knife in the face." I told him. "I intend to sort out both worlds."

"And what of the pact?" Odin asked.

"Minato can sort that out." I told him. "I'm not Minato."

He nodded. "Of course." He said. "Your name is written in the halls of the universe forever."

I glanced at him. "Isn't that Minato's name?" I asked him.

Odin shook his head. "Minato chose no demonic name." He said. "He did, however, name you with his last breath."

Wow, that makes me feel so special.

Pfft. Yeah. Right. "You're talking bullshit Odin." I told him.

"I can assure you that I am not." Odin replied. "However, I wish you to know that we in Asgard have no intention of war against your people."

"The humans or the Jakkai?" I asked him.

"Both, but the Jakkai are not your people, are they?" Odin asked.

I smiled. "No, they're not, are they?" I replied.

* * *

Odin was right about my name, however. A quick trip to the dark side of the moon proved that.

It's a fitting name. Explains just who and what I am with a single word.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

And if that isn't clue enough, I'll say it outright next chapter.

Again, sorry for the delay, I've been rather unwell this weekend. Spent it watching Code Geass and Azumanga Daioh.

Ah well. Later.


	106. Chapter 106

Hey everyone.

Man, this story is rapidly approaching its end, isn't it?

It's been an absolute blast, but I can't see this story reaching 110 chapters.

However, RWC is going to up the pace of sending me the scripts for Time Paradox, so I'll be able to focus on those and a bunch of P4 stories, and I intend to get the first chapter of the sequel uploaded very shortly after the final chapter of this story, so make sure to go over to that one and add it to your favourites/alerts, so you'll know when I come back.

I won't be leaving until June/July-ish, so hopefully we can reach the end of disk one in Time Paradox before I leave.

Well, enough of that for now. Review time.

First off, the Shadow's official name shall be made official and explained in this chapter, which should cover the events up until March.

ISTF, it's amazing what comes to mind when you follow Igor's advice and dig beneath what you thought was the truth, then take Margaret's advice of compiling data and reaching a solution.

Derek Barona, I watched the sub of Code Geass, so I don't have that problem. And of course the Shadow has problems, he's a Shadow, the embodiment of problems.

Kisdota, once again you scare me.  
There's only the human world and the Warp in my fic, but I suppose that The Abyss, The Velvet World, and the Outer world also deserve mentions. Heaven and Hell are more like continents in the Warp, along with Valhalla, Asgard, Olympus and so on. Bear in mind that Demon Heaven isn't the same as the actual heaven, ones just named after the other.  
And I suppose the Shadow could transform into something non-human if he wanted to. I don't intend to do that though.

Dragon's Shadow, thanks for reminding me about Elizabeth. I shall now lie and say that I plan for Edward / Theodore to take her role in the Answer.  
And the story shall end with an epic bang.

Aoirann, I'd say that the Shadow was slowly gaining It.

AthanMortis, I'm not sure, maybe.

Feith, that is his name, but the wrong etymology.

Tigger, you're only the 997th...

And now an announcement, but it may not matter in the long run, but I'll be at a church youth convention for Friday, Saturday and Sunday, so I won't be able to write until Monday, but then again, I update faster than 95% of the authors on this site so I deserve this break, especially if I manage to churn out chapter 107 before then.

And thanks for the concern, I'm mostly better now.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

Once again, exams were something to endure, but it wasn't so bad since we had Thursday off because of the National Foundation Day, followed by the last day of exams and then pseudo Valentine's Day.

I say pseudo, because Valentines Day is on a Sunday this year, so girls are planning to give out chocolates on the Saturday before.

I'm supposed to give white chocolate in return on Saturday the thirteenth, but this body will be buried by then.

Anyway, enough about the future. Everyone in the dorm are revising for the maths, literature and witchcraft lessons tomorrow, but I took a walk with Koromaru instead.

I can't talk to him anymore, but it's still nice to have him around.

Then he barked and set off running down a different road from his usual route, so I followed him.

Then I saw the smoke.

Crap.

* * *

When we got there, the firemen had already roped the area off, and were hosing the building down.

There were still people trapped inside.

There weren't any firemen in the building.

I ran to a fireman. "HEY!" I shouted. "There's still people in there!"

"It's too unsafe!" He shouted back, keeping me at bay. "The structural integrity of the building is too dangerous to get in there."

"Mommy!" A little girl shouted.

I looked inside the fourth floor. A woman was shielding a young boy from the flames.

Screw this.

I leapt the barricade and pushed the fireman aside. "HEY WAIT!" He shouted, but I ignored him and headed for the front door.

* * *

The fireman was right about the building being unsafe. I had to smash a falling beam with my fist shortly after entering.

And the stairs were completely gone.

Normally, I could just freeze the flames, but not only do I have to hide demonic power from the world, but Minato Arisoto is limiting my power, the bastard.

Yep. He's only giving me what I need for the task at hand.

Great.

I spat on my hands and rubbed the liquid into my palms, then ran for the stairs and jumped, rebounding off the wall and grabbing the burning metal banister railings of the next floor up. It burnt like hell, but I clambered over the side and put my foot through the floor.

I recovered, then ran for the next flight of stairs. They were in a narrow corridor, so I was able to tic-tac across the walls for a bit until the inside wall broke down, so I was forced to run up the crumbling stairs through the flames.

* * *

I reached the mother and child. "It's alright!" I shouted, taking off Minato's jacket and wrapping it around them. The boy had already passed out from the fumes and the mother wasn't far behind. "I'm gonna get you out of here, okay?" I asked, scooping them up in my arms and looking for an exit.

"Thank… you…"

_Break down the walls in your _was_ and tear a new path for yourself._

_Make your own destiny, leave nothing to fate._

"If this world exists to bring me down, then with eternity on my back I will bring this world down." I smiled.

Let's take His words literally.

I turned around so my shoulder and back was facing the wall, and I charged right at the brick.

I broke through.

* * *

I rolled onto the roof of an opposite building, taking the brunt of the force onto my back and letting go of the two people I just rescued. I got to my feet and popped my shoulder back in, then ran over to the kid and checked him over.

Heart's still beating, but not breathing.

I quickly gave him mouth-to-mouth and he spluttered and coughed up some carbon monoxide, then wiped his mouth as I went to check on his mom.

She didn't need any first aid, but she still wasn't in a good way.

"WE NEED SOME MEDICAL ASSISTANCE UP HERE!!" I shouted, waving for the paramedics. Once they saw us and ran for the fire escape of this building, I looked back at the building.

There's still a man and a woman trapped on the top floor.

I didn't bother healing, saving my spiritual power for when I needed it and ran towards the building and jumped through the second-story window.

Minato's body could take a beating.

* * *

I cheated a bit getting to the top of the building, but time was of the essence.

But I wasn't prepared for what came next.

The man was standing amidst the flames and holding a Shortsword to the woman's neck, and I knew that look anywhere.

Desperation.

More specifically, the kind of desperation someone gets when they're offered release from a cruel fate and they'll do anything to save themselves.

The woman's unconscious, so now to deal with the psycho. Hanged Man.

"Alright, calm down mate." I told him, approaching them slowly. "Don't do anything COUGH COUGH!!" Damn, I forgot that this body can't breath smoke… "Just don't hurt her, alright?" I asked him.

The guy threw her into the flames. Powerfully.

Then he charged at me with his sword.

I dodged his wild attack and kicked him in the back as he passed me, then turned and ran for the woman.

Then a fireball hit me in the back.

I turned to see the guy with an arm of molten steel. "You… can't… leave…" He said with a broken smile. "I can't… go back there…"

"Go back where?" I asked him, backing through the fire so I could get to the girl.

"I won't live like that again…" He said, following me. "Not with that eagle… Not if I kill you…" He slashed the air. "Everything will be fine if I just kill you…"

Then logic gave me an answer. "Ares sent you to kill me, didn't he Prometheus?" I asked him.

"Heheh… they said you were smart…" He said. "But if I kill you… then I'll be released…"

I dodged his swing and ran for the woman. Saving her is my priority here.

She was blocked off by a wall of flame. "You can't… fight me and… protect her…" He laughed. "You'll die if you do both…"

"What happened to you Prometheus?" I asked him. "You used to love the humans."

"Love them?" He asked. "I just wanted to piss Zeus off! And look what happened!" He shouted. "Six thousand years!! THAT'S HOW LONG I HAVE HAD TO ENDURE MY PUNISHMENT FOR GIVING HUMANS A HOT MEAL!! DON'T RUN FROM ME!!"

I'd already grabbed the woman by this point and was running for the window, but Prometheus grabbed me just as I jumped. I left Minato's body and was pulled back as the body curled up and rolled along the opposite building instinctively.

Now to focus on big guy. You know, for all the infinite power Minato has, he's still only giving me just enough to take this guy on.

So a weakling like him is still a challenge.

My true self is a prick. He never rationed his spiritual energy when _he_ was using it.

Well, I suppose that's just there to stop me from forcing people to change. That's fine.

I'll play his game.

Hell, I'll even beat him at it too.

I'll kick this guy's ass without using any magic.

I rolled through the flames to dodge his next attack. "Man, you're pathetic." I taunted. "What's wrong Promo? Got no _liver_?"

Yep. Good old fisticuffs and psychological cheating is the way to go.

"RRAARRGHH!!"

And it's working.

I dodged Prometheus's lunge and carried his arm, throwing him into the brick wall. It didn't do much damage, but it pissed him off.

Yeah, it's actually gonna be impossible to take this guy down without using any magic _at all_.

But I'm gonna use a hell of a lot less than Minato would.

"Come on bird brain." I laughed, descending to that level as he launched some more fireballs for me to dodge.

Man, not having lungs is a huge advantage. Organs just get in the way.

I rammed my fist into his gut and his wound burst open. "Thanks for giving us fire at the beginning." I whispered into his ear as his brain processed the pain. "But we're doing fine without you now."

I kneed him in the solar-plexus before he realised that he'd been through worse, then took his sword from his loose grip and stabbed it into his thigh, ripping it up through his torso and out through his shoulder.

He screamed in pain, then tackled me. The blade flew off into the corner, but I rolled over in the flames and got the advantageous position.

Then he rammed his fingers into my eyes. "AARRGGHH!!" I screamed, letting go of his leg and pulling his arm away from my face.

I could still see, but he rolled over and booted me in the neck and got to his feet. He grabbed a lump of burning timber, and I realised that Minato's _body_ has the Omnipotent Orb, and that's not even working properly anymore.

It most likely left with his soul, but the important thing is to dodge the large piece of wood rushing for my face.

I sat up, smashing the heavy weapon with my face, and winced as splinters cut my flesh. That shouldn't have happened really, but I guess that I'm just getting more corporeal, like Elizabeth.

Unfortunately, Prometheus then kicked me in the back of the head, but I rolled with it and got to my feet and charged for him as the wound on his stomach healed.

His other wounds weren't, so that's good news.

I feinted a punch below, which he blocked, only for me to deck him in the jaw, knocking him backwards. I pushed my advantage, smacking him again, and again, then getting close enough to ram an elbow into his temple and knocking him down.

I kneed him in the face and gouged out his eyes, except when I did it, I left only sockets.

I don't do half jobs.

As he screamed, I kicked him in the face again and scanned the room for the sword.

It had evaporated.

Well, plan B.

I kicked him in the face and stamped on his throat, summoning a Bolter and shoving it into his face. "This'll do." I grinned. "This'll do just nicely."

**DAKKA**

* * *

Once I obliterated his body with a Megido, I ran for the broken window and looked for Minato's body.

Those Paramedics are about to announce a Time Of Death.

I warped into his body and coughed up smoke, and I was declared Not Dead, but still got rushed to hospital.

Minato's body won't respond to me other than coughing and making the organs function, and it's got a few broken bones, but I can't leave it or they'll declare it dead again.

Great.

* * *

Everyone from S.E.E.S. rushed to the hospital shortly after I was admitted, except for Koromaru who'd apparently found his way back to the dorm and started barking at everyone until they got the call from the hospital.

The doctor said that Minato was in a coma, but I wasn't having any of that.

I slipped out of the body for a split second and cast a Recarm on the body and slipped back in as everyone panicked for a second, but were relieved when Minato sat upright. That relief turned to concern once I started pulling wires out of me, because apparently I need them to live.

"So why do I need a Catheter up my dick?" I asked angrily, pulling said tube out. "Gargh, motherfragger…"

"Arisoto-kun, please, you're not well…"

The doctor's protests trailed into silence as I jumped to my feet on apparently broken legs. "Where's my trousers?" I asked, feeling somewhat uncomfortable about the breeze around Minato's backside.

"Um, here…" The doctor said, opening the drawer by my bed.

"Thanks." I said, accepting the clothes. "Do you mind?" I asked everyone.

* * *

Once I had some privacy, I did an experiment.

My Shadow body is still wearing a shirt and tie, while Minato's body is in hospital robes. I can, however, swap my clothes with those from the armoury, or just transform them altogether with the Hollow Arcana.

Well, science over. I got back into Minato's body and got dressed, then walked out of there.

Unfortunately, I was stopped.

* * *

Regardless of how I personally felt, the doctor demanded that I stayed the night to recover, despite the fact that I'd already solved all those problems with a Diarama.

However, Mitsuru decided that I should stay the night and recover for tomorrows exams, and you can't exactly argue with her.

Or at least, Minato can't. She owns where Minato lives.

Lived.

…

Damn…

* * *

I wandered around the hospital that night while Minato slept. That's the only time when the body works on its own without my presence.

Speaking of which, guess who I met but my old friend Louis?

"Aren't you a stuffed animal inside the TV?" I asked him as I drank my machine-brewed hot-chocolate.

"Teddie acts as an offshoot of myself." He explained. "Much as you are an offshoot of Minato."

I glanced at him as he sipped from an expensive teacup. "Yes, just as you are Minato's, Teddie is Lucifer's…" He told me. "But I believed that the name 'Teddie' would be less threatening than the name Lucifers."

"You know my name too?" I asked him. "Of course you do."

"Most of the high demons know your name." Louis replied. "It was somewhat hard to miss."

I laughed bitterly. "So everyone knows I'm Minatos then." I commented.

"The name has a most unusual etymology, for a demons name." Lucifer commented. "For example, The name Lucifer means 'Light Bringer', while Satan means 'Adversary'." He smiled. "While many humans associate these two names as one and the same, both have very different meanings and serve very different purposes, do they not?"

"Minato." Louis continued. "Many would associate this with the Japanese name, meaning 'Harbour', but the word also has origins in Italian."

I glanced at him. "Seriously?" I asked him.

He nodded. "Minato, the past principle of Minare, meaning 'To Mine'."

"As in dig?" I asked.

"As in to shift through the dirt of this world, to break through obstacles in your path, create a path through the darkness and to lay supports for those who follow." He smiled. "Of course, the Japanese spelling of Minato can also be read as 'To gather, or come together'."

"That's him all over." I joked.

Louis smiled. "His mother was adamant on him receiving that name, as I recall." He commented. "Rather odd for a linguist not brought up in Japan."

My eyes almost popped there and then.

Minato became the kind of person his parents wanted him to.

Someone who creates a path, regardless of obstacles or what he must sacrifice, thinking only of those that follow.

"And you are his." Louis added with a chuckle. "You are Minatos."

"And Minato created the path." I nodded. "I'm just here to lead people through it."

Louis stood to his feet. "I trust you will lead demonkind along this path alongside humanity." He said, turning to walk away.

Heh. "I'll see what I can do." I told him, draining my cup as he walked away.

Blegh. That gunk right at the bottom is bitter as hell.

Heh. Bitter cup. Symbolism is hilarious.

* * *

Next day was filled with exams, which I was admittedly late for but the circumstances were mitigating.

Saving people from burning buildings earns you many points of the brown variety.

Of course, afterwards, I got dragged along with Marina, Yukari and Junpei to go do some celebratory karaoke.

Apparently Fuuka and Aigis aren't invited…

* * *

Next day at school and I was quickly buried under chocolate. Lots of it.

"Dude, share!" Junpei begged me during lunch.

Then the P/A rang.

_\_ _"Please could Minato Arisoto come to the teachers lounge immediately._" _\_

"Knock yourself out." I sighed, handing him a box and walking out the room.

* * *

Apparently Marina's in trouble for fighting.

I say apparently because that's what Ekoda, the eyewitness, reported.

Normally, I would contest this, but five girls are being treated in the nurses office for injuries escalating to broken bones.

As far as I can gather, Shinji, being Shinji, had been rejecting chocolate from his various admirers all day, much to their misery. Marina, for a laugh, gave some chocolate to Shinji, who accepted. Fangirls, who had recently recovered from the loss of their previous eyecandy Akihiko, cornered Marina in the bathroom for vengeance, but failed to account for the fact that Marina fights like Jason Bourne.

Ruthlessly and effectively.

Hence their broken bones.

Personally, I find the whole thing hilarious.

"Mr Ekoda, what were you doing in the girls bathroom in the first place?" I asked curiously.

"Investigating the screams of pain." He countered.

"You've improved." I nodded, offering a handshake. "Let's match wits another time."

* * *

When I got back to the dorm, I found an anonymous box of chocolates in my room. A quick omniscience sweep proved Yukari to be the most likely culprit, since she happens to be stressing in her room about 'That bastard', and why the hell she gave him chocolate.

Said chocolate was delicious.

* * *

Not much else happened over the next week. I scored on the tests as Minato was expected to, meaning I got a hundred and thirty percent on the Literature test.

Ekoda's got an excuse for not having properly prepared an exam though, since he spent a week dead and everything.

Well, a week in bed with flu now, thanks to Takaya.

Surprisingly, a love triangle of sorts appears to be forming between Marina, Shinji and Kenjamin. Kid knows how to pick his women, since she doesn't really act psycho around him, but my money's on Shinji due to the age difference.

In fact, it wasn't until Monday the twenty-second that anything of significance actually happened.

Minato had a heart attack.

Well, not really, but kinda.

Accurately, his body began to reject me. Of course, that put the body under cardiac arrest, which was not a good thing.

Thankfully, I recovered quickly enough for Junpei to think I just tripped, so he kept going on about this goth girl he met at the hospital when he came to visit me after the fire…

He's started seeing Chidori again. Of course he's started seeing Chidori again. I need to start paying more attention to people around me.

* * *

In fact, a lot of things happened in that week that I should have been paying attention to.

Mitsuru announced that the dorm's closing down in April, but she's arranging for us all to get transferred into student dormitories in the new term. She also said that the Kirijo group would be paying their board for them, but I didn't care about that.

The fact that I was the only one who cared was what was disturbing.

Kenjamin would be moving to some Middle School dorms, since he'd be graduating to Junior High in the new year now that he's twelve. Junpei and Minato, if he wasn't going to be too busy being dead, would be going to the male student dorms, or Junpei just going home on his own.

Hell, Fuuka will probably return to her own home, Shinji's leaving school, and Mitsuru's going to work at the Kirijo head office. Yukari will most likely go to the female dormitories, where she lived before joining S.E.E.S., along with Aigis…

No. Aigis will return to the lab in Yakushima.

Either Shinji or Junpei will take in Koromaru, so that's a small blessing, but other than that, S.E.E.S. will get completely demolished.

They won't even remember how close we are…

Marina said that she'd like to stay at the school, so she'll either move to the dorms with Yukari, assuming that Minato's still alive, or go home after his death becomes official.

Dammit… this is not an option.

* * *

But what can I do?

What is there to do?

I can't just go up and tell them what they've forgotten, that'll just make things worse, but I can't just create a Persona to restore their memories.

Well, yeah, I could, if Minato would give me the spiritual power needed for something that good.

Dammit… the bastard's testing me to see if I can do this or not…

Tch. Fine. I'll show you what this bloody possession of Minatos can do you stony bastard.

* * *

"So how's it going with that girl from the hospital?" I asked Junpei on the way to school the next day. I'd never really paid attention to his ramblings before, but I'm gonna have to take in every word if I'm going to jog his memory.

Yep, that's the plan. Jog their memory. Hope it works.

"Who, Chidorita?" He asked with a grin. "Dude, she is awesome!" He declared. "I mean, she's kinda cold, but you can tell she wants me man…"

And now he's rambling again.

DAMMIT MAN PAY ATTENTION!!

Or I could do what I decided to do. "So, what's she in hospital for?" I asked him.

"I…" His happy face degenerated into confusion. "I can't remember…"

"You should ask her next time." I suggested.

"No, it's not that, it's just…" Junpei's eyebrows furrowed. "I feel like I _do_ know already, but why..?"

Ah-HA!

Change of plan. No more jogging the memories, now we get them to question the gaps in their fake memories and let them work it out themselves.

Speaking of which… Aigis…

* * *

I snuck home from school early and broke into Aigis's room.

Hey, she smashed Minato's door down several times, so she has no right to complain.

Either way, I sat on a crate of bullets and waited for her to turn up.

* * *

When she did, she was surprised, and concerned.

"Hello Aigis." I told her while fiddling with a bullet. "Rather odd decorations for a high-school girl, don't you think?" I asked her.

"Wh-what are you…" She pointed her fingers at me and they opened to show the muzzles. "You must leave at once."

I smiled and put the bullet down, getting to my feet. "Really." I asked her. "And how do you intend to make me?"

"I WILL REMOVE YOU!" She shouted, firing bullets at my face.

None of the shots hit.

"That was a warning shot." Aigis told me. "Leave."

"So, why is a tactical weapon like yourself attending a high school in the first place?" I asked her, ignoring her threat.

"I will shoot." She warned.

"For that matter, why does a weapon like yourself exist?" I asked as she fired again. A bullet grazed my cheek.

"This is your last warning." She glared. "Leave at once and speak not of what you've seen."

I glared back at her. "What is your purpose?" I asked her. "What worth has a weapon without a foe to destroy?"

"LEAVE NOW!"

"After all, a machine is worthless if it cannot fulfil its purpose."

"I HAVE WORTH!" She shouted. "DON'T SAY THAT I DON'T!"

"Then what is your purpose?" I asked again. She was starting to remember bits and pieces.

"My purpose… is… to live." She decided, opening the door. "Do not speak to anyone of this." She warned, gesturing for me to leave.

I took the hint. "Later then." I told her as I left.

She slammed the door shut and locked it behind her.

I grinned.

The frontal attack is risky, but it is effective.

Now to get downstairs before anyone catches me.

* * *

I talked to Shinji about Akihiko in the gym later. I thought that that'd be easy, since Akihiko died in the Dark Hour, but the fake memories had a good alibi.

I need to break that.

"So… why were you and Kenjamin there in the first place?" I asked him.

"That was the night and place his mother died, remember?" Shinji asked me, bench-pressing a mere three-hundred kilos. "He wanted to be with her."

"So why were you there?" I asked him.

"What kind of idiot lets a kid wander around back alleys in the middle of the night by himself?" Shinji asked angrily. "What're you getting at anyway?"

"Just wondering." I lied. Time to change subject before he shuts himself completely.

Options are either Why he returned to the dorm, or what's going on with him and Minato's cousin.

"So, you and Marina, huh?"

"GUK!"

He dropped the bar onto his chest. "I see…" I commented suspiciously.

He sat up. "I- what're you getting at?" He asked angrily. "She invites me out for meals sometimes, alright?"

"Yet hers was the only chocolate you accepted on Valentines Day…" I pointed out. I'm not actually angry or happy about the situation, if there is one, but Shinji needs to be put on the spot to get him to lower his guard.

"S-She was the only girl I knew!" Shinji barked. "And Yamagishi gave me some chocolate too!"

"You're teaching her how to cook, that doesn't count." I shrugged. "Unless it's getting hot in the kitchen..?"

"No." Shinji snapped. "No, no, get your head out of your ass and no." He said. "Look. There is nothing going on between me, Yamagishi or Marina-san."

"First name terms after only three weeks?" I asked him, acting surprised. "Yet you've been teaching Fuuka for months now…"

"S-She told me to call her by that!" Shinji barked, getting to his feet. "Besides, you've no room to talk, you don't give a damn about what people call you either!"

"To an extent." I agreed. "But you know what I do give a damn about?"

"Do tell." Shinji glared, clearly pissed.

"You're holding a three-hundred kilo weight in one hand and you don't seem to notice."

* * *

That freaked the hell out of Shinji, but still no recall. However, seeds are sown for later harvestage.

Now to talk to Fuuka about Natsuki and her moving into the dorm.

* * *

Over the course of that week, I spent ages talking to everyone in S.E.E.S..

I talked to Kenjamin about his mom's death, about him moving into the dorm, and about Akihiko's gloves.

I talked to Junpei about Chidori, about moving into the dorm, and about the fact that paper cuts heal unnoticeably within ten minutes.

I talked to Fuuka about moving into the dorm, about Natsuki, and about the headphones she'd given Minato.

I talked to Shinji about his super-strength, about Akihiko, and about coming back to the dorm.

I talked to Mitsuru about her dad, about Ikutsuki, and about the company.

I tried to talk to Aigis about her being a robot, and I tried to talk to Yukari about Yakushima and her dad, but they avoided me like the plague.

I talked to Koromaru about several things, but he didn't talk back.

And this body's rejections have been getting worse and worse. Sometimes, the heart will stop beating altogether and I won't notice until all the blood gathers in Minato's legs.

The best I've gotten is "Why do I feel like I should remember something?".

And it's already March.

I don't have long.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

No, he does not.

Only a few chapters left until the end.

KRP pointed out that since their Personae are still working in the background, the beginning of The Answer doesn't make sense anymore. I disagree, since they'll still be out of practice and unmotivated, weakening their Personae, and they can't summon without Evokers.


	107. Chapter 107

Hey everyone. This will be the penultimate chapter of this story, and once again, it's been a blast, but I'll save the blubbering for the end of the final chapter, okay?

For now, we party, BECAUSE DEREK BARONA WROTE THE ONE THOUSANDTH REVIEW!! Show him some love everybody!

Slicerness, the body is _dying_. It's not dead yet.

Yep, that is exactly his Shadow. Ta-da.  
I don't think Lucifer knew Minato's mother as much as he knew _about_ her. A quick Google search can go a long way.

Derek Barona, it gets worse.

Patch, whatever floats your boat.

AthanMortis, you think the truly epic parts of this story are over?  
**Get out of my face.**  
Seriously. The chapter after this will be mind-blowingly epic.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

And now it's the third of March and it is absolutely chucking it down.

"Damn, it's cold." Junpei complained from under his anorak. "But of course, you never give a damn about the weather."

"Other way around." I corrected him. "I like the rain, hence the lack of umbrella or waterproof."

Junpei shook his head. "Man, can ya believe this year's already over?" He asked. "We're practically seniors now. Just one more year… Ya think anything interesting will happen?"

I grinned. "I can practically guarantee it." I told him.

"I hope you're right." He laughed. "But, seeing the current seniors makes me wonder… Seems like all they frickin' do is study. Talk about boring." He groaned. "Is that gonna be us next year?"

Junpei grabbed his forehead. "…Why do I feel like I'm forgetting something?" He asked.

That had been happening a lot to everyone in S.E.E.S. over the last couple of days. I think it can only mean good things.

"Hey, is that girl looking at us?" He asked. I followed his gaze and saw Aigis standing behind a tree. "Dude, she's pretty cute!" Junpei told me, and yes, she is still cuter than his toaster. "How come I never noticed her before?"

"What are you talking about?" Yukari asked, walking behind us under her umbrella. "She lives in the same dorm as us."

Yukari had warmed up to me some more over the last couple of days, but she still only hands around with me if Junpei's around.

"Seriously!?" Junpei shouted. "Uh… What's her name, then?"

"I dunno." Yukari shrugged. "I mean, I've studied with her a couple of times, but I don't really know her."

"So then, why're you giving me a hard time?" Junpei asked. "Anyway, it's always crazy in the dorms this time of year, with so many people coming and going. Oh yeah, did ya hear?" He said. "Aragaki-senpai's moving out. You know, the guy who makes us lunches sometimes."

"I know who he is, but I haven't really talked to him." Yukari shrugged. "Of course, all the graduates are leaving, even Kirijo-senpai."

"Ms. Student Council President…" Junpei wondered. "She's in our dorm too, huh?"

"HEY THERE!" Yukari called to Aigis, waving from under her umbrella. "Are you looking at us? Is something wrong?"

"Um… It's nothing." Aigis replied before legging it in the rain.

"She looks kinda depressed, doesn't she?" Junpei pointed out. "…Wait, do ya think she might be interested in one of us!?" He asked hopefully.

Yukari laughed. "I doubt it." She replied.

"Ouch." Junpei laughed. "That hurts."

COUGHCOUGHGACK!

"Whoa, you okay man?" Junpei asked, patting my back.

"Yeah…" I grunted. "Fine."

"Honestly, of course you're gonna get a cold if you insist on walking in the rain…" Yukari groaned. "Come on, I'll share."

I looked at her. "Seriously?" I asked.

"Whoa, you okay?" She shouted. "You're bleeding!"

Huh?

I glanced at my hand.

There was blood splattered all over it.

I wiped the blood from my mouth and shoved my bloodstained hand inside my pocket. "Yeah, just bit an ulcer." I lied, stepping under Yukari's umbrella.

Minato's heart is attacking itself… trying to shove me out.

I've got a couple of days, tops.

* * *

Once we reached the school gates, Junpei paused. "Hey, Yuka-tan…" He started, before shaking his head. "Uh… Never mind. Forget it."

"Aw, come on now… Don't gimme that." She told him.

"Um, well… Do you remember how we became friends?" He asked us. "I mean, don't take it the wrong way. I was just thinking…"

YES!!

"Well, it's not like we're best friends or anything, so I guess it just kinda happened." Yukari shrugged.

DAMMIT YUKARI!!

"Yeah, I guess so." Junpei groaned.

DAMMIT JUNPEI!!

"It IS kinda weird, actually, now that I think about it." Yukari pondered out loud. "But, I can't really explain why." EUYESS!! "Anyway, that girl—"

The bell rang. DAMMIT BELL!

"Oh crap!" Junpei shouted, sprinting full on for the gates as Yukari and I ran under her umbrella.

* * *

Something which I should have noticed before now but never did, but Junpei's joined the baseball club. Apparently he's gotten serious about his dreams about becoming a pro-baller.

Normally a sports team wouldn't let someone join the team so late in their school time, but after hitting three home-runs in a row they decided to give him a shot.

Then they let him pitch.

He pitched with more power than he knew he had and broke through a wooden bat.

Oh, his pitching accuracy is shocking, but that kind of power is normally found in the Major leagues, so he's gotten pretty damn serious about this.

"Sup Minato?" Kenji asked as he stole Aigis's seat before she sat down. "Dude! I've got a super-important announcement to make!" He whispered before I could protest. "Wanna hear? Huh? Okay, here goes. And this is just between you and me, okay?"

"Next year…" Kenji hesitated for the drama. "There are THREE fine-looking women teachers coming in!" He announced excitedly in a hushed voice.

"Why do you care?" I asked him. "Rio would kill you if you went after another teacher."

"Doesn't stop a man from dreaming my good friend." Kenji laughed. "After Ms. Kanou left, there's just been no spark in the female faculty. Ms. Toriumi has that weird secret she refuses to tell anyone… Ms. Ounishi is obsessed with medicine… Ms. Terauchi is like, going to India or somewhere…" She is? "I mean c'mon! Even our nurse is a guy! Even if he's good at a job… Nurses are supposed to be GIRLS!" He pointed out angrily. "He's ruining my lifelong dream to fake sick, ditch class and chat with a hot nurse… You okay dude?" He asked, suddenly concerned. "You're not looking so good. You should see the nurse. But, uh… I'm not going with you dude."

"Cheers." I croaked sarcastically, forcing down the cough reflex.

"Oh, oh, and I heard those new teachers are coming by today to check out the campus." Kenji added hurriedly. "I'm thinking about hanging around the faculty office to scope 'em out. Wanna come?"

"Alright then." I shrugged.

"Wise decision, O Sir Minato!" Kenji said proudly, slapping me on the back. "See, starting next year, we can choose our homeroom…" We do? "So, we've gotta make sure we choose the right one, if you catch my drift. Wait a minute…" Kenji said with dawning realisation. "Oh, crap… Today's not March third, is it?"

"Yeah?" I asked.

"Shit!" Kenji swore. "Sorry, man! I gotta get lost before SHE gets here!"

"She?" I asked him.

"M-My little sis…" He answered, breaking into a cold sweat. "She'll be coming here starting next year, but… she's gonna swing by today with a bunch of her friends and look around…" Ah. "But I'm not gonna be her damn tour guide!" Kenji shouted. "I don't wanna lead her around by the hand where everyone can see!" He sighed. "I wish I had an older sister instead…"

"Again, Rio would kill you." I pointed out.

Kenji stood up as Ms. Toriumi walked into the room. "Well, whatever. I'm gonna jet." He said, slinking over to his seat. "Laters Minato."

* * *

Minato's body's been rebelling against me all day. When Lunch came I made a break for the bathroom to puke up some blood, and I met Chihiro along the way.

"Oh, Minato." She said once she saw me. "A-Are you okay? You don't look so good…"

"Yeah, just a little unwell." I lied.

"You should get home and rest before it gets worse…" She advised. "Right now, I, um… Oh, sorry!" She apologised. "You're feeling sick, and here I am making you stand around…"

You know what? I owe this girl. Puking blood can wait. "What were you going to say?" I asked her.

"Well, it's isn't much, but… Look at this flyer here." Chihiro asked me, turning to face a poster on the wall.

'_The history of passionate love between teachers and students'_

"People are free to fall in love with each other…" Chihiro told me angrily. "There's nothing bad about it! I can see why it would be a problem if it was between a teacher and a student, but that doesn't give them the right to make fun of it like this." She said. "I'm going to write a protest letter to the school paper."

She set off towards the student council room. I followed to help her, but she stopped me outside the door. "Oh, I'll be alright on my own." She said. "I'll write it myself. Minato, thank you very much."

Chihiro smiled. "I've made up my mind. It's not much, but next year, I want to rejoin student council. The things that showed me the way to change myself were student council and you. So, I want to push myself harder. I want to like myself more."

She closed the door in my face with a smile.

You know what? She doesn't hesitate when talking anymore.

Minato would have liked to see that.

Oh crap here it comes.

RUNNING!!

* * *

Once I got Minato's body back under control, I left the bathroom and bumped into Fuuka.

"Are you okay?" Fuuka asked. "You look so pale… Maybe you should see the nurse… Oh, why don't I go with you?" Fuuka volunteered. "I'm going to the faculty office, and the nurse's office is next door."

I shrugged. "Sure, okay."

Fuuka smiled. "Let's go then."

* * *

Once we got to the faculty office door, guess who came out but good old Mr Ekoda.

"Hm? Yamagishi? Arisoto?" He asked us. "What are you doing here?"

"Umm…" Fuuka hesitated. "I-I want to start a tech club!"

A what?

"Tech gloves?" Ekoda asked. "You mean technician gloves? I think you'd have to go to a hardware store for those…"

"Um… not 'tech gloves', A tech club!" Fuuka corrected. "Like a club all about technology and electronics!"

Silly Ekoda.

"You want to start a club?" He asked. "Ugh… Why are you two so troublesome? Look… it's already March. Can't you at least wait until April?" He suggested.

"Huh? B-But I really want to get started on it now!" Fuuka told him. "I'll do my best to find members… Um, so, do I have your permission to start a club?"

"What? You mean to say you don't have any members yet?" Ekoda asked. "Then it's not even worth discussing. You can't start a club without at least five members. Now then…"

Ekoda walked away, and I had to say, he was justified in what he was saying.

"Well… It looks like I need to find five people." Fuuka sighed.

"You mean three people." I told her.

"You want to join?" Fuuka asked. "Yess! I'm so glad! I was hoping you'd say that…"

"I thought… liking electronics made me strange." Fuuka confessed. "I always kept it to myself, because I thought it was strange for a girl to be interested in that. But, I don't want to hide it anymore… No more pretending to be someone else to my friends. I've decided to be strong and let everyone know who I really am. Even if people think I'm strange, that's okay. I want to meet lots of people like me and hang out with them…"

Fuuka sighed. "I kept my love of electronics hidden, so I never had any friends who shared my interests… That's why I thought I'd start a club all about it. Maybe other people like that sort of thing as well… If so, I want a way to talk to them… But I admit, it makes me a little nervous… Oh, but I'll still keep coming to Music Club." Fuuka told me. "I'll be busy… but it's important that I do this well. It's like… jumping off the diving board at the pool." She said. I wouldn't know, since I haven't been to a pool since I learnt how to swim. "That's how it feels. You'll stay in Music Club next year too, right?" She asked.

"Most likely." I lied.

"Oh!" Fuuka gasped. "I-I've got to hurry and find some club members! I need to make some posters… And other things, too! W-Well, see you later!" She said, running off.

Ah Fuuka. You really are great, you know that?

And Ms. Toriumi is inside the faculty office, talking with the three new teachers, all of whom are praising her for her mad teaching skillz.

I think I'll have a little fun with her.

* * *

I bumped into her as she left the office, literally this time. "Oh, Minato-kun." She said, recovering from the mild shock. "Oh, you dropped your phone…"

I stepped back as she bent over to pick it up. I created it just now specifically for this purpose.

"Th-This..!?" Toriumi gasped.

Background and all.

"Wh-what's going on!?" She asked in horror. "Why would you have this screencap? D-Don't tell me you got it online!?" She snapped. "But the only people who were on the server were…"

She stepped into the corridor as she started thinking, and then realisation dawned. "Huh? No… No way… It can't be…" Denial kicked in and she hid behind her notepad. "Is this a joke!?" She begged, starting to stamp around. "N-No! No! NOOOOOOO! IT'S!! NOT!! POSSIBLE!!!"

I wonder if she has a brother that goes to this school? "Minato-kun… don't tell me… you're Tatsuya!?" She asked, still stamping around and hiding behind her book, blushing so hard that I think she might get an aneurysm. "I-I… I said all that… to you..? I… I… No, no no no… This is bad… Nooooooo!"

Then she collapsed to her knees. Crap, I think she just did get an aneurysm.

"Th-This can't be happening…" Oh good, she's not dead. "I quit this school! I'm leaving! I'm never coming back! Ohhhhh, I wish I was dead! Just kill me now!"

I squatted down to face her with a smile. "Hello Maya-san." I told her.

She jumped to her feet in sheer shock. "Aaack! Th-Then you really are--!" I nodded as I pushed Minato's body up, and she started crying. "I-I… I'm… Maya… I'm Maya… I'm Maya, dammit!" She shouted angrily. "You got a problem with that!? Why don't you say something!? Geez! You idiot! This is so embarrassing!"

She took a deep breath to calm herself down. That failed, so she started counting. "One…" She counted, breathing carefully. "Two… Three… Four… Five… Okay…" She sighed. "But… Th-There was one thing I wanted to say… If we ever met face to face…" She said with a slight blush, not making eye-contact. "I-I… It was thanks to you that I was able to turn my life around. So… I-I'm grateful." She admitted, looking at me and scowling. "Ngh… Wipe that smile off your face!" She snapped. "Or I'll wipe it off for you with my fists!!"

Wait, what? I'm not supposed to be grinning right now… Minato's body has brain damage, doesn't it? "U-Um… If you don't mind…" Toriumi asked hesitantly. "I-If you… don't… mind… Urgh…" She groaned. "M-Maybe we could have dinner…"

She slammed her book against the ground and shoved the phone into my chest. "Oh, to hell with this!" She snapped, storming off.

I pocketed the phone. Save me the trouble later.

The door opened again and Mr Ono walked out, mumbling over an envelope. "Andre… Laurent… Jean… Geraux… That's too long!" He decided. "A Samurai's name should be simple and short… Oh, Minato-kun." He said, noticing me. "I think this letter is for you. It's all in hiragana, but…" He handed it to me with a sigh. "If it's not yours, could you give it to whoever it's for? It's from Andre… whatever. I can't remember those long foreign names…" He decided. "When he was in my class, we just called him Bebe…"

Then the bell rang for class. I pocketed the letter and headed for the stairs. I'll read it later.

* * *

"Well, no matter what people say, a lot happened this year…" Junpei sighed once class ended. "Nothing is coming to mind, but… I know we did something huge… Weird…" He pondered. "How could I forget something so important..? Oh man, I'm getting a headache." Junpei groaned. "Dude, what the hell did we do this whole year?" He asked.

"Well, whatever." He sighed. "It's stopped raining, so I gotta go practice for the Koshien, so I'll catch you later!" He shouted, running for the door.

I chuckled and looked around the room.

Everyone else was already leaving.

I guess I will too.

* * *

"Oh, hey Minato-kun, you off home?" Yuko asked me in the corridor. "Sorry, I gotta go to the public library. Honestly, I hardly ever read in the school Library. I'm studying sports medicine, so I really don't have time today… Sorry about that. But since we're here together, why don't we talk for a while?" She offered. "We haven't really spoken to each other in months…"

"No, we haven't." I sighed.

* * *

I walked her to the front door, and we talked along the way, but then something caught my eye and I had to break the conversation, making up a lie that I had something to do.

See, a young girl who was clearly Kenji's younger sister just walked in with Rio and a gaggle of friends.

Including one particular young man who I really, really needed to talk to.

"Excuse me ladies," I told them as I approached, "But I really need to steal this fine young man from you for a few minutes." I smiled, dragging the gray-haired kid off with me. "I'll give him back, I promise!

* * *

"Alright, what's this about?" The boy asked once I dragged him to the chemistry lab.

Fool Arcana.

"Just wanted to talk to you for a second." I told him, opening the secret cupboard Minato and Ryoji once made. "What's your poison?"

"I-what?"

"Ah, right, you probably don't drink yet." I told him, pulling out the bottles. "Well, that's pretty good, since you're underage, but I really need a drink."

"Wait, alcohol?" He asked. "Won't you get in trouble?"

I grinned as I started mixing drinks. "Well, if I get caught, then it's my own bloody fault for offering drinks to a minor." I told him. "Name's Minato Arisoto by the way."

"Seta Shouji." He replied, taking a seat opposite me.

"Well, since I know your name I can drag you down with me if I get caught." I told him, pouring two beakers and passing one to him. "Cheers." I said, picking up the other.

"Cheers." He replied, taking a swig and spitting it out immediately. "What the hell? What kind of drink is that?"

"I have no bloody idea." I told him. "Ryoji was the one who knew his way around a bar." I lied.

"Well, where is he?" He asked.

"He died." I lied. Again. "Want another drink?"

"If you make something decent this time." He replied, passing me the beaker back.

I laughed, and got working with the bottles again. "You know, alcohol is a funny thing." I said. "It makes people more open, less in control of themselves. It makes some men violent, some men loving. It can turn a genius into the biggest idiot, yet give a man who's hit rock bottom inspiration for a revolutionary breakthrough.  
"A good drink can unite and reunite old friendships, but you know the most important thing you need to remember about alcohol?" I asked him, sliding him the drink.

He picked it up and looked into it. "It's poison." He said.

I nodded. "The wrong drink at the wrong time can ruin someone's life forever." I warned. "Yet the right drink at the right time with the right words can save a thousand souls." I shrugged.

"So it's a medicine too?" He asked.

"All medicines are poison if not used right." I told him. "Overdose on this particular medicine and your body starts to kill itself in shame because you prefer the sweet embrace of drunk obliviousness to the ugliness and the beauty of the real world."

Seta chuckled. "You've been reading Bartender, haven't you?" He asked.

I smiled. "My friend was like that Ryu bloke." I told Seta. "He liked to help people. He often had to hurt people to help them though. He was both medicine and poison, really." A healer of hearts and a destroyer of worlds.

Seta thought about this. "So, you just grabbed a random kid and dragged him for a drink?" He asked.

"No, I'm telling you this because I know people like you." I said. "The whole world is yours for the taking, and you know it. You're like the cocktail in your hand." I told him, pointing at the clear liquid in his hand. "Right now, your future isn't set, but you have the choice. You can either become someone's medicine or someone's poison." I added a squirt of whiskey into my drink, turning it dark red. "Don't become poison." I warned him. "Trust me here, there's so much happiness in helping others. Don't become the kind of drink that'll kill a man."

"What kind of drink are you?" Seta asked.

I took a gulp from my beaker. "A cocktail." I told him after downing the foul-tasting liquor. "Molotov."

* * *

I read Bebe's letter on the train home. It was written in hiragana, and the pen had embossed the paper so deep that I could read it with my fingers.

_Ello Minato-sama, Zis eez Bebe. Ze kanji eez difficult for me, so I'm sorry zis eez all in ze 'iragana. I learned a lot in Japan, but Bebe eez still not zat good. I write zis with a dictionary. My Uncle say zat Japan eez a great country. Bebe eez so 'appy to 'ear zis. So I tell Uncle zat I want to go back to ze Japan. I tell 'im many times. He say, 'Okay!'.  
But Bebe decided not to go back. I'm sorry, Minato-sama. I said I'd come back, but zis is a lie. Bebe didn't know. My aunt wasn't ze only one who 'elped me study abroad. Uncle, relatives, neighbours... many people 'elped. Zey all wanted me to go back. Zey said, 'We will 'elp pay for it.' But my uncle is sad zat my aunt died. Bebe cannot enjoy Japan while Uncle is grief. Bebe cannot take everyone's money for 'is own fun. Learning about Japan can be done in France too. Zat's why Bebe will stay in France. When Bebe is strong enough on 'is own, zen I will come to Japan again.  
Bebe zought about 'ow fun it is to make clothes with Minato-sama and entered ze school of fashion. I made clothes for ze school contest. Bebe won first prize! I named zese clothes that won first place. Minato's... A very wonderful name. It eez ze name Bebe likes. Japan and France, Minato-sama and Bebe. Zey are far apart. But I will always be close. Even if you can't see me, zat will not change. Every day was fun. A lot. I wish I can see you again some day. To my precious friend, Minato-sama._

_Bebe._

…

How the hell did he write an accent into his letter with a dictionary?

* * *

"Oh hello Minato-chan, how've you been?" Bunkichi asked me once I got off the train. "You've grown so much since the last time I saw you!"

"Come on, dear, there's no way he could have grown that much in so short a time…" His wife Mitsuko told him. "What must have happened is that we shrank! Right, Minato-chan?"

"Ah! Good point, good point!" Bunkichi nodded. "You've got me there. By the way, Minato-chan… I'm thinking of giving this old place a remodelling." He grinned. "I'll make it even showier than the wing they're adding to Gekkoukan."

"You look very mature now, Minato-chan." Mitsuko smiled. "You must have been working so hard…"

"Of course he has!" Bunkichi laughed. "What hasn't our lad done this year? Here, I've got a present for you Minato-chan." He handed me a book.

_The Gourmet Knave - Nozomi Suemitsu_

"He was that friend of yours, wasn't he?" Bunkichi asked with a grin. "Looks like he's got it made lad."

"Come visit us anytime!" Mitsuko told me with a smile.

I laughed slightly and said my goodbyes as they headed back into the bookshop and closed up. I headed towards the dorm, and this must be coincidence day, because Jyoji just came up to me and offered to buy me some Takoyaki.

* * *

"When I see this place, I remember all the times I'd come here with Maiko…" The immortal reminisced. "She came here when she ran away from home, too. She really loved the takoyaki… She was a good kid, huh?"

"Yeah, she was." I told him before biting into the next ball.

"She's so good that I wonder if she's really my kid sometimes." He told me. "I got a letter from Maiko. It's long, and full of details about her new life over there. She says she's made a lot of friends. Let's see…" He said while thinking. "She's in charge of the rabbits at her new school, and she has to get up early to clean the cages. They yelled at her for forgetting her P.E. uniform… she forgot her homework and had to copy a friend's… I never knew she was that forgetful… Oh, and she did so well at her recorder test, that she was asked to perform in front of everyone. Then she goes on to talk about how she plays at the park right by the school with her friends every day… Her mother's doing well too… They're having a lot of fun together…" He trailed off and looked at the sky.

"How're you holding up?" I asked him.

"Nowadays, I come home to an empty house… The rooms seem so big without them. I wonder if she feels the same way about her house, now that there's no dad about it. We put that kid through so much on account of our own problems… I feel terrible about it all…"

He stood up. "Anyway, as for you…"

WHAM!!

I got up from the floor. "DUDE! What the hell!?"

"Seems Maiko really took a shine to you." He told me, rubbing his bloodied knuckle. "She wrote aaaalll about you. 'I can't wait to grow up, Dad!'" He said in a high-pitched voice. "'That's why I'm drinking lots of milk. I'm going to marry him someday!'"

Jyoji grabbed me by the scruff of my neck and pulled me up. "What's up with that, you punk!?" He growled. "You were taking advantage of my little Maiko, weren't you? Maybe I haven't been the best dad, but I'm still her father, dammit!" He shouted as he rammed me into the wall. "And I'm not letting a guy like you touch Maiko with a ten-foot pole! **Understand?**"

I slapped his wrist down and landed on the floor. "Relax." I told him. "I don't think I'll be seeing your daughter ever aga-HUWARK!" I coughed, hacking up blood into my hand. "Damn…" I grunted, wiping my mouth.

Now I know how Akinari feels.

"You're not Minato Arisoto, are you?" He asked hesitantly.

"Yes and no." I replied, standing upright. "But I doubt that your daughter will have to see the world burn in her lifetime, and that's important."

I set off towards the shrine. "Later." I told him.

* * *

I sat down next to Akinari's mother, on Akinari's old seat.

"I was just thinking about him…" She told me. "What a coincidence, seeing you today. It must be another of God's tricks…  
"Today is my son's… Akinari's birthday." She said. "He'd be twenty if he was still alive. Only nineteen years…

"It wasn't long enough." I told her.

Mrs. Kamiki shook her head. "He was almost an adult, but he never made it… He had a genetic disease." She explained. "Me, I'm healthy as a horse, but him…" She sighed. "The doctors detected it at birth… They knew he wouldn't live to see adulthood. Every day, I wondered if he'd wake up the next morning… I blamed myself for what he inherited… But… He said something to me near the end." She said.  
"'I'm sorry to have brought so much pain into your life, Mother. I'm glad to have been given life. I'm glad to have been your son. Thank you so much for the life you have given me...' That's what he said…" She told me. "He was the one who suffered so much, yet he said that to me… But… my son brought me a lot of joy, too."  
She smiled. "Holding his warm body in my arms just after he was born… Those tiny hands… That first smile… Hearing him breathe easily at night… Every day, I gave thanks for him being alive… Every day, I found new joy in him. And now… I'm so lonely, and there's nothing I can do… But my boy gave me so much…" She told herself with determination. "That I have to keep on going, looking straight ahead… That's how I feel." She decided. "I'll eat the finest foods, visit the most exotic places… Everything my boy could never do… I'll have so many stories to tell him about the things I've done. On that day… when we meet again, on the other side. If I didn't have that to look forward to… I don't know how I could go on."

I don't even have that to look forward to.

"That reminds me… when my son's condition worsened, he started writing a fable, didn't he?" She asked.

I nodded. "I took it to the publishers." I told her. "Your cheque's in the mail."

Mrs. Kamiki smiled warmly. "I'll wait for him to tell it to me himself, when I see him again… Heh… Now I have something else to look forward to…" She stood up and faced me. "I'm glad you and I could meet again. Thank you. There is one piece of advice I'd like to give you, as an old lady to a young man… Take good care of the ones dearest to you."

"If you wait until their time has come, and you're clinging to their cold bodies… then it's too late." She told me. "Everyone who's born will die someday. Not just Akinari, or me, or you, it happens to everyone… So before that happens…" She stopped herself, then sighed. "It doesn't take a grand gesture. You don't have to make a big production of it, but… If you love someone, let them know it. We all go through life with the same struggles, the same heartbreak… We should be able to prop each other up with the same love and kindness as well. I'm sure you have something precious you can share with people…" She told me before bowing. "Always remember that…"

I stood up and bowed back to her, then slumped back onto the bench as she headed off down the steps as it started raining again.

…

Now that I think about it, I'm sitting where Akinari sat, while his mom had sat in my old seat.

And so it begins…

* * *

I was absolutely drenched when I got back to the dorm, but the lounge was completely deserted, yet the TV was still on.

The office was on the news. Oh yeah… Tanaka had that press conference today, didn't he?

_\_ _"Hii everyone!" __\_ He sang. _\_ _"Amazing Commodities is here for you year-round, rain or shine! We have a monopoly on the cheapest, highest-quality goods! Our customers' ecstatic screams cause noise pollution! Our stocks rise so high they're a hazard to birds, and we make losers every day out of people who don't buy! We're the only miracle left in this sad, desolate world! That's the Amazing Commodities guarantee! We look forward to your business!" __\_

He then got into his limo and drove off. The camera cut back to the studio, and the news readers went psycho about it, especially their guest, who kept insisting that Tanaka would sell his own grandmother for a penny… isn't that Shibuya?

Heh. I warned him that I'd run him into the ground.

_\_ _"I'll have to stop you there, Shibuya-san, because we've just received a fax from president Tanaka himself." __\_ The anchorman told him. _\_ _"Hii! This is Tanaka, the best friend your pocketbook ever had!" __\_ He read. _\__ "And what's in my pocketbook is my own business. It's not my company's money, so what's it to them how I use it? But let me make one thing clear: I'm not ashamed of a single thing! My conscience is clear, dear viewers! So buy my products, guilt-free! Amazing Commodities, here for you year-round, rain or shine! Buy now or drown in bitter tears! Bye-bye!" __\_

I applauded slowly as Shibuya's head asploded. "Tanaka you magnificent bastard." I said aloud. His stocks should be sky-rocketing right now.

Minato has nothing more to teach you, my friend.

* * *

I had to give myself electrical shocks the next day just to get the heart working properly.

Hell, I'm not fooling anyone. I'm hacking up blood worse than ever.

I'm even getting nosebleeds now.

Tomorrow. Just give me until tomorrow, and I'm done, alright?

I coughed.

My hand was covered in phlegm.

I'll take that as a yes then, you sick bastard.

* * *

"Hey, Minato!" Kaz called to me before school started. "Sup? I wanted to talk to you, man! I just heard back from the hospital about my leg. The results are in…" I gave him a dramatic drum roll. "And it's one hundred percent healed! They said I can keep doing Kendo!"

"Nice!" I shouted, lifting my hand to give him a hi-five.

He gave it. "Dude, I was so happy, I almost broke the doctor's back I hugged him so hard! But thinking about it now… If I'd kept hiding the pain in my knee…" He stopped. "I get goosebumps, man. I was pushing myself too hard, trying to catch up to you, and I got pissed off 'cos nothing seemed to go right." So, this is Minato's fault? "I went too far again and shot my leg all to hell." Kaz continued. "Man, I was acting like a little kid… I thought so, anyway." He shrugged. "I kept saying it was all for my nephew, but it was just my pride. And I got you, the guys on the team, and my parents worried for nothing. Man… I was such a baby…"

"Don't worry about it mate." I told him.

Kaz laughed. "Thanks man. Well, at least I finally snapped out of it, even if it took me long enough. Thanks Minato." He said. "I couldn't have done it if you hadn't been there for me. I swear, right here, right now, that I'm gonna do better next year. I'm not gonna jump to conclusions like that… I'm gonna listen to people. It's hard for me, but… Well, that's about it." He said happily. "I just wanted to tell you first. Now, I'm gonna head to the faculty office and tell everyone there, and then tell the team… Dude, are you alright?" He asked, suddenly concerned. "You look like death."

"I'll be reet." I shrugged.

Kaz shook his head. "Go get some rest, man. Your health is the most important thing, right? I'm still signed up for the spring tournament, and I'm getting you back on the team!" He grinned. "If you slack off, man, I'm gonna leave you in the dust! Later!"

* * *

When he came back, he passed me a letter from the coach from Mamoru. However, since class was just about to start, I'll read it later.

Sleep now.

* * *

"Oh, Minato-kun. A-Are you feeling alright?" Keisuke asked me during lunch. "You don't look so good. If there are no symptoms, it could be anaemia…" Considering how much blood I've coughed up, that's more than likely. "Do you want me to take you to the nurse's office?"

"Nah, I'm fine, really." I told him.

"Well, alright then, but first though… I want to tell you something." Keisuke said with a sheepish grin. "I… took the college entrance exam… And I failed."

Wait, what? "It's the first time I've ever failed this badly, haha." Keisuke said with a fake laugh. "I'm going to study harder starting this spring. I thought I'd studied enough, but… I guess I started too late." He put his hands into his pockets confidently. "Before, I probably would have given up after hearing about it. But… not anymore. I want to be a doctor, and save as many lives as I can. I want to protect my loved ones. There are a lot of ways to do that… But my way is to heal them. So I won't give up anymore…"

Damn man. You've grown. "I'm going to try the entrance exams again next year, and this time, I'll be shooting for the top score!" Keisuke announced proudly. "Thanks Minato-kun. I think it was because of your help this year that I've changed so much. I'll be graduating a year earlier than you… but I won't forget about you."

Then Kaz and Junpei grabbed me from under my arms. "Wait, what?"

"Sorry, I was just distracting you." Keisuke laughed as they dragged me away. "Regardless of what you say, I need some rest. Doctors orders!" He waved.

"Noooo!" I shouted as they carried me down the corridor.

* * *

I ended up doing as I was told and lying in bed for the rest of the afternoon. Of course, once the hometime bell rang, I jumped out of the bed, hacked up some blood, and bolted out of there.

Hidetoshi grabbed me in the corridor. "Hello Minato-kun. Are you sure that you're fine?" He asked.

"Yeah, I'm cool." I told him. "Sleep did me a world of good."

He nodded and let go of me. "Well, time flies. It's already March… There's something I wanted to tell you." He told me. "We'll still be able to talk to each other next year, but… That cigarette business gave me a lot to think about… This may sound odd, but do you think this country is headed in the right direction?"

"Not really." I replied honestly.

"I agree." He nodded. "You're an optimistic man, but you filter that through realism. During December, there was a sinister cult growing in popularity. 'A society without a future'…" Hidetoshi sighed. "For many people, out there, that's the reality. I was thinking how we could change that… what it would take to change society. I thought maybe one influential person could start a revolution. But starting a revolution just because you have the power to do it creates more problems. That's what the Nyxist incident taught me. I realised how naive I had been…"

"Now, I think the best thing for society is more education." He told me. "Things that each of us have to learn before going out into the world… That's what's needed most. So… I'm thinking of becoming a teacher. A society is dictated by its people. If we improve the people's minds, society will be likewise improved… Aren't you going to laugh at me?" He asked. "Say something like 'You? A teacher?'"

I didn't laugh. He was taking the correct road to what I was trying to achieve. I told him words to that effect.

"I don't know if I'd make a good teacher." Hidetoshi admitted. "My students would hate me. That's all I wanted to tell you. That, and to say thanks. It was thanks to you that I reached this conclusion…"

* * *

He had some stuff to do in the library, so I headed back to the classroom to reclaim my stuff, and bumped into Mitsuru along the way. "Hm? What's the matter?" She asked. "You don't look well…"

"Everyone's been telling me that lately…" I groaned. Then again, I've been bumping into people a lot lately. And this body is trying to kill me.

"Make sure you get some rest, Minato." She told me, then blushed. "M-My apologies, I meant, of course, Arisoto…" I shrugged, but she continued. "If you don't mind, could we go somewhere to talk? I have some business to take care of later on… But I want to be with you until then."

Meh, okay.

* * *

We went to talk in the student council room. Of course we went to talk in the student council room.

"This room brings back memories." Mitsuru said to anyone in particular as she walked to the window. "I was only away for a little while, due to the exams…"

I walked over to the window and sat on a desk. "The results haven't been posted yet…" Mitsuru told me. "But I don't have any doubts that I passed." Nor does anyone. "This spring, I'll formally become a university student… So this will be my last chance to see the view from here. I don't have much time today." She announced. "All the members of the head family are gathering for a briefing session. The Kirijo Group looks strong right now, but it's actually very frail… It could collapse at any time. I must stay strong…"

"Need any help?" I offered.

Mitsuru chuckled. "Of course you can." She replied. "In fact, there's something only you can do. Who else will help me relax if I become exhausted?" She asked. "Who else will lend a shoulder when I need support? If you can think of anyone else, let me know…"

I laughed. "Will do."

She smirked, and turned to face the window. "Soon, I'll be saying my farewells to the dorm, too. I've been slowly packing up my things… but it's not going well. Everything brings back memories… A book, a picture, a piece of clothing… on and on." She sighed. "My senior year, seemed short, but very… full. It went by so quickly. Especially after you arrived… Any time I'd pass you in the dorm or speak with you… I thought my heart would burst. I never knew I had such feelings inside. If you hadn't come to this school… I wonder what would've become of me." You'd be dead, that's what would have happened. "If I hadn't met you… Would I have accepted my arranged marriage? Or would I have gotten on my motorcycle one day, driven off, and never returned? Fate… is a mysterious thing."

"But there's no use dwelling on the past." Mitsuru said, shaking her head before I could give a 'Screw Destiny' speech. "I have things that must be done, to secure a future for the Kirijo Group and myself… You can be a part of that future too, Minato…" She offered.

Wait, what?

"Do you understand?" Mitsuru asked. "Come visit the Kirijo head family sometime. Don't worry, it's just to say hello. I want them to get used to your face."

Wait, what?

"It's almost time…" Mitsuru commented, glancing at the clock. "I have to be on my way. I wish we'll be together like this soon."

* * *

Wait, so… was I just proposed to or something?

* * *

I read the letter Kaz gave me on the train home. It was from Mamoru.

_How are things Minato? I never knew your address, so I'm sending this to your school. I'm doing good. I'm starting to get used to the job, too… But what I really wanted to talk to you about was kendo. Before, I had totally given up on the idea of continuing kendo. But even so, part of me still didn't want to let it go. I had to do it… but kendo was my whole life._

_I guess the plant manager realised what's up… he's helping me out. We're gonna make a kendo team. Well, I call it a team, but it's really just a few guys at the factory. We practice after work, and sometimes on our days off… The other day, we did endurance swimming at lake Biwa. We've even climbed Mt. Hiei. We don't have any fancy equipment like before, so it's not as efficient… But I'm enjoying myself. Most of the guys are just in it for fun, and we don't do much serious training, but… I guess it's a good handicap for me. _

_How about you? You're still at it, right? I'm sure you're just gonna keep getting better and better. I'm almost as anxious for you to improve as I used to be about myself… It's a strange feeling. So hey, Minato. This time it'll be my turn to be your rival and get things going, It feels nice… having a goal… I can't believe I had forgotten what that was like… _

_Oh yeah, and my mom's getting better. She's in a sanatorium, with fresh air and good doctors. My relatives and friends come by the house, so my brothers are well taken care of, too. _

_Everything's going great these days… I feel like I'm able to take care of the people who matter to me… It's really fulfilling. And it's thanks to you that it's all come together. So… thanks man! Can't wait to fight you again, Minato. You better be ready!_

Sorry mate. That's one promise I can't keep.

* * *

Next day was graduation day, and I the second I stepped into Minato's body I had to run to the sink to puke up more blood.

Damn… this body is dead set on killing itself just to stop me from using it…

KNOCK KNOCK

"It's me, Aigis." She said from the other side. "May I please come in?"

I was half-way dressed already, so I told her to hold on while I tugged a shirt on, then opened the door.

"Thank goodness." She smiled, stepping inside Minato's room. "I'm so happy to see you again… I'm sorry to show up so suddenly… But… I really needed to talk to you."

"What's up?" I asked, sliding the wheelie chair out and sitting on it backwards.

"I remember everything."

…

Wait, what?

"Everyone seems to have forgotten, but I remember…" Aigis continued. "That day, we…"

I stood up and hugged her. "It's alright." I told her. "Don't cry."

"I'm sorry…" Aigis apologised. "It's just that, when I remembered… I was afraid you might go somewhere far away, like you did at the last battle…"

I couldn't bring myself to lie to her.

Then I got my act together.

"That won't happen." I lied.

Aigis pulled away. "Graduation's today, isn't it?" She asked. "I'm sorry… The ceremony's already begun…" Damn, it's that late? "Such nice weather outside… Do you remember?" She asked me. "…The promise we all made? Why don't we go there and wait for the others..? We can enjoy the view of this peaceful city…"

I smiled. "Sounds good." I told her, tugging a white shirt on and grabbing a tie to do in the way. "Let's go."

* * *

I ended up lying on Aigis's lap on the roof while the graduation ceremony took place inside. I ended up watching it and telling Aigis what was happening, even though nothing interesting happened until Mitsuru's speech.

"This last year, I accepted an important responsibility as Student Council President." She told her audience. "When I first addressed you from this podium, I spoke to you all about seizing opportunity while you had the chance… Well, it must have been fate that intervened and gave me an important reminder of this… As many of you may know, my father unexpectedly…" She paused for a second. "He unexpectedly passed away, due to sudden illness…"

Mitsuru grabbed her forehead. "Sudden illness..?" She asked herself. "I remember… Yes… With my father's death, I lost my purpose in life…"

"Hang on," Yukari asked herself. "Wasn't I supposed to..?"

Shinji reached over from his seat and grabbed Junpei's shoulder, pulling them both up. "Aragaki-senpai, what's up?" Junpei asked him.

"But now I have something to live for." Mitsuru continued as Fuuka and Yukari stood to their feet. "No longer will I run from the future! I will face it head on, carrying out my father's will! I am resolved and without reservation."

"The promise!" Junpei said to himself, smacking his head.

"I owe it all to my invaluable friends…" Mitsuru continued. "And we have promised to never lose hope, no matter what tomorrow may bring."

She jumped off the stage, knocking over the microphone and confusing everyone in the room without a Persona.

"Senpai, we made a promise." Yukari told her. "Let's find him, and Aigis too!"

"Yes, I can hardly wait." Mitsuru nodded. "Everyone, let's go!"

* * *

"The wind feels so nice…" Aigis said as I stopped reporting. "This is my first time experiencing spring. But, this season will eventually pass… After fighting alongside you, and facing the world's end… I finally began to understand… what it means to live… Thinking for yourself… Not running away… Accepting the inevitable… All things eventually come to an end… Every living thing will one day disappear… Only by accepting this can one discover what they truly want… What the meaning of their life will be… I understand now why I was so tormented by my lack of strength."

"Protecting others became more than just an order I had to obey." She continued. "I wanted to do it for my own reasons… I realized this once I decided to try and prevent the Fall. When I thought I might never see you again, something else became clear to me--what I wanted most. And so, I made up my mind. I decided that I would continue to protect you. I want to be your strength. I know I'm not the only one who can do this… but that's okay. My life will be worth living if it's for this reason… Thank you…"

I sat up. "Don't cry." I told her.

She laughed. "You're right. What am I doing?" Aigis asked herself. "I understand now, so I should be happy… Everyone… I realize now that I have friends as well. You don't have to save the world to find meaning in life… Sometimes, all you need is something simple, like someone to take care of. I'll keep on living no matter what, so that I can protect you…"

I stood to my feet. It was bloody hard.

"Thank you for everything…" Aigis told me, standing up too to support me. "You must be tired… Please get some rest… I'll stay right here with you… Soon, all your friends will be here by your side…"

I laughed as I grabbed the railing. "I've rested enough." I told her. "Besides, Kenjamin and Koromaru don't come to this school."

I pushed myself off and walked to the charging mob of Junpei, Yukari, Mitsuru, Fuuka and Shinji, who were all very happy to see me. "Come on." I laughed. "We can't celebrate when we're missing two members, right?" I asked.

* * *

The party at the dorm lasted for ages. Hell, it was three in the morning before everyone went to bed.

Well, I say everyone, but Aigis and I were still on the rooftop looking over the city by this point. "Your cousin, Marina, remembered everything too…" Aigis smiled. "Even though she only fought with us for such a short time…" She sighed.

I turned to face her. "Aigis, come here." I told her. She stood up to face me, and I got to work.

I rammed my palm into her throat and obliterated the ribbon around her neck.

She gasped, bringing her hands to protect her Papillion drive.

It wasn't there anymore.

Nor was the white casing on her neck, chest or hands.

I smiled and tugged her headphones off. "You were always jealous that you couldn't feel like humans, grow old, and die with us." I told her. "Well, now you can."

Aigis started touching herself over in disbelief. "This goes both ways." I told her. "You'll be human for as long as you hold onto your humanity. the second you throw away the soul you've earned, you'll become a machine until you regain your heart." I smiled at her.

Yes, I just transmuted a soul into a human body I created, and it didn't even cost me a limb. Edward Elric eat your heart out.

Aigis ran up to me and hugged me as hard as she could. "Thank you…" She cried. "Don't worry… I will always be by your side, protecting you…"

I smiled. "Thanks Aigis." I told her. "Anyways, you need some sleep." I told her. "I'd like to be alone a little while longer."

She smiled. "Of course." She said, walking away. "I'll see you in the morning."

She closed the door behind her, and I turned to face the city, my elbows resting on the fence.

There's just one more thing…

BZZZ BZZZ

Hm?

I reached into my pocket and pulled out the phone. "Hello?" I asked.

_\_ "Hey." _\_

Yukari!?

_\_ "Listen… we need to talk." _\_ She said. _\_ "What you did… I mean…" _\_ She sighed. _\_ "I forgive you." _\_

Holy craps, what?

_\_ "I want to give us another shot." _\_ Yukari continued. _\_ "I mean… I know you hurt me, but… my feelings haven't changed…" _\_

I laughed. _\_ "What's so funny?" _\_ Yukari asked angrily.

"It's just… wow." I told her. "I never, ever expected to hear that from you."

Yukari smiled. _\_ "So, whaddya say?" _\_ She asked.

I smiled. "Goodbye Yukari." I told her, dropping the phone as I slumped over the fence.

* * *

Yukari rushed up to the rooftop to confront Minato directly, then saw the body.

She rushed over, panicing, summoning Isis to try and revive him.

But it didn't work.

The body was dead.

Everyone else came up to see what was going on, and they all realised what happened.

Aigis took it worst. She just curled up over his body and screamed while everyone watched.

Mitsuru held Yukari as she cried. Mitsuru cried too, but wouldn't let anyone see.

Fuuka was sobbing in the corner. Shinji leant against the wall, blaming himself for letting two friends die.

Junpei stood there, damning the heavens as Koromaru howled and Marina cried.

Kenjamin just stood there, fists shaking.

It was heartbreaking.

At least, it would have been, if I had a heart.

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

There's one more chapter left… and dammit, that actually is heartbreaking.

And before you point it out, I didn't miss Tower. We had the ending for that earlier, at rank 11.

And I will not let this story have a Downer Ending. You have my word on that, but you may have to wait a week or so for the Epiclogue.


	108. EPICLOGUE

Alright everyone. This is it. Time to answer some reviews for the last time.

Derek, I checked on the megami tensei wiki, and it has a H in it. However, KRP has also just been there, and apparently it doesn't. If I was wrong, I'll just say that Seta was tipsy or something.

Slicerness, no need.

Patch, that was a bit thick.

JRS74, there will be lots of violence.

Tenshi, there's about 75 great stories in my favourites list. Other than that are my other stories, although Naruto: Ours will make you sad. Made me sad writing it, which is why I don't update it anymore. Might finish it early though.

Lazy, you're about to find out.

First part of this chapter, up until the end of The Answer, I wrote to a song from the Code Geass soundtrack called Madder Sky. It fits so damned well. Then comes Namida No Tane Egao No Hana, from Lagann-hen, although I used the English translation here. Then I used Garuda, the final boss theme of Devil Survivor for the final fight scene.

* * *

**EPICLOGUE**

* * *

Someone eventually got around to calling an ambulance to pick up the body. Mitsuru ordered an immediate autopsy to figure out how the hell Minato just died.

It was a heart attack. The most violent one they had ever seen. The cardiac muscles had gone into so much overdrive over such a long time that the pump had torn both vena cava right out of the blood system.

It was an impossible death. Not only is it impossible for a human heart to beat hard enough to tear those veins, but it's impossible to stay alive long enough for the heart to actually manage that.

The only thing they could be sure of was that Minato was in pain until the very end. I can confirm that for them.

* * *

Natalie and Kuzunoha arrived at the morgue a few hours later. Minato changed his official next-of-kin to her shortly before he fought Nyx. The doctors handed her the envelope containing the note I'd written and kept in Minato's pocket to act as his will. Of course, it wasn't official since it wasn't signed in front of two witnesses, and Minato wasn't old enough to get any lawyers to act as witnesses without arousing suspicion, but I'm confident that Natalie will carry out what I think are Minato's wishes.

I've got a pretty good idea of what he'd want.

* * *

(/')

* * *

The funeral was held two Fridays later, March nineteenth. The night Minato's parents died and Death became his constant companion.

I found it fitting.

It was a pretty small affair, friends and family only.

Of course, I forgot just how many friends Minato had.

Hell, even Lucifer himself showed, and when the son of perdition himself shows up to pay his respects, you know that you lived a full life.

I'd asked Junpei to speak at the funeral. He was shocked as hell that I'd thought of him, but he wrote something.

I just sat at the back of the crowd as Junpei walked to the front and straitened his notes. He'd had a shave for the funeral, and was missing his trademark hat and grin.

But he knew what he was going to say.

"Minato Arisoto was a good friend of mine… man…" He stopped himself. "That sounds so damn forced…"

He got himself together. "He t-taught me a lot of things." Junpei said. "He taught me to stop dicking around and make something of myself. He taught me to go for it, and, a-and to shoulder some responsibility for once in my life." He gulped. "Minato's life taught me to stand my ground and fight, to stick up for myself, protect what I care about, and declare what you know to be right, even when the world says that you're wrong. Everything he did taught me that there's a time in a man's life where he needs to be a hero."

Junpei looked into the crowd as it began to drizzle. "And his death told me that there's a time to be a coward." He said.

"Minato, he… he took things on himself." Junpei continued. "Whenever we got into trouble, he was the one who calmed everyone down and thought of a way out of it. Whenever we got into a fight, he was the first to run right into the middle of it, and whenever we had to run, he was always the last one to get out of there, even though he was faster than me."

Junpei clenched the pulpit hard. "He… he was the one who knew when someone needed help, and he gave it." He said. "If someone needed a shoulder to cry on, he was there. If someone had to fight for something, he'd have their back. Even if someone needed a good kick in the head, Minato was always there to give it." Junpei said with a slight smile.

"He was a better man than I'll ever be." Junpei announced. "And he deserved better than this…"

* * *

I couldn't stay around for much longer than that. Minato loved funerals, simply because of the fulfilment they gave to someone's life. All I can think about is how they're gone forever.

Even though Minato isn't gone forever, he's still not coming back any time soon.

* * *

I'd divided a large sum of Minato's cash and left portions of it to Yukari, Shinji, Aigis, Junpei, Fuuka, Mitsuru, Marina and Kenjamin to pay for schooling or whatever they needed the money for, even Mitsuru.

Other stuff was divided too, but I wasn't really that bothered by that.

What really bothers me is that two weeks after his death and they're still a mess.

Aigis had regressed back into her robotic self, even though her speech was still fluid.

I might have to carry out that plan after all.

* * *

Marina went back to England to be with her family, but she'll most likely return to Japan for the next school year.

The rest of S.E.E.S., however, were becoming a right mess. Yukari had turned into an absolute bitch, and I really can't blame her.

I really screwed her over. I owe her a proper apology, even though I can't give it.

I'll have to do the next best thing.

* * *

(/')

* * *

I ended up procrastinating until the end of March in the futile hope that everyone would sort themselves out without me having to put them all back into action on a meaningless series of battles, but at this point, I have no choice.

So, around midnight, I planted some demonic markers around the dorm, and created a Persona.

"World and Coin." I said, breaking the card. "Jormungandr, the world serpent."

The blue snake coiled around the building just as midnight struck, and the world inside the dorm leapt back in time twenty four hours. Now, the tricky thing now would be getting Yukari into there, but I've got a plan for that.

Now for phase two.

* * *

Everyone assumed that there was just a mass glitch and went to bed, so I broke into Aigis's room as she recharged.

Her eyes were open, but dead, and her bare body was as mechanical as ever.

Right then. First, I took the Velvet Key and tucked it inside Aigis's torso. She'll need it more than I will, since I can't exactly enter the Velvet Room anymore for some reason. This should also grant her the old school Wild Card, so while she won't be as good as Minato was, it'll be close enough since she's using his key.

Then, I reached into her throat and tore out the Shadow that was festering inside of her and took it to the place I'd prepared for everyone's battles.

* * *

The Shadow was called Metis, and she was extremely like the Persona I had made a while ago.

As a Shadow, she was quite a lot like me. She was the embodiment of Aigis's discarded humanity, and as such didn't want to be a Shadow, but as a whole with Aigis.

So I told her that we should work together.

I explained my plan to her, especially the role she had to play and how quickly she should divulge certain information. I gave her a physical, mechanical body similar to the other battle droid units built alongside Aigis, and then I gave her the Persona Psyche of the Hierophant Arcana.

Then, I led her through the Desert of Doors to the staircase leading to the lounge and told her to go for it, but not to actually kill anyone. Everyone's Personae had deteriorated along with their emotional state, so without their Evokers they'd be next to helpless against Metis until Aigis came down.

Once she burst from the floor and started attacking, I saw a Shadow, a real one.

It didn't have a mask or Arcana, but it took the exact shape of Minato. When our eyes made contact, its Persona changed to Jormungandr.

I switched to Thor, and so did the Shadow.

So this thing is the manifestation of how the people in S.E.E.S. feel they need Minato; as someone who understands them perfectly, mirroring themselves.

He'll make a useful enemy for them to fight.

Now to get out of here and hope for the best.

* * *

Around six in the morning, Yukari rushed into the dorm. She didn't notice me, but once she was in, I finished Jormungandr's seal around the dorm.

Now time in the dorm will loop continuously until they sort things out. I made a system with some keys with everyone, that they can only leave once their hearts are sorted and they're all friends again.

I also told Metis to offer the alternative of going through the door to Minato's room, supposedly to send them all back in time a year, but that's just a placebo.

Aigis, for all she misses Minato, would never try to undo his work. She would fight against that until the very end.

And they won't die in the Desert of Doors. That's impossible. They'll just turn into a glowy flame and get warped back to the longue, unless they're fighting in that coliseum, in which case they'll still only get teleported.

No, the only real risk is that they'll leave without finding out the truth behind Minato's death. Well, omitting the part about me, of course.

Well, all there is to do now is wait, because I cannot omnisciate inside a time loop.

* * *

Around ten O'clock Thursday morning, a limo pulled up outside the dorm. The driver got out of the car and headed for the door, and I dispelled the invisible Jormungandr to let him in while remaining inconspicuous.

"Lady Mitsuru, your transportation has arrived." He told Mitsuru once they let him in.

"Thank you." Mitsuru replied.

"Senpai!" Yukari pleaded. Euyes, improvement.

"I'm sorry for the sudden change in plans, but our destination is now the school's Tatsumi Hall." Mitsuru told everyone. "The transfer to the lab has been cancelled."

That can only be good. "Then… Senpai..!" Fuuka gasped.

Junpei laughed. "Now that's more like it!" He shouted.

"Thank you so much!" Aigis said happily. "It's an honour to be able to say with you all!"

Everyone then charged outside of the building with their cases, except for Aigis and Yukari, who lingered by the door.

"I'm still kinda sad to leave this place behind." Yukari commented, looking at the doorframe.

"Yes…" Aigis agreed. "But change is part of life."

"Hey, Aigis…" Yukari suggested as she walked down the steps. "If you're gonna live in the dorms… You wanna be my roommate?"

"Huh?" Aigis asked, completely shocked.

"I mean you need one, right?" Yukari reasoned. "But hey, no need to be so formal. We are friends, aren't we?"

Aigis blinked a tear, then nodded and jumped down the steps. "Yeah, you're right!" She replied, not caring that I'd just got a good look up her skirt while she was in the air.

She's human.

…

"Happy eighteenth birthday, bastard." I muttered as the limo drove off, lifting my cup of orange juice into the air before downing it.

So.

What now?

* * *

(/')

* * *

I stood outside the pearl gates of heaven and knocked.

No one answered, so I kicked them down and walked in, only to be greeted by several spears to the throat.

"Heh." I chuckled, before pulling the Evoker from my pocket and putting it to my head.

"METATRON!"

**BLAM**

The angels couldn't kneel fast enough as holy arrows fell from the sky and shredded them. They'll live.

I set off walking again, looking around for my destination, when a Seraph pointed his sword at me.

"Excuse me, I'm somewhat lost and I'm wondering if you could help me?" I asked him as he launched a blast of fire at me.

I stepped out of the blaze. "See, I'm looking for Metatron, but there aren't any sign posts, so I'm hoping you can tell me so I don't have to devour your soul just so I can use your memories." I asked politely as he rushed for me with his pink blade.

Yes, the blade was pink and looked like it was made of plastic. It was very tacky and broke very easily.

"So, know where he is?" I asked the angel politely as I twisted his arm violently.

"Y-yes…"

"Really?" I asked. "Please could you show me the way?"

"…Yes…"

"Thank you so much." I told him, letting go of his arm and pocketing the Evoker. "Lead the way."

* * *

He stopped outside a large pearl and gold door. "This is far as I can take you." The angel told me. "But the Voice of the LORD is within that chamber."

"Thanks mate." I told him, handing him a spare Deus Xiphos. "Sorry for breaking your old one."

The angel flew away, completely ecstatic about his reward, and I chuckled.

See, when you rule through fear, you lose when someone offers rewards.

I stepped forward and kicked the doors off their hinges. "Hey, Megatron!" I waved, walking over to him and sitting in the comfiest chair opposite him, swinging my legs onto the desk. "We need to have a little word."

-=- THY BLASPHEMY IS UNFORGIVABLE HUMAN-=-

"See, that's kinda what I want to talk to you about." I told him, swinging my legs off the now scuffed desk and leaned my elbows on it, sitting in a Gendo Pose. "I'm not human. For that matter, I'm not Minato Arisoto. I'm a separate entity all together." I smiled. "So whatever I do, that guy's not responsible."

-=- YOU SEEK FORGIVENESS FOR SINS YOU HAVE YET TO COMMIT -=-

"No, the complete opposite actually." I told him, before standing up and throwing the desk aside, pointing the Evoker at his metal face.

"**I Am Not Minato.**" I growled. "**I Am Not As Kind, Nor Am I Bound To Any Laws. I Will Not Hesitate To Commit Genocide If I Am Forced To Play That Hand.**"

-=- YOU DARE THREATEN THE FORCES OF HEAVEN -=- Metatron shouted, standing to his feet.

I pushed the Evoker into his hand and pointed it at his skull. "I'm warning you." I told him. "The gun is pointed at your head, but you're holding the trigger." I glared. "**To Cross Me Is To Pull That Trigger.**" I told him. "**And To Pull That Trigger Is To End All Of Heaven. Oh, I Am Not Strong Enough To Do That This Day, Not Nearly.** **But Pull That Trigger And I Will Be.**" I told him.

"**You Know How Fast Humans Grow In Strength When Forced.**" I told him. "**That Aspect Of Me Is Still That Of A Human. Call My Bluff If You Will.**" I offered, "**But On Your Head Be It.**"

I left the Evoker in his hand and walked out of his office. "**No Second Chances.**" I told him, jacket billowing behind me as I left. "**That's The Kind Of Monster I Am.**"

* * *

(/')

* * *

_On that day, you sowed in my heart_

_A tiny seed of a tear_

I reached out and pushed the guy over the edge of the bridge, then hopped onto the top and watched him fall before jumping after him.

I caught him about three-quarters of the way down and took the brunt of the impact, then got up and cast Mediarahan on us both.

"You know, around three-quarters of the way down, most people realise just how much they've got to live for and regret jumping." I told the lad as he caught his breath. "Still feel like dying?"

He shook his head at me breathlessly and I smiled. "Good lad." I told him as I stood up. "If you run you can still make it to her apartment and win her back before she moves."

He nodded and got to his feet. "Thanks mate." He smiled, before pelting up the hill and down the road.

_Until the day, someday, when you make_

_A giant flower of a smile bloom_

* * *

(/')

* * *

_Even when I'm inside a bustling city_

_Sometimes I'm suddenly rewinding_

I kicked the door down and barged in as the old fart lifted up the little boy's skirt. "Hey, get out of here!" the mate with the camera shouted.

I ignored him and walked over to the boy and looked into his eyes, pulling him away from the sicko. "It's alright." I told him as guys pulled their guns out. "I've come to get you out of here."

"T-there's still others…" The boy protested. "They'll hurt them if I leave!"

"It's okay." I told the kid. "I'm going to rescue them too, but I need you to close your eyes and cover your ears and face the wall while singing humpty-dumpty over and over for me, alright?" I asked him.

He shed a tear, then nodded, turning around and covering his ears. "Humpty-dumpty sat on a wall…"

I stood up and summoned my silenced Bolters. "Humpty-dumpty had a big fall…"

THUCKTHUCKTHUCKTHUCK

"All the kings horses and all the kings men…"

"AARRGHH!!"

"Couldn't put Humpty-dumpty together again…"

"THAT'S GREAT!" I shouted as I tore a guy's head off. "KEEP GOING!"

_Back then, the future was full of ifs_

_Like if we could be together forever_

* * *

_As I sense, no matter where I am,_

_Your form, which isn't anywhere_

Soon, I had rescued three hundred and forty-six children, and was leading them through the city towards the house of the biggest mob boss, asking for a quick word.

Once I was in the room with him and his bodyguards, the kids gathered in the hall below us, I did two things.

First, I made forty-million dollars in gold bars appear on my left.

Second, I launched a Megiodolaon at the wall, obliterating it.

"Out of those three hundred and forty-six kids, I have given thirty-nine of them similar powers to mine, including the power to give to others." I told the boss, who kept his cool. "They will not give you these powers, nor use them for your gain. They are there to watch over the other kids alongside them and, if they are unsatisfied, they will obliterate your entire mafia and take their business elsewhere."

I then gestured to the gold. "This is a loan." I told him. "You are to use this money to educate these kids and help bring them up right. Sort out the damage done to them, help them find families, jobs, and lives. When I come back in fifteen years and you're still alive because the kids were happy with how you treat them, I'll triple this amount and you will have forty super-humans as your friend."

The bossman leant forward. "And why is someone like you offering someone like me this deal?" He asked.

"My job is to try and make humans not be dicks to one another." I told him. "This way kills two birds with one stone."

Bossman chuckled, then glared at me. "I also happen to know that there were three-hundred and sixty-four children in the sex industry around here." He told me. "I don't think you missed some."

I stood up. "Some… were too broken to be saved." I told him. "I'm sure you've met the kind of person in your line of work."

He nodded. "Boys, get sleeping bags. The kids are staying here for tonight."

I smiled. That makes fourteen child trafficking rings. "You won't regret this Anthony." I told him.

He glared. "How do you know my name?"

I turned back and smiled pleasantly. "I know everyone's names and circumstances." I told him. "It's what I do."

_Today, too, I face tomorrow_

_Underneath the same sky_

* * *

(/')

* * *

_Yes, just like how_

_The words you repeat melt my heart_

This guy here. Alex Smith. Airport security officer. Is literally one more boring day from going postal and killing a lot of people.

I stepped through the machine that goes PING and it went PING.

Alex stepped in front of me. "Please remove all metallic items, including change, belts, keys, phones… Holy shit!"

I pushed past him and drew two uzi's from my belt and began shooting up the walls, taking care not to actually hit anyone.

Once I felt Alex empty his gun into my back, I stumbled then ran for the window, jumping out and legging it.

I hope that livened up his day.

_You're making a speech to me now_

_In your beloved voice_

* * *

(/')

* * *

_On that day, you sowed in my heart_

_A tiny seed of a tear_

Melissa Richards. Her husband's sleeping on the couch tonight, and she downed half a bottle of whiskey after putting the kids to bed, before getting into an argument with Christian about money, and their lack of it.

I woke her up, and put a finger to my mouth, then stepped back.

"I'm here to make you a deal." I told her. "In one night, I will save your marriage, sort out your finances, give you a break from stress and all you have to do is not screw up this second chance I am giving you."

She say up groggily. "How much did I drink..?"

I smiled. "I'll take that as a yes." I told her, before putting a hand on her forehead and blasting her mind to my island.

Yeah, I have an island. Built a holiday resort on it especially for things like this.

I then went downstairs and launched Christian's mind to the island. Thanks to Jormungandr circling it, no-one finds the island and a week there is a night to the rest of the world. Add the fact that they've borrowed bodies of themselves twelve years ago and they've no-one but each other as company is a tropical paradise, they should be able to resolve any issues.

Then I booted up their computer and took a look through their accounts before drafting up a budget, then printing it off and leaving copies around the house where they can't miss it.

Then I bolted out of the window before Christian wakes up and gets his gun.

_Until the day, someday, when you make_

_A giant flower of a smile bloom_

* * *

(/')

* * *

_Because you're right here_

The president of Nigeria rose to the pulpit, twenty soldiers behind him. He's a pretty damn corrupt politician, hence the half-hearted cheers and the tortured teenagers in this cellar. Plus the corpses of his political rivals buried around the place.

Hooray for sniper rifles.

* * *

(/')

* * *

_It probably isn't anything special_

_And at length, everyone will understand what it means_

I clambered out of the undergrowth of the jungle and staggered into the village, where a young lad grabbed me as I collapsed to my knees. He and his mate carried me to his hut and gave me some broth of some sort, just as the village was attacked by a demon.

I got up and ran out of the hut. The demon had bestial black fur and lizard wings with white markings on its claws. An Aswang.

I grabbed a spear off one of the hunters who were throwing theirs for its chest, and both wings were torn through. I glanced at whoever else had the same idea as me as the demon fell to the ground, then ran towards the Aswang as it burst into flames and regenerated.

I created an icicle spear and impaled it into its back, grunting as it screamed in fury and launched me back with its wings.

"Per… So… NARGH!!"

I looked up as one villager was encircled with blue flames, and a great, loin clothed man with a feathered crown.

_**Thou art I… And I art thou…**_

_**From the sea of thy soul I cometh…**_

_**I Am Bathala, Caretaker of the Earth…**_

The Persona held its arms wide and water coursed through the air and blasted the Aswang, which screamed and burnt to smoke.

I stood up and looked at the guy who just awakened to his persona. Mao, Fool Arcana.

I smiled and headed back for the beach. My work here is done.

_Between the clouds that burned out red_

_Stars are sparkling_

* * *

(/')

* * *

_Right now, where and what kind of scenery_

_Are your eyes gazing at?_

I walked into the penthouse suite and looked around. Yeah, this is nice.

"Who are you and what are you doing in here!?"

I turned around to see the young blonde woman hurriedly wrap a towel around her body. Yep, straight out the shower.

"Hi, my name's John Smith and I'm here to kidnap you." I told her. "I'll let you get dressed first, but since this is a kidnapping I'd really appreciate it if you didn't call anyone since that'd kinda ruin the whole kidnapping."

"W-Why would you want to kidnap me?" She asked, reaching for the kitchen knife.

"Oh, I dunno." I shrugged. "Never done it before and I wanted to give it a go. You ever been kidnapped?" I asked her.

"W-Yeah, I have actually." She replied.

"Cool." I nodded. "How am I doing?"

Her grip on the knife relaxed. "Not that well..?" She suggested, clearly unsure of what the hell was going on.

I clicked my fingers and stamped the floor. "Dammit, I forgot my gun!" I sighed. "I knew I forgot something… can you pass me the kitchen knife?" I asked her.

"No." She replied.

I sighed. "Man, I suck at this kidnapping lark, don't I…?" I told her. "Do over?"

She let go of the knife. "Sure, just let me get dressed." She shrugged.

I nodded. "Thanks, I really appreciate it."

I just know that tonight is gonna end up with us getting chased by the police. It is gonna be so much fun.

_The season you loved_

_Is coming 'round again_

* * *

(/')

* * *

_The fragments of you that I embraced_

_Haven't changed a bit_

I dived and rolled with Ahmed as the car bomb exploded. "COME ON!" I shouted at him, getting up and running for the now burning building. "WE GOTTA GET 'EM OUT!"

Ahmed got up hesitantly as I jumped into the burning building, then dumped his rucksack full of petrol bombs and ran in to help save everyone.

I grabbed the old woman and the young mother, Ahmed grabbing the two children and carrying them out. "It's alright." I told the two women as I placed them down against the outside walls. "It isn't time for you to go unto Allah just yet."

I then ran back into the building to grab the injured bomb expert from the US army. If I'm lucky, I might be able to save his legs.

_And several times over, you make a speech to me_

_In your beloved voice_

* * *

(/')

* * *

_I won't forget how, on that day, you sowed_

_A tiny seed of a tear_

I grabbed the woman's purse and legged it. "HEY!" she shouted.

A young priest immediately began to sprint after me, so I got to work rooting through the woman's purse.

Sure enough, half a kilogram of heroin in here, plus syringes.

I grabbed the drugs and tossed the syringes, then ran for a further ten seconds before dropping the handbag and scaling a wall.

The priest dropped the pursuit, getting to work on returning the handbag to my victim, while I got to work tracking down this woman's dealer / pimp.

I haven't kicked the crap outta somebody all week.

_Until the day, someday, when you make_

_A giant flower of a smile bloom_

* * *

(/')

* * *

_Because you're right here_

_While discovering, while getting lost_

I sat down on the wall next to the young IncuJack. "Evening." I told him.

"Hey." He sighed.

I leaned back and looked up into the night sky. "Man, what must it be like up there, huh?" I asked him.

Nimbus the IncuJack laughed bitterly. "Not that we'll ever get that far, huh?" He asked. "I mean, proper out there."

"Hey, humans managed it." I replied. "I'm sure that Jack's won't be far behind."

"Yeah…" Nimbus sighed. "We'll have some Space Jack's at some point or another…" He sighed.

"Or maybe we'll actually manage it ourselves." I suggested. "Who knows? There's more than one way to do something, right?"

Nimbus leant back and looked upwards. "Yeah…" He sighed. "Yeah, you're right."

_Morning, noon and night_

_We hurry on towards the promised place_

* * *

(/')

* * *

_Yes, just like how_

_The words you repeat melt my heart_

I walked up to Gerald Whitaker after the funeral. "How're you holding up." I asked him.

"Fine… I'll be just fine lad." He replied dismissively. "You go on home, I'll just be with her for a bit longer."

I stood next to him instead. "Tell me about Pauline." I told him.

"What's to tell?" He asked. "My wife of sixty-three years, died in her sleep." He sniffed as a tear rolled down his cheek. "Dammit… now it's raining."

I looked up. There wasn't a cloud in the sky. "Yeah, it's starting to come down." I agreed with him. "How'd you two meet?" I asked.

He laughed. "At the beach in Scarborough, way back in nineteen-forty-six." He told me. "First summer holiday after the war, and there she was, paddling on the beach in the tiniest bikini you ever saw."

I chuckled as I shared his memory. "She had a great behind, didn't she?" I asked.

"Damn right she did." Gerald laughed. "The second I saw those sweet cheeks, I knew that she was the girl I was gonna marry."

"Took you two years to get the nerve to propose though, didn't it?" I asked him like an old friend.

"Scariest day of my life that was." He sighed. "I've faced tanks scarier than that prospect lad."

"I can imagine." I chuckled. "What did she say?"

"Don't know, I legged it." Gerald chuckled. "Though, next time I saw her she was picking out a dress for the wedding, so I must've done something right."

I smiled. "How'd the wedding go?" I asked him.

_You're making a speech to me now_

_In your beloved voice_

* * *

(/')

* * *

_On that day, you sowed in my heart_

_A tiny seed of a tear_

I lifted up a broken tree trunk from the remains of the building and hauled it over to the side. "HEY!" I shouted. "HOW'S ABOUT SOMEONE GIVES ME A HAND WITH THIS TREE!?"

Joseph jogged over and grabbed the other end of the trunk. "Alright then, on three." He said.

"Three!" I grunted, lifting it up and carrying it to the pile of broken timber.

I almost didn't come to Haiti. I mean, after the earthquake, this place has had loads of help already, and the human spirit here is pretty strong amongst the survivors.

No-one here's in the mood to die, so really I have no need to be here if I want to take out the eternal seal.

Nah, I'm here because I want to help out.

You know, humans steal from each other, lie to each other, rape and kill each other. No matter what kind of monstrosity man comes up with, the planet can always come up with something big enough to forget what dicks we all are just long enough for us to band together and help out.

"Hey Phil!" Sarah shouted at me. "How's about taking a break?"

"You kidding?" I laughed. "There's still stuff to be shifted!"

"And it'll still be there after you've had some water!" She replied, tossing me the bottle. "You can't do anything if you pass out!"

I laughed, then chugged the bottle down my neck in under seven seconds. "Thanks!" I told her, tossing it back to her and rubbing my hands together. "Alright, break over!" I waved, before jogging back to the wreckage.

_Hey, at last you've made_

_A giant flower of a smile bloom_

* * *

(/')

* * *

_And you surely will forever_

_Because you're right here_

A cold wind blew throughout the temple of fog.

"_This can't be… How could I be defeated..? How am I the one to disappear..?"_ Izanami asked the children. "_Instead of the endless struggle, wouldn't it be easier to wrap oneself in lies and live in blissful ignorance..? Isn't that… true peace for humans?"_

"How many times do we have to tell you!?" Kanji growled. "TO HELL WITH THAT SHIT!!"

"STOP ASSUMING YOU KNOW US!" Chie shouted at the dying goddess.

Izanami chuckled. "_Very well. Then try to live your way…"_ She said. "_Power enough to erase my existence… You have already exceeded what I thought humanity to be capable of… You have lifted the fog in this world, as well as the fog in your own… And whether that will lead to happiness or not… Rests upon your shoulders."_

Izanami No Ookami began to collapse into a red blaze. "_Children of Man…"_ She said with her dying breath. "_Well Done…_"

She screamed as her Immortal Body was destroyed, leaving only the eternal soul to return to the Warp.

"ALRIGHT! WE DID IT!" Kanji shouted happily.

Damn right you did. Now I'll finish it.

* * *

"Welcome back, Izanami." Charon announced as Izanami emerged naked and dripping from the river Styx. "Much has happened in your absence."

"Hm." Izanami smiled as she grabbed a white robe and wrapped around herself. "I too have learnt much from my time amongst the humans." Izanami told the Reaper. "Their power when cornered is truly magnificent."

Charon stepped back. "Wait… have you been contending the humans in your time on earth?"

"Only towards the end." Izanami replied. "They have evolved far beyond the pawns they once were… even going to reject the judgement of a god as to what humanity truly desires…"

Charon put a hand on her shoulder. "Listen to me." He told her. "RUN."

Izanami stepped back in shock. "I'm sorry, what did you just say to me?"

"Run far away as fast as you can." Charon repeated. "Because if you don't, he'll destroy you."

Izanami chuckled. "Who is it that would do such a thing to me?"

"**Me.**"

Charon dodged out of the way as I rammed a fist of black flame into the back of Izanami's head, launching her flying into the air. She twisted herself upright and floated as I walked towards her. "**A Lot Has Changed Since You Were Last Here, So Let Me Fill You In.**" I told Izanami. "**I Am He Who Destroys Monsters.**" I told her. "**The Bastard Who Kills The Bigger Bastards, And The Field Medic Of The Soul.**" I held out a hand and summoned a blade. "**Guess Which One I Am Today?**"

Izanami flipped her robe back and morphed into her full, rotting glory of death. "_Impudent Shadow!_" She snapped. "_Who Are You To Defy One Such As I!?_"

"**One That Not Even Metatron Dares Defy.**" I told her.

That shook her up. "**You Think You've Seen Humanity's Greatest** **Potential?**" I asked her, "**I Am Only A Fraction Of The Greatest Human, But Not Even Erebus Could Stand Against Me.**"

Izanami laughed in scorn, but Charon shook his head at her, and then it hit her.

I was not joking nor exaggerating.

I was stating fact.

"**Tonight, Izanami, You Shall END.**" I told her, surrounding the area in silver flames. "**Because Just This Once, The Bastard Holding Back The Darkness Is Giving Me The Heads Up To Go All Out And Obliterate You.**" I raised a hand and a star began to form in the palm. "**A Broken Shell Of A Dead Goddess Against The Shadow Of The Universe.**" I clenched the orb of scorching fusion in my fist and let it burn.

"**CHARON!!**" I roared. "**Place your bets.**"

"_You Desire To Make A Contest Out Of This?"_ Izanami snarled.

"Sixty." Charon bet.

"_You Bet Sixty Souls On My Defeat!?"_ Izanami screeched. "_How Dare You!?"_

"Don't misunderstand." Charon told her. "That's how long I think he'll take to destroy you."

"_Sixty Years?"_

"Sixty Seconds." Charon replied. "You should have ran."

"**I Would Still Have Chased You.**" I laughed, raising a hand to Izanami No Ookami and launching all the forces of creation at her.

She dodged the attack, barely, and screeched the name of her next attack. "_THOUSAND CURSES!!"_

I looked around as a thousand black arms rose from the ground to drag me under. "**Hundred Blessings.**" I retorted, and a hundred white hands descend from the ceiling to pull them out of the ground, ten arms each.

Izanami screamed in hate, then lunged for me with her many arms. I sliced all the arms on her left side from her shoulder casually, and she fell to her knees as rotten Ichor burst from the wound.

"**Pathetic.**" I replied, stabbing the sword into the ground and drawing Minato's first Evoker, pressing it into my neck.

"**Orpheus Victorious.**" I stated. "**BLACK GOD.**"

A giant black arm rose from the sky and grabbed Izanami, clenching her tight as the darkness crushed her in its mighty fist. The stone ceiling cracked open to reveal the empty magnitude of the universe, the vastness of its glory crushing Izanami with its sheer power.

"**This Is The Power Of The Universe, Broken Demon.**" I told her as she screamed against the floor. "**This Is The Power Of A Human.**"

Izanami screamed one final time as the universe itself turned against her, bringing the end of time itself upon her soul, destroying all that ever was of her, all that is, and all there ever will be into the nothingness that is infinity.

Infinity cracked, splitting to show the open sky of the Warp, with Charon and I standing atop of the caves of the Underworld. "You underestimated Minato's strength." I pointed out to Charon. "That wasn't a minute."

"Aye laddie." He admitted, walking over to me. "So, what now?" He asked. "Gonna conquer Hell?"

"Sorry." I laughed. "I've got something more important to do."

Charon blinked, then chuckled. "You really were a fun opponent, you know that lad?"

I waved behind me as I walked off. "See you for Friday's widegame, yeah?"

"Aye lad!" Charon shouted. "Good luck wit whatever yez doin'!"

* * *

(/')

* * *

I pulled over on the road and opened the passenger door for the hitchhiker. "Get in." I told him.

I rushed in and closed the door behind him. "Thanks a bunch mate." He gasped as I set off driving. "I really, really appreciate it…"

"No problem mate." I told him. "Wouldn't set a dog out in this rain."

"You're telling me…" The lad sighed, before sneezing.

"There's a thermos flask of hot chocolate in the glove compartment if you want it." I told him.

"S-Nah, mate, I couldn't…" He replied.

"It's fine." I laughed. "Seriously, you need it more than I do."

He sniffed, then reached for the flask and unscrewed it. "Thanks mate." He said, taking a swig of the hot brown liquid. "Seriously, you're a life saver."

"Hey, just following the code." I told him. "If a stranger does you a favour, pass it onto someone else."

He wiped his mouth. "Will do." He smiled. "Thanks again."

"Seriously, don't mention it."

* * *

**-}+{-**

* * *

Well, there we go. That's the end.

I hope you all enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing this, it's been absolutely great. I really want to thank my Beta KRP, who's given me loads of ideas and pointed out loads of my mistakes, and also Ravenwingcorps and Cal the dragoon, both of who I know in real life and have been a huge help in the idea burning of this story.

I also want to thank Atlus and all the other people who I have plagiarised from. Later, I'll try to do a story without plagiarising anyone.

I also want to thank you guys for all the support you've given me throughout this story, and I'm glad you've enjoyed it. I won't apologise if the end seemed anti-climatic, but that's the way Minatos rolls now. He doesn't have time for glory.

The first chapter of the sequel will hopefully be up later this week, so keep checking my profile page and add it to your favourites / alerts list so you'll know when I come back. The sequel is bubbling along nicely.

So… this is it. The end of Fairly English Story. Make life easier for Minatos and help someone out today.

Later.


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